Philosophy of mind Books

Book SynopsisDevelops a theory of contemporary culture that relies on displacing economic notions of cultural production with notions of cultural expenditure. This book represents an effort to rethink cultural theory from the perspective of a concept of cultural materialism, one that radically redefines postmodern formulations of the body.

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Book SynopsisIn Descartes's Meditations, the thinker rejects all his former beliefs in the quest for new certainties. He develops new conceptions of body and mind to create a new science of nature. This new translation includes a wide-ranging, accessible introduction, notes and full selections from the Objections and Replies.

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Book SynopsisGregory Bateson was a philosopher, anthropologist, photographer, naturalist and poet, as well as the husband and collaborator of Margaret Mead. This anthology of his major work contains a foreword by his daughter Mary Katherine Bateson.

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Book SynopsisNew edition, including a new introduction by the author, of this inspiring guide to developing your full potential. A perfect buy for the business market as well as those wishing to explore their power of their brain, this book shows you how to imitate Leonardo Da Vinci's thought processes and so enhance your aptitude in every area of your life.Learn how to fulfill your true potential by developing the thought processes used by Renaissance master Leonardo Da Vinci. Simply by imitating his insatiable quest for information and experience, we can all enhance our own aptitude in all facets of our lives.Michael Gelb discusses the seven fundamental elements of Da Vinci's thought process and offers practical ways to incorporate them into our own lives. The techniques outlined in the book help readers to develop the same traits of whole-brain thinking, creative problem solving and continuous learning, all of which are vital in today's world.Numerous exercises, anecdotes and illustrations help Trade Review‘Buy it. Read it. Live it!’ TONY BUZAN ‘By capturing the very essence of Da Vinci’s life and genius- the seeming perfect integration of mind, body, spirit and soul- Michael Gelb guides us in a discovery and understanding of the boundlessness of our own full human potential.’ DEEPAK CHOPRA ‘A brilliant and practical guide to awakening and training our vast, unused resources of intelligence and ability… Get this book and stick with it.’ TED HUGHES

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Book SynopsisA new edition of a classic work that originated the “embodied cognition” movement and was one of the first to link science and Buddhist practices.This classic book, first published in 1991, was one of the first to propose the “embodied cognition” approach in cognitive science. It pioneered the connections between phenomenology and science and between Buddhist practices and science—claims that have since become highly influential. Through this cross-fertilization of disparate fields of study, The Embodied Mind introduced a new form of cognitive science called “enaction,” in which both the environment and first person experience are aspects of embodiment. However, enactive embodiment is not the grasping of an independent, outside world by a brain, a mind, or a self; rather it is the bringing forth of an interdependent world in and through embodied action. Although enacted cognition lacks an absolute foundation, the book shows how

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Book SynopsisYour life isn't, has never been, and will never be about you.

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Book SynopsisThis epoch-making book cuts through confused thinking and forces us to re-examine many cherished ideas about knowledge, imagination, consciousness and the intellect. The result is a classic example of philosophy.

