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Despite recent strides in neuroscience and psychology that have
deepened understanding of the brain, consciousness remains one of
the greatest philosophical and scientific puzzles. The second
edition of Theories of Consciousness: An Introduction and
Assessment provides a fresh and up-to-date introduction to a
variety of approaches to consciousness, and contributes to the
current lively debate about the nature of consciousness and whether
a scientific understanding of it is possible. After an initial
overview of the status and prospects of physicalism in the face of
the problem of consciousness, William Seager explores key themes
from Descartes - the founder of the modern problem of
consciousness. He then turns to the most important theories of
consciousness: identity theories and the generation problem
higher-order thought theories of consciousness
self-representational theories of consciousness Daniel Dennett's
theory of consciousness attention-based theories of consciousness
representational theories of consciousness conscious intentionality
panpsychism neutral monism. Thoroughly revised and expanded
throughout, this second edition includes new chapters on animal
consciousness, reflexive consciousness, combinatorial forms of
panpsychism and neutral monism, as well as a significant new
chapter on physicalism, emergence and consciousness. The book's
broad scope, depth of coverage and focus on key philosophical
positions and arguments make it an indispensable text for those
teaching or studying philosophy of mind and psychology. It is also
an excellent resource for those working in related fields such as
cognitive science and the neuroscience of consciousness.
Panpsychism is the view that consciousness - the most puzzling and
strangest phenomenon in the entire universe - is a fundamental and
ubiquitous feature of the world, though in a form very remote from
human consciousness. At a very basic level, the world is awake.
Panpsychism seems implausible to most, and yet it has experienced a
remarkable renaissance of interest over the last quarter century.
The reason is the stubbornly intractable problem of consciousness.
Despite immense progress in understanding the brain and its
relation to states of consciousness, we still really have no idea
how consciousness emerges from physical processes which are
presumed to be entirely non-conscious. The Routledge Handbook of
Panpsychism provides a high-level comprehensive examination and
assessment of the subject - its history and contemporary
development. It offers 28 chapters, appearing in print here for the
first time, from the world's leading researchers on panpsychism.
The chapters are divided into four sections that integrate
panpsychism's relevance with important issues in philosophy of
mind, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and even ethics:
Historical Reflections Forms of Panpsychism Comparative
Alternatives How Does Panpsychism Work? The volume will be useful
to students and scholars as both an introduction and as
cutting-edge philosophical engagement with the subject. For anyone
interested in a philosophical approach to panpsychism, the Handbook
will supply fascinating and enlightening reading. The topics
covered are highly diverse, representing a spectrum of views on the
nature of mind and world from various standpoints which take
panpsychism seriously.
Despite recent strides in neuroscience and psychology that have
deepened understanding of the brain, consciousness remains one of
the greatest philosophical and scientific puzzles. The second
edition of Theories of Consciousness: An Introduction and
Assessment provides a fresh and up-to-date introduction to a
variety of approaches to consciousness, and contributes to the
current lively debate about the nature of consciousness and whether
a scientific understanding of it is possible. After an initial
overview of the status and prospects of physicalism in the face of
the problem of consciousness, William Seager explores key themes
from Descartes - the founder of the modern problem of
consciousness. He then turns to the most important theories of
consciousness: identity theories and the generation problem
higher-order thought theories of consciousness
self-representational theories of consciousness Daniel Dennett's
theory of consciousness attention-based theories of consciousness
representational theories of consciousness conscious intentionality
panpsychism neutral monism. Thoroughly revised and expanded
throughout, this second edition includes new chapters on animal
consciousness, reflexive consciousness, combinatorial forms of
panpsychism and neutral monism, as well as a significant new
chapter on physicalism, emergence and consciousness. The book's
broad scope, depth of coverage and focus on key philosophical
positions and arguments make it an indispensable text for those
teaching or studying philosophy of mind and psychology. It is also
an excellent resource for those working in related fields such as
cognitive science and the neuroscience of consciousness.
Metaphysics of Consciousness opens with a development of the physicalist outlook that denies the need for any explanation of the mental. This "inexplicability" is demonstrated not to be sufficient as refutation of physicalism. However, the inescapable particularity of modes of consciousness appears to overpower this minimal physicalism. This book proposes that such an inference requires either a wholly new conception of how consciousness is physical or a deep and disturbing new kind of physical inexplicability. eBook available with sample pages: 0203213521
Metaphysics of Consciousness opens with a development of the
physicalist outlook that denies the need for any explanation of the
mental. This "inexplicability" is demonstrated not to be sufficient
as refutation of physicalism. However, the inescapable
particularity of modes of consciousness appears to overpower this
minimal physicalism. This book proposes that such an inference
requires either a wholly new conception of how consciousness is
physical or a deep and disturbing new kind of physical
inexplicability.
The spectacular success of the scientific enterprise over the last
four hundred years has led to the promise of an all encompassing
vision of the natural world. In this elegant picture, everything we
observe is based upon just a few fundamental processes and
entities. The almost infinite variety and complexity of the world
is thus the product of emergence. But the concept of emergence is
fraught with controversy and confusion. This book ponders the
question of how emergence should be understood within the
scientific picture, and whether a complete vision of the world can
be attained that includes consciousness.
Panpsychism is the view that consciousness - the most puzzling and
strangest phenomenon in the entire universe - is a fundamental and
ubiquitous feature of the world, though in a form very remote from
human consciousness. At a very basic level, the world is awake.
Panpsychism seems implausible to most, and yet it has experienced a
remarkable renaissance of interest over the last quarter century.
The reason is the stubbornly intractable problem of consciousness.
Despite immense progress in understanding the brain and its
relation to states of consciousness, we still really have no idea
how consciousness emerges from physical processes which are
presumed to be entirely non-conscious. The Routledge Handbook of
Panpsychism provides a high-level comprehensive examination and
assessment of the subject - its history and contemporary
development. It offers 28 chapters, appearing in print here for the
first time, from the world's leading researchers on panpsychism.
The chapters are divided into four sections that integrate
panpsychism's relevance with important issues in philosophy of
mind, philosophy of science, metaphysics, and even ethics:
Historical Reflections Forms of Panpsychism Comparative
Alternatives How Does Panpsychism Work? The volume will be useful
to students and scholars as both an introduction and as
cutting-edge philosophical engagement with the subject. For anyone
interested in a philosophical approach to panpsychism, the Handbook
will supply fascinating and enlightening reading. The topics
covered are highly diverse, representing a spectrum of views on the
nature of mind and world from various standpoints which take
panpsychism seriously.
The spectacular success of the scientific enterprise over the last
four hundred years has led to the promise of an all encompassing
vision of the natural world. In this elegant picture, everything we
observe is based upon just a few fundamental processes and
entities. The almost infinite variety and complexity of the world
is thus the product of emergence. But the concept of emergence is
fraught with controversy and confusion. This book ponders the
question of how emergence should be understood within the
scientific picture, and whether a complete vision of the world can
be attained that includes consciousness.
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