• “Genes—and environment, I guess.  My parents must have had just the right chromosomes to give birth to me.”
• “God put me here, of course!”
• “I assume you're talking about my individual consciousness and not why Homo sapiens as a species possesses consciousness—that would be easy.  I don’t know how to reply to that. I would prefer a secular answer, if there were one.  But on second thought, I don’t like thinking I just happened—that's too scary!” (This person is obviously a philosophy major.)
  
  

    The quantity sought is properly written as P("you"). This is the probability of "you", the odds of your particular consciousness coming into existence. And no, P("you") is not the infinitesimal probability of your particular gene set (or genome) being sexually configured by your parents. Gene sets cannot specify subjective points of view. Any identical twin will tell you that.
    The author weaves a multidisciplinary tapestry as he identifies and answers the important questions behind your existence and how P("you") should be evaluated. Disciplines explored include the philosophy of self-identity, biological evolution, mathematical probabilities, molecular genetics, and the neurophysiology of the brain. Quotations from authorities in each field reinforce and illuminate various aspects of the author's argument.
    The book contains numerous citations and an extensive bibliography of sources on the origin of the self, making it a valuable reference tool for future study. Completely scholarly behind the scenes, the book employs a lighthearted tone and unexpected humor to make difficult concepts easier to digest and to make the work a fun read for the intelligent layperson. But what makes it a must read, is that it examines one of the most important topics in your life—why you exist.