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Book Synopsis''Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious'' Observer''Enthralling'' Spectator What is human consciousness and how is it possible? These questions fascinate thinking people from poets and painters to physicists, psychologists, and philosophers. This is Daniel C. Dennett''s brilliant answer, extending perspectives from his earlier work in surprising directions, exploring the deep interactions of evolution, brains and human culture. Part philosophical whodunnit, part bold scientific conjecture, this landmark work enlarges themes that have sustained Dennett''s career at the forefront of philosophical thought. In his inimitable style, laced with wit and thought experiments, Dennett shows how culture enables reflection by installing a profusion of thinking tools, or memes, in our brains, and how language turbocharges this process. The result: a mind that can comprehend the questions itTrade ReviewIntelligence, insight and flair ... They don't come much bigger than Daniel Dennett -- Julian Baggini * Guardian *Lucid ... A brave and bracing book ... There should be more like it * The Times *Required reading for anyone remotely curious about how they came to be remotely curious * Observer *A lively and cogent account of how human beings, uniquely among species, have evolved to possess a conscious mind ... An excellent exploration of the concept of cultural evolution, and the origins and consequences of human creativity * Sunday Times *Beguiling and enthralling * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisMartin Heidegger, considered by some to be the greatest charlatan ever to claim the title of ''philosopher'', by some as an apologist for Nazism, and by others as an acknowledged leader in continental philosophy, is probably the most divisive thinker of the twentieth century. In the second edition of this Very Short Introduction, Michael Inwood focuses on Heidegger''s most important work, Being and Time, to explore its major themes of existence in the world, inauthenticity, guilt, destiny, truth, and the nature of time. These themes are then reassessed in the light of Heidegger''s multifaceted later thought, and how, despite its diversity, it hangs together as a single, coherent project. Finally, Inwood turns to Heidegger''s Nazism and anti-semitism, to reveal its deep connection with his personality and overall view of philosophy. This is an invaluable guide to the complex and voluminous thought of one of the twentieth century''s greatest yet most enigmatic philosophers. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis antidote to the bafflement with which Heidegger's writings are often received is authored with exemplary clarity. Incisive and accessible, Inwoods cool-headed clarifications will be welcomed both inside and outside philosophy. * Stephen Priest, Research Fellow in Philosophy of Science and Philosophy of Religion, Catholic Faculty of Theology, Ruhr Universität Bochum *This is the best short introduction to Heidegger, written by one of the most prominent experts in the field. It is particularly strong on the early and middle Heidegger, including the question of Being and the essence of truth and art. * Edward Kanterian, author of Kant, God and Metaphysics *Review from previous edition Inwood's work is a fine little book; a transparent window onto Heidegger that renders him fascinating and profound.' * John Shand, Philosophical Books *Table of Contents1: Heidegger's life 2: Heidegger's philosophy 3: Being 4: Dasein 5: The world-historical 6: Language, truth, and care 7: Time, death, and conscience 8: Temporality, transcendence, and freedom 9: History and world-time 10: After Being and Time 11: St. Martin of Messkirch? Further reading Glossary Index

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Book Synopsisthe state of mind changes the state of the body by working through the central nervous system, the endocrine system and the immune system. Exceptional patients manifest the will to live in its most potent form .

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Book SynopsisThe ability to imagine is at the heart of what makes us human. Through our imagination we experience more fully the world both around us and within us. Imagination plays a key role in creativity and innovation.Until the seventeenth century, the human imagination was celebrated. Since then, with the emergence of science as the dominant worldview, imagination has been marginalised -- depicted as a way of escaping reality, rather than knowing it more profoundly -- and its significance to our humanity has been downplayed.Yet as we move further into the strange new dimensions of the twenty-first century, the need to regain this lost knowledge seems more necessary than ever before.This insightful and inspiring book argues that, for the sake of our future in the world, we must reclaim the ability to imagine and redress the balance of influence between imagination and science. Through the work of Owen Barfield, Goethe, Henry Corbin, Kathleen Raine, and others, and ranging from the teachings of ancient mystics to the latest developments in neuroscience, Lost Knowledge of the Imagination draws us back to a philosophy and tradition that restores imagination to its rightful place, essential to our knowing reality to the full, and to our very humanity itself.Trade Review'Very important'-- Philip Pullman'One of the leading students of the western esoteric tradition, Lachman has published critical studies of Swedenborg, Madame Blavatsky, Aleister Crowley, Rudolf Steiner, P.D. Ouspensky and Jung -- and he has done so without being raptly worshipful or casually dismissive.'-- Michael Dirda Washington Post'Lachman...manages to make basic concepts in esoteric philosophy and history lively as well as readable.'-- Kirkus Review'Lachman creates a history of ideas that fascinates and excites'-- New York Journal of Books' Lost Knowledge of the Imagination rejoins the parted Red Sea of modern intellect, demonstrating how rationalism and esotericism are not divided forces but necessary complements and parts of a whole in the human wish for understanding. Let's be done, once and for all, with the shallow and misdirected notion that reason and mysticism are at odds. Lachman demonstrates their harmony.'-- Mitch Horowitz, PEN Award-winning author of Occult America and One Simple Idea: How Positive Thinking Reshaped Modern Life'[A] compact, erudite and thoughtful book.'-- David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer (Scientific and Medical Network journal)'An excellent book -- scholarly but eminently readable by anyone seeking appreciation of the spiritual.'-- Howard Jones, Alister Hardy Society'Gary Lachman has done an impressive amount of research. His thesis is very carefully laid out and his conclusions are sensible and attractive.'-- Magonia Review of Books'Gary Lachman is one of my favorite authors alive. Scholarly in his approaches to esoteric topics and historical figures, Lachman has blessed us with a deep crop of books... Thankfully, Lachman is here to emphasize the importance and power of the imagination, and the inner and outer worlds of the mind -- 4.5/5 stars'-- RustiesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments 7Chapter One: A Different Kind of Knowing 9Chapter Two: A Look Inside the World 32Chapter Three: The Knower and the Known 54Chapter Four: The Way Within 80Chapter Five: The Learning of the Imagination 103Chapter Six: The Responsible Imagination 126Notes 141Further Reading 156Index 159

