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What is Consciousness?

Israel Rosenfield studies the concept of consciousness. He was trained as a physician, mathematician, and a philosopher -- all of which he now brings to his thinking about neurology. His new book is "The Strange, Familiar and Forgotten." (published by Knopf). In it he reinterprets classic cases of neurology, and theorizes that its impossible to understand states of neurological illness without reference to a person's body image, consciousness and being. Neurologist Oliver Sacks, calls Rosenfield a "powerful and original thinker."

16:13

Other segments from the episode on April 15, 1992

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, April 15, 1992: Interview with Wallace Stegner; Interview with Israel Rosenfield; Commentary on television networks and ratings.

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