Essential reading for anyone even remotely curious about how they came to this curiosity. What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinkers, from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett's brilliant answer, which expands on perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions and explores the deep interactions of evolution, brain, and human culture. Part philosophical mystery, part bold scientific conjecture, this groundbreaking work broadens themes that have shaped Dennett's career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his distinctive style, infused with wit and thought experiments, Dennett demonstrates how culture enables reflection by installing a wealth of cognitive tools or memes in our brains, and how language accelerates this process. The result: a mind.