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Book SynopsisThis volume, originally a special issue of the Journal of Consciousness Studies, uses the recent writings of Philip Goff as a jumping-off point for discussions of panpsychism the idea that consciousness is a fundamental and pervasive aspect of our universe that cannot be understood in other, more basic, terms. The contributors to this book explore various issues of panpsychism from the perspectives of science, philosophy, and theology. Some papers focus on further motivating and developing the panpsychist position. Others explore various challenges that the panpsychist faces. Collectively, they shed new and important light not only on panpsychism, but on the fundamental question of the place of consciousness in nature more generally.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewNeuroethics is hot but also complicated and controversial. How can inquisitive non-specialists learn enough to understand this growing field? Joshua May has provided a perfect solution. Just read this book. May's overview is balanced and fair, stimulating and careful, profound and practical, concise and convincing * Walter Sinnott-Armstrong, Chauncey Stillman Professor of Practical Ethics in the Department of Philosophy, the Kenan Institute for Ethics, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Department, and Law School, Duke University *Joshua May has written the book we need: a comprehensive and persuasive examination of some of the most fascinating and significant issues that confront us today. Accessible without sacrificing careful argument, and filled with gripping case studies, it's an excellent introduction to neuroethics that is also a book that will be valuable to the specialist. * Neil Levy, Professor of Philosophy at Macquarie University and Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics *This is the book I have been seeking for my neuroethics course! Philosophy, pre-law, and science students alike will delight in May's real-life case studies and discussions of the brain science relevant to pressing philosophical problems. In the end, May encourages us to be suspicious of the idea that there are "neurotypical" versus "atypical" brains. Brains exist on a continuum: we ought to focus on our neurological similarities and not our differences. * Katrina L. Sifferd, Genevieve Staudt Professor and Chair of Philosophy at Elmhurst University and Co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Neuroethics *Neuroethics explores complex concepts in a way that is accessible to students and non-experts. It is accompanied by online resources, including materials designed for undergraduate courses. * Dr Rebecca Nesbit, The Biologist *Neuroethics explores complex concepts in a way that is accessible to students and non-experts. It is accompanied by online resources, including materials designed for undergraduate courses. * Dr Rebecca Nesbit, The Biologist *This is a crucial volume for those studying the philosophy of mind, ethics, neuroscience, cognitive science, psychiatry, and psychology. * Choice *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Part I: Introduction 1: Ethics Meets Neuroscience Part II: Autonomy 2: Free Will 3: Manipulating Brains Part III: Care 4: Mental Disorder 5: Addiction Part IV: Character 6: Moral Judgment 7: Moral Enhancement Part V: Justice 8: Motivated Reasoning 9: Brain Reading Part VI: Conclusion 10: Nuanced Neuroethics References Index

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Book SynopsisFirst published in 1844, Søren Kierkegaard’s concise treatise identified—long before Freud—anxiety as a profound human condition, portraying human existence largely as a constant struggle with our own spiritual identities.Trade Review"“[A] book at once so profound and byzantine that it seems to aim at evoking the very feeling it dissects. Perhaps more than any other philosopher, Kierkegaard reflected on the question of how to communicate the truths that we live by.”" -- The New York Times"“[A] book at once so profound and byzantine that it seems to aim at evoking the very feeling it dissects. Perhaps more than any other philosopher, Kierkegaard reflected on the question of how to communicate the truths that we live by.”" -- The New York Times

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Book SynopsisDiscover the beautiful bestselling book about a beautiful friendship . . .''James has a way to speak to your soul. This book is nothing short of comforting and heartwarming'' VEX KING''While the drawings have the charm of Winnie-the-Pooh, the captions have the depth of ancient proverbs'' GUARDIAN''A beautifully illustrated book which draws on tender moments. Exquisite'' DR RANGAN CHATTERJEE________A guiding light in the darker months, Big Panda and Tiny Dragon is the beautifully illustrated and mindful journey of two friends through the seasons, inspired by Buddhist philosophy''Which is more important,'' asked Big Panda, ''the journey or the destination?''''The company,'' said Tiny Dragon.Friends Big Panda and Tiny Dragon journey through the seasons of the year together, day and night, in rain and in sun. Travelling through nature, they find hope and inspiration in the world around them, realising that even in the darkest of days, Spring will always return.Feel the calming influence of Big Panda, who reminds us of the bigger picture while appreciating the simplicity of small moments.Explore your surroundings with the inquisitive eye of Tiny Dragon, our friend who is big in heart if not in stature.And on their journey through the ever-changing seasons, join these two friends as they learn how to live in the moment, be at peace with uncertainty, and find the strength to overcome life''s obstacles, together.Inspired by Buddhist philosophy and spirituality, the story of these whimsical characters makes the perfect gift for anyone looking for a little hope and comfort.________''The two friends often find themselves lost but discover beautiful sights they never would have found if they had gone the right way. While the drawings have the charm of Winnie-the-Pooh, the captions have the depth of ancient proverbs'' GUARDIANTrade ReviewIt features the two friends, who often find themselves lost but discover beautiful sights they never would have found if they had gone the right way. While the drawings have the charm of Winnie-the-Pooh, the captions have the depth of ancient proverbs * Guardian *James has a way to speak to your soul. This book is nothing short of comforting and heartwarming -- Vex KingA beautifully illustrated book which draws on tender moments. Exquisite -- Dr Rangan Chatterjee * BBC Radio 2 *

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Book SynopsisMany consider the nature of human consciousness to be one of the last great unsolved mysteries. Why should the light turn on, so to speak, in human beings at all? And how is the electrical storm of neurons under our skull connected with our consciousness? Is the self only our brain’s user interface, a kind of stage on which a show is performed that we cannot freely direct? In this book, philosopher Markus Gabriel challenges an increasing trend in the sciences towards neurocentrism, a notion which rests on the assumption that the self is identical to the brain. Gabriel raises serious doubts as to whether we can know ourselves in this way. In a sharp critique of this approach, he presents a new defense of the free will and provides a timely introduction to philosophical thought about the self – all with verve, humor, and surprising insights. Gabriel criticizes the scientific image of the world and takes us on an eclectic journey of self-reflection by way of such concepts as self, consciousness, and freedom, with the aid of Kant, Schopenhauer, and Nagel but also Dr. Who, The Walking Dead, and Fargo.Trade Review"Challenging the lofty claims of many neuroscientists.... Markus Gabriel has written a wonderfully polemical work. Its clearly developed arguments and lively examples are highly convincing."—Die Welt "It is a rare gift to be able to philosophize from first principles in a way that is neither patronizingly derivative nor technically arcane and in a manner that is accessible to the general reader. But Gabriel possesses that gift in bucketloads."—Simon Critchley, New School for Social Research "Markus Gabriel is a speculative wunderkind."—Neue Zürcher Zeitüng "Gabriel's engaging, accessible and incisive introduction to the philosophy of mind tackles the deep problems raised by both classical thinkers and modern neuroscience. Bringing the zombies and homunculi of the philosophical debates together with the Daleks and Fargo, it is as illuminating as it is enjoyable."—Dr. Sacha Golob, King's College London "Nowadays, 'The Brain' has taken over all the attributes with which the Modernity endowed 'the Subject.' Against this travesty, Markus Gabriel makes subjectivity as such prominent again and, by so doing, maybe, helps us make better sense of the brain as well."—Jocelyn Benoist, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne "Gabriel shows up the flaws and contradictions in reductive theories of mind, based on natural science. His many-facetted argument, where the technical terms are explained in an engaging and available language, with frequent references to contemporary science fiction films and stories, culminates in a powerful vision of 21st-century humanism."—Charles Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, McGill University "Only 37, Gabriel is demonstrating that German philosophers can find a wide audience — without being merely slick or superficial."—Foreign PolicyTable of ContentsIntroduction Mind and Geist Elementary Particles and Conscious Organisms The Decade of the Brain Can the Mind Be Free in a Brain Scan? The Self as a USB-Stick Neuromania and Darwinitis – The Example of Fargo Mind – Brain – Ideology The Cartography of Self-Interpretation I. What is at Stake in the Philosophy of Mind? Mind in the Universe? In the Spirit of Hegel The Historical Animal on the Social Stage Why not Everything, but at least Something is Teleological II. Consciousness I See Something That You Do Not See! Neuronal Thunderstorms and the Arena of Consciousness Buddha, the Snake and the Bat – Again Surfing On the Wave of Neuro-Kantianism Nothing Is Beyond Our Experience – Or Is There? Faith, Love, Hope – Are They All Just Illusions? An Altruist is Lodged in Every Ego Davidson’s Dog and Derrida’s Cat Tasty Consciousness The Intelligence of the Robot Vacuum Cleaner Strange Days – The Noise of Consciousness What Mary Still Doesn’t Know The Discovery of the Universe in a Monastery Sensations are Not Subtitles to a Chinese Movie God’s-Eye View III. Self-Consciousness How History Can Expand Our Consciousness Monads in the Mill Bio is Not Always Better than Techno How the Clown Attempted To Get Rid of Omnipotence Self-Consciousness in a Circle IV. Who or What Is This Thing We Call: The Self? The Reality of Illusions Puberty-Reductionism and the Toilet Theory Self is God Fichte: The Almost Forgotten Grandmaster of the Self The Three Pillars of the Science of Knowledge In the Human Being Nature Opens her Eyes and Sees that She Exists ‘Let Daddy Take Care of this’: Freud and Stromberg Drives Meet Hard Facts Oedipus and the Milk Carton V. Freedom Can I Will Not to Will What I Will? The Self is Not a One-Armed Bandit Why Cause and Reason are Not the Same Thing and What That Has to Do with Tomato Sauce Friendly Smites Meanie and Defeats Metaphysical Pessimism Human Dignity is Inviolable On the Same Level as God or Nature? PS: There Are No Savages Man is Not a Face Drawn in Sand Notes Bibliography Index of Concepts Index of Names

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Care of the Soul has struck a national nerve." -- Dallas Morning News "I soulfully recommend it without reservation." -- John Bradshaw, author of Homecoming "The sincerity, intelligence and style -- so beautifully clean -- of Tom Moore's Care of the Soul truly moved me. The book's got strength and class and soul, and I suspect may last longer than psychology itself." -- James Hillman, author of Re-Visioning Psychology "This book just may help you give up the futile quest for salvation and get down to the possible task of taking care of your soul. A modest, and therefore marvelous, book about the life of the spirit." -- Sam Keen, author of Fire in the Belly "Thoughtful, eloquent, inspiring." -- Alix Madrigal, San Francisco Chronicle "Care of the Soul has struck a national nerve." -- Colleen O'Connor, Dallas Morning News

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Book SynopsisVery Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring''Know thyself'' is said to have been one of the maxims carved into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. On the face of it, this does not seem like a very difficult task. My self is with me at every moment of every day, I have access to its inner thoughts and feelings, and I am hardly liable to mistake someone else for me. At the same time, however, the self is surprisingly elusive and opaque. What, after all, is a self? Is it some kind of object? If so, what kind? If not an object, what then? Is our sense of self ultimately illusory? Something that disappears when studied too closely? Our understanding of the self is replete with puzzles and paradoxes: I cannot be anyone but who I am, and yet everyone will acknowledge that there are circumstances in which being oneself is an extremely difficult task. If I change enough, I can be said to have become a different person. I cannot get away from myself, and yet I can find and lose myself. In

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Book SynopsisPsychedelic Experience presents a philosophical account of psychedelic experience.A central premise of the book is that such experiences are mind-revealing experiences and that they can be induced by means other than psychedelics. In particular, the book argues that psychedelic experiences can also be had as the result of meditation. Aiden Lyon presents a unified conceptual framework for thinking about the different kinds of psychedelic experiences one may have as a result of psychedelics, meditation, and their combination. This framework is then used to shed new light on various commonalities between psychedelics and meditation, such as the ability to promote long-lasting increases in mindfulness and their reputation for inducing mystical experiences. Finally, the book uses these new philosophical resources to flip things around and shine the light back on philosophy itself, arguing that psychedelic experiences can be used as tools for doing philosophy. The result is a new approach toTable of ContentsPreface 1: Introduction 2: What is Psychedelic Experience? 3: Psychedelic Space 4: Hypotheses 5: Attention 6: Memory 7: Hallucinations 8: Creativity 9: Well-being 10: Mystical Experience 11: Psychedelic Philosophy 12: Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisA powerful and important exploration of how addiction functions on social, psychological and biological levels, integrated with the experience of being an addict, from an acclaimed philosopher and former addict.What is addiction? Theories about what kind of thing addiction is are sharply divided between those who see it purely as a brain disorder, and those who conceive of it in psychological and social terms. Owen Flanagan, an acclaimed philosopher of mind and ethics, offers a state-of-the-art assessment of addiction science and proposes a new ecumenical model for understanding and explaining substance addiction.Flanagan has first-hand knowledge of what it is like to be an addict. That experience, along with his wide-ranging knowledge of the philosophy of mind, psychology, neuroscience, and the ethics and politics of addiction, informs this important and novel work. He pairs the sciences that study addiction with a sophisticated view of the consciousness-brain/body relation to make his core argument: that substance addictions comprise a heterogeneous set of psychobiosocial behavioral disorders. He explains that substance addictions do not have one set of causes, such as self-medication or social dislocation, and they do not have one neural profile, such as a dysfunction in dopamine system. Some addictions are fun and experimentation gone awry. Flanagan reveals addiction to be a heterogeneous set of disorders, which are picked out by multifarious cultural, social, psychological, and neural features.Flanagan explores the ways addicts sensibly insist on their own responsibility to undo addiction, as well as ways in which shame for addiction can be leveraged into healing. He insists on the collective shame we all bear for our indifference to many of the psychological and social causes of addiction and explores the implications of this new integrated paradigm for practices of harm reduction and treatment. Flanagan''s powerful new book upends longstanding conventional thinking and points the way to new ways of understanding and treating addiction.

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Book SynopsisTHE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, March 2022''Inspiring insight from the world''s top coach...Goldsmith left me tingling from the journey of reflection I''d been taken on'' Bruce Daisley, author of The Joy of Work*********Our lives reside on a continuum that roams between ''fulfilment'' on the one end and ''regret'' at the other. Where would you place yourself right now? And where do think you should be?In his powerful new framework, the worlds'' number one executive coach Marshall Goldsmith explains that there are eight ''satisfactors'' that impact our position on the scale. These are happiness, meaning, purpose, achievement, engagement, relationships, health and wealth. And he shows how creating equivalence between (a) the choices, risks and effort made in pursuing the satisfactors and (b) the reward received for doing so, moves us towards fulfilment.Drawing on examples from his work coaching the CEOs o

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Book SynopsisA philosophical account of the structure of experience and how it depends on interpersonal relations, developed through a study of auditory verbal hallucinations and thought insertion.In Real Hallucinations, Matthew Ratcliffe offers a philosophical examination of the structure of human experience, its vulnerability to disruption, and how it is shaped by relations with other people. He focuses on the seemingly simple question of how we manage to distinguish among our experiences of perceiving, remembering, imagining, and thinking. To answer this question, he first develops a detailed analysis of auditory verbal hallucinations (usually defined as hearing a voice in the absence of a speaker) and thought insertion (somehow experiencing one's own thoughts as someone else's). He shows how thought insertion and many of those experiences labeled as “hallucinations” consist of disturbances in a person's sense of being in one type of intentional state rather t

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Book SynopsisThe Explanation of Behaviour was the first book written by the renowned philosopher Charles Taylor. A vitally important work of philosophical anthropology, it is a devastating criticism of the theory of behaviourism, a powerful explanatory approach in psychology and philosophy when Taylor's book was first published. However, Taylor has far more to offer than a simple critique of behaviourism. He argues that in order to properly understand human beings, we must grasp that they are embodied, minded creatures with purposes, plans and goals, something entirely lacking in reductionist, scientific explanations of human behaviour.Taylorâs book is also prescient in according a central place to non-human animals, which like human beings are subject to needs, desires and emotions. However, because human beings have the unique ability to interpret and reflect on their own actions and purposes and declare them to others, Taylor argues that human experience differs to that of othTrade Review"A vehemently interesting book. The philosophical part displays the most remarkable grasp of the contemporary philosophical situation and its historical roots... There is also a satisfactory absence of the tones and attitudes of any particular philosophical school." - Elizabeth Anscombe, The New Statesman "A most valuable and systematic account of a major problem in the explanation of behaviour. His arguments are both powerful and of the greatest possible general interest." - Times Literary Supplement "A vehemently interesting book. The philosophical part displays the most remarkable grasp of the contemporary philosophical situation and its historical roots... There is also a satisfactory absence of the tones and attitudes of any particular philosophical school." - Elizabeth Anscombe, The New Statesman "A most valuable and systematic account of a major problem in the explanation of behaviour. His arguments are both powerful and of the greatest possible general interest." - Times Literary Supplement Table of ContentsForeword to the Routledge Classics Edition Alva Noë Preface to the Routledge Classics Edition Charles Taylor Part 1: Explanation by Purpose 1. Purpose and Teleology 2. Action and Desire 3. Intentionality 4. The Data Language 5. The Problem of Verification Part 2: Theory and Fact 6. The Determinants of Learning 7. What Is Learned? 8. Spatial Orientation 9. The Direction of Behaviour 10. The Ends of Behaviour 11. Conclusion Index

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Book SynopsisContent and Consciousness is an original and ground-breaking attempt to elucidate a problem integral to the history of Western philosophical thought: the relationship of the mind and body. In this formative work, Dennett sought to develop a theory of the human mind and consciousness based on new and challenging advances in the field that came to be known as cognitive science. This important and illuminating work is widely-regarded as the book from which all of Dennett's future ideas developed. It is his first explosive rebuttal of Cartesian dualism and one of the founding texts of philosophy of mind.Trade Review‘It presents a compelling and sometimes profound conception of the subject; it is ambitious without being grandiose; it employs scientific information effectively and ingeniously; its style, moreover, is enviable clear witty, clear, fluent and relaxed. One rarely encounters a difficult work of technical philosophy that is such a pleasure to read.’ - Thomas Nagel, Journal of Philosophy‘Content and Consciousness is an extraordinarily interesting and original book, and one which will raise the level of current discussion in the philosophy of mind.’ - Richard Rorty, Philosophical Studies'I have certainly been greatly stimulated by reading the book, and I recommend it to all others who have an interest in the problems of mind and body and of physicalism and its alternatives.' - J.C.C. Smart, Mind'One rarely encounters a difficult work of technical philosophy that is such a pleasure to read.’ – Thomas Nagel, Journal of PhilosophyTable of ContentsPreface to the Routledge Classics Edition Preface to the Second Edition Preface to the First Edition Part 1: The Language of the Mind I. The Ontological Problem of the Mind 1. The Mind and Science 2. Existence and Identity II. Intentionality 3. The Problem of Intentionality 4. Two Blind Alleys 5. The Way Out III. Evolution of the Brain 6. The Intelligent Use of Information 7. The Evolution of Appropriate Structures 8. Goal-directed Behaviour IV. The Ascription of Content 9. Function and Content 10. Language and Content 11. Personal and Sub-Personal Levels and Explanation: Pain Part 2: Consciousness V. Introspective Certainty 12. The Certainty of Certain Utterances 13. A Perceiving Machine VI. Awareness and Consciousness 14. The Ordinary Words 15. Awareness and Control 16. Consciousness VII. Mental Imagery 17. The Name of Images and the Introspective Trap 18. Colours VIII Thinking and Reasoning 19. People and Processes 20. Reasons and Causes IX. Actions and Intentions 21. Intentional Actions 22. Willing 23. The Importance of Intentional Actions X. Language and Understanding 24. Knowing and Understanding 25. Language and Information 26. Conclusions Index

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Book SynopsisJudith Butler elucidates the dynamics of public assembly under prevailing economic and political conditions. Understanding assemblies as plural forms of performative action, she extends her theory of performativity to show why precarity destruction of the conditions of livability is a galvanizing force and theme in today's highly visible protests.

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Book SynopsisNow in its fourth edition, this highly popular text is the definitive introduction to consciousness, exploring the key theories and evidence in consciousness studies ranging from neuroscience and psychology to quantum theories and philosophy.Written by mother and daughter author team Susan Blackmore and Emily Troscianko, the book examines why the term âconsciousnessâ has no recognised definition. It also provides an opportunity to delve into personal intuitions about the self, mind, and consciousness. Featuring comprehensive coverage of all core topics in the field, the book explains why the problem of consciousness is so hard. Theories of attention and free will, altered states of consciousness, and the differences between conscious and unconscious are all explored. Written with students of psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy in mind, this edition has been thoroughly updated throughout, and includes expanded coverage of panpsychism, illusionism, predictive processing, adversarial collaboration, psychedelics, and AI.Complete with key concept boxes, profiles of well-known thinkers, and questions and activities designed for both independent study and group work, Consciousness provides a complete introduction to this fascinating field, and is essential reading for students of psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience.

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Book SynopsisThe perception of what he calls ''aspects'' preoccupied Wittgenstein and gave him considerable trouble in his final years. The Wittgensteinian aspect defies any number of traditional philosophical dichotomies: the aspect is neither subjective (inner, metaphysically private) nor objective; it presents perceivable unity and sense that are (arguably) not (yet) conceptual; it is ''subject to the will'', but at the same time is normally taken to be genuinely revelatory of the object perceived under it. This Element begins with a grammatical and phenomenological characterization of Wittgensteinian ''aspects''. It then challenges two widespread ideas: that aspects are to be identified with concepts; and that aspect perception has a continuous version that is characteristic of (normal) human perception. It concludes by proposing that aspect perception brings to light the distinction between the world as perceived and the world as objectively construed, and the role we play in the constitution Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. The grammar and phenomenology of Wittgensteinian aspects; 2. Aspects and concepts; 3. Aspects as perceived internal relations; 4. Continuous aspect perception?; 5. Aspects and perceptual indeterminacy; Conclusion: the significance of aspect perception; Appendix: the natural attitude and the limitations of the Wittgensteinian grammatical investigation.

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Book SynopsisWho are we and how do we define our inner selves? In his last work, Professor Stephen Prickett presents a literary and cultural exploration of our inner selves and how we have created and written about them from the Old Testament to social media. What he finds is that although our secret, inner, sense of self what we feel makes us distinctively us' seems a natural and permanent part of being human, it is in fact surprisingly new. Whilst confessional religious writings, from Augustine to Jane Austen, or even diaries of 20th-century Holocaust victims, have explored inwards as part of a path to self-discovery, our inner space has expanded beyond any possible personal experience. This development has enhanced our capacity not merely to write about what we have never seen, but even to create fantasies and impossible fictions around them.Yet our secret selves can also be a source of terror. The fringes of our inner worlds are often porous, ill-defined and susceptible to frightening formsTrade ReviewSecret Selves is a remarkable book, at once deeply personal and also a reflection on a profession spent with literature and art ... the product of lifetime of reading and teaching, moving with ease across texts and the images of Western art. It is a reflection on the selves whom we think we know well, and the selves in all of us that remain secret. * The Coleridge Bulletin *This is a fascinating book, written with clarity and charm. What is engaging as well as convincing is how Stephen Prickett traces out the visible emergence, usually in literature but also painting and film, of a conception of the interior life, suggesting how we might read evidence of it even in a single word or phrase. An impressive, memorable study that will, aptly, linger in the mind. * Francis O’Gorman, Saintsbury Professor of English Literature, University of Edinburgh, UK, and author of Worrying: A Literary and Cultural History *With a beguiling lightness of touch, Stephen Prickett explores the immense and fascinating landscape of the human mind. His book provokes, challenges and delights in equal measure. It's a joy. * The Rt Revd Dr Christopher Herbert, Visiting Professor in Christian Ethics, University of Surrey, UK *Stephen Prickett's many books on the evolution of the modern European imagination were without fail deeply original, written with wit, clarity and an immense range of reference. This – sadly posthumous – work is no exception. I can think of no other recent book that offers so rich an exploration of how modern people learned to think about their “inner selves,” with examples ranging from children's books to debates on Artificial Intelligence. A brilliant, humane, many-faceted study. * Rowan Williams, former Master of Magdalene College, University of Cambridge, UK *Table of ContentsIntroduction: A Self-Conscious Story 1. Visions, Dreams – and that which hath no Bottom 2. Room On All Three Floors: Dante to Macdonald 3. The Mind has Mountains: Landscape into Psyche 4. From China to Peru: Global Imaginations 5. Children’s Spaces: Adult Fantasies 6. Far Fetched Facts and Further Fictions: Furnishing with Extremes 7. Experience of Self: From Identity to Individuality Conclusion: Know Thyself: Facebook, Cyborgs, and Reincarnation Index

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Book SynopsisIn my own life, the greatest gift I have given myself is an inner voice that empowers me, that magnifies solutions and opportunities, that is full of self-compassion and forgiveness.' Gerry HusseyDo you have a dream that is still waiting to be manifested? Is there a challenge you want to overcome? Is there something from your past you want to let go of? The foundation for making all these things happen is transforming your inner voice.Our self-talk plays a significant role in what we manifest in our lives because our thoughts and beliefs shape our reality. Through his work coaching elite athletes, Gerry Hussey knows how to create a winning mindset. Here, he shares his most powerful tools of transformation.By learning how to cultivate the habit of running a consistently positive inner story, you will begin to take your energy away from the story of pain and fear and focus on a new story of confidence, empowerment and freedom. And by following the plan set out in I Am, I Can, I Will, you will develop the skills to be your own coach and claim the life you were meant to live.

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Book SynopsisPhilosophy of Mind: A Very Short Introduction probes some of the great philosophical questions about the mind: What is the relationship between mind and matter? Can science unravel the mystery of consciousness? How can our thoughts represent things in the world? Are computers genuinely intelligent? In the book, Barbara Gail Montero highlights key thought experiments used by philosophers to explore the nature of mind and how mind and body relate to each other (the mind-body problem). She leads readers through the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed solutions to the mind-body problem and explores the philosophical conundrums associated with sensation, perception, cