|
Showing 1 - 7 of
7 matches in All Departments
Imaginative cases, or what might be called puzzles and other
thought experiments, play a central role in philosophy of mind. The
real world also furnishes philosophers with an ample supply of such
puzzles. This volume collects fifty of the most important
historical and contemporary cases in philosophy of mind and
describes their significance. The authors divide them into five
sections: consciousness and dualism; physicalist theories and the
metaphysics of mind; content, intentionality, and representation;
perception, imagination, and attention; and persons, personal
identity, and the self. Each chapter provides background, describes
a central case or cases, discusses the relevant literature, and
suggests further readings. Philosophy of Mind: Fifty Puzzles,
Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments promises to be a useful teaching
tool as well as a handy resource for anyone interested in the area.
Key Features: Offers stand-alone chapters, each presented in an
identical format: - Topics - Background - The Case - Discussion -
Recommended Reading Each chapter is self-contained, allowing
students to quickly understand an issue and giving instructors
flexibility in assigning readings to match the themes of the
course. Additional pedagogical features include a general volume
introduction as well as smaller introductions to each of the five
sections and a glossary at the end of the book.
Imaginative cases, or what might be called puzzles and other
thought experiments, play a central role in philosophy of mind. The
real world also furnishes philosophers with an ample supply of such
puzzles. This volume collects fifty of the most important
historical and contemporary cases in philosophy of mind and
describes their significance. The authors divide them into five
sections: consciousness and dualism; physicalist theories and the
metaphysics of mind; content, intentionality, and representation;
perception, imagination, and attention; and persons, personal
identity, and the self. Each chapter provides background, describes
a central case or cases, discusses the relevant literature, and
suggests further readings. Philosophy of Mind: Fifty Puzzles,
Paradoxes, and Thought Experiments promises to be a useful teaching
tool as well as a handy resource for anyone interested in the area.
Key Features: Offers stand-alone chapters, each presented in an
identical format: - Topics - Background - The Case - Discussion -
Recommended Reading Each chapter is self-contained, allowing
students to quickly understand an issue and giving instructors
flexibility in assigning readings to match the themes of the
course. Additional pedagogical features include a general volume
introduction as well as smaller introductions to each of the five
sections and a glossary at the end of the book.
In Consciousness and the Limits of Objectivity Robert J. Howell
argues that the options in the debates about consciousness and the
mind-body problem are more limited than many philosophers have
appreciated. Unless one takes a hard-line stance, which either
denies the data provided by consciousness or makes a leap of faith
about future discoveries, one must admit that no objective picture
of our world can be complete. Howell argues, however, that this is
consistent with physicalism, contrary to received wisdom. After
developing a novel, neo-Cartesian notion of the physical, followed
by a careful consideration of the three major anti-materialist
arguments-Black's 'Presentation Problem', Jackson's Knowledge
Argument, and Chalmers' Conceivability Argument-Howell proposes a
'subjective physicalism' which gives the data of consciousness
their due, while retaining the advantages of a monistic, physical
ontology.
In Consciousness and the Limits of Objectivity Robert J. Howell
argues that the options in the debates about consciousness and the
mind-body problem are more limited than many philosophers have
appreciated. Unless one takes a hard-line stance, which either
denies the data provided by consciousness or makes a leap of faith
about future discoveries, one must admit that no objective picture
of our world can be complete. Howell argues, however, that this is
consistent with physicalism, contrary to received wisdom. After
developing a novel, neo-Cartesian notion of the physical, followed
by a careful consideration of the three major anti-materialist
arguments--Black's 'Presentation Problem', Jackson's Knowledge
Argument, and Chalmers' Conceivability Argument--Howell proposes a
'subjective physicalism' which gives the data of consciousness
their due, while retaining the advantages of a monistic, physical
ontology.
Self-Awareness and The Elusive Subject explores the puzzling fact
that we are certain of the existence of a subject of experience
despite its being objectively and subjectively elusive. It is
objectively elusive in that, like phenomenal states, it cannot be
found from the third-person perspective. It is subjectively elusive
because it also cannot be found in introspection. On the one hand,
then, the author agrees with the Buddhists and philosophers like
Hume and Sartre that the self cannot be found in experience. He
sides with Descartes', on the other hand, arguing the subject of
experience exists and that we have certainty of the cogito. Along
the way the book considers the claim that phenomenal states have
“subjective character” or “mineness” and argues instead
that they are phenomenally anonymous. Howell concludes with a
deflationary account of pre-reflective self-consciousness and
provides an account of basic self-awareness according to which we
are most fundamentally aware of ourselves indirectly as the subject
of our conscious states.
In recent years, the problem of consciousness has developed into
one of the most important and hotly contested areas in the
philosophy of mind. Many philosophers regard consciousness as an
entirely physical phenomenon, yet it seems to elude scientific
explanation. On the other hand, viewing consciousness as a
nonphysical phenomenon brings up even larger issues. If
consciousness is not physical, how can it be explained?
Concise, up-to-date, and engaging, A Dialogue on Consciousness
explores these issues in depth. It features two main characters,
Tollens and Ponens--unemployed graduate students who secretly live
in a university library--who bring the debate alive. Tollens and
Ponens examine the most significant theories and arguments in the
field, quoting key passages from both classic and contemporary
texts. Their discussion encompasses an expansive and diverse range
of ideas, from those that originated in the Enlightenment up to
today's most current perspectives. The dialogue concludes with a
consideration of the pros and cons of modern physicalist views and
nonphysicalist alternatives. An extensive annotated list of
suggested readings directs readers to the most relevant and helpful
primary sources.
An accessible and entertaining introduction to this complex issue,
A Dialogue on Consciousness ideal for courses in philosophy of mind
and consciousness. It also serves as an excellent supplement to
introductory philosophy courses.
Over the past three decades, the challenge that conscious
experience poses to physicalism--the widely held view that the
universe is a completely physical system--has provoked a growing
debate in philosophy of mind studies and given rise to a great deal
of literature on the subject. Ideal for courses in consciousness
and the philosophy of mind, Consciousness and The Mind-Body
Problem: A Reader presents thirty-three classic and contemporary
readings, organized into five sections that cover the major issues
in this debate: the challenge for physicalism, physicalist
responses, alternative responses, the significance of ignorance,
and mental causation. Edited by Torin Alter and Robert J. Howell,
the volume features work from such leading figures as Karen
Bennett, Ned Block, David J. Chalmers, Frank Jackson, Colin McGinn,
David Papineau, and many others. It is enhanced by a thorough
general introduction by the editors, which explains the hard
problem of consciousness--the question of how any physical
phenomenon could give rise to conscious experience.The introduction
also provides historical and conceptual background and explains how
the consciousness/mind-body problem is related to such theories as
the identity theory, dualism, and functionalism. In addition,
accessible introductions outline the themes and readings contained
in each section.
|
|