I'm rounding up to four stars because I think this book would have blown my tiny mind as a teenager. As it is, I've read most of his source material -- philosophy, evolutionary biology -- so none of the ideas here were actually NEW to me. The book structure was new, and I was surprised (sorry, it's the kind of book where you can spoil it just by breathing). He made a readable story out of what could have been very dry material. 
 I'm tempted to bust out the anecdote about the day I argued cognitive theory in a bookstore with my then boyfriend (now husband), and how I subsequently lost my religion, but that's a bit personal for a book review site, perhaps. This book won't make you lose your religion, if you've got one. I never really had one to begin with, I only thought I did, and when I lost it it was because I was finally brave enough to admit that. 
 If you're interested in cognitive philosophy, Consciousness Explained was my introduction to it, back in the day. If you like evolutionary biology, try The Blind Watchmaker and The Selfish Gene: 30th Anniversary Edition. And of course The Republic and Politics are always good reading, although they aren't as crucial to this book as I initially thought. The book itself is a bit like a Socratic dialog, though. 
 That's what this book is missing! A bibliography! At least, my edition doesn't have one. It's got a vey different cover than the one pictured here.