|
Books > Humanities > Philosophy > Topics in philosophy > Philosophy of mind
|
Buy Now
Why Think? - Evolution and the Rational Mind (Hardcover)
Loot Price: R1,163
Discovery Miles 11 630
|
|
|
Why Think? - Evolution and the Rational Mind (Hardcover)
Expected to ship within 12 - 19 working days
|
In a world where natural selection has shaped adaptations of
astonishing ingenuity, what is the scope and unique power of
rational thinking?
In this short but wide-ranging book, philosopher Ronald de Sousa
looks at the twin set of issues surrounding the power of natural
selection to mimic rational design, and rational thinking as itself
a product of natural selection.
While we commonly deem ourselves superior to other species, the
logic of natural selection should not lead us to expect that nature
does everything for the best. Similarly, rational action does not
always promote the best possible outcomes. So what is the
difference? Is the pursuit of rationality actually an effective
strategy?
Part of the answer lies in language, including mathematics and
science. Language is the most striking device by which we have made
ourselves smarter than our nearest primate cousins. Sometimes the
purely instinctual responses we share with other animals put
explicit reasoning to shame: the movements of a trained athlete are
faster and more accurate than anything she could explicitly
calculate. Language, however, with its power to abstract from
concrete experience and to range over all aspects of nature,
enables breathtakingly precise calculations, which have taken us to
the moon and beyond. Most importantly, however, language enables us
to formulate an endless multiplicity of values, in potential
conflict with one another as well as with instinctual imperatives.
In short, this sophisticated and entertaining book shows how our
rationality and our irrationality are inextricably intertwined.
Ranging over a wide array of evidence, it explores the true
ramifications of being human inthe natural world.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
|
You might also like..
|
Email address subscribed successfully.
A activation email has been sent to you.
Please click the link in that email to activate your subscription.
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
