The first chapter of British philosopher Colin McGinn’s Mysterious Flame, which argues that not only do we not presently understand how consciousness arises out of the physical brain in which it is rooted, but that the intellect we have is ill-equipped to ever understand this essential mystery.

…the bond between the mind and the brain is a deep mystery. Moreover, it is an ultimate

mystery, a mystery that human intelligence will never unravel. Consciousness indubitably exists, and it is connected

to the brain in some intelligible way, but the nature of this connection necessarily eludes us. The full import of this

thesis will take some time to unfold. I am especially concerned to examine the reasons for this mystery. I am not

just throwing my hands up in despair; I am interested in uncovering the deep reasons for our bafflement and

examining the consequences of our constitutional ignorance. Socrates was concerned to show people that they

know less than they think they do. I too am concerned with the nature and source of human not-knowing; I want to

know why some things are so hard to know. What is it about consciousness that makes it so elusive to theoretical

understanding? And what is it about the knowing mind that makes it founder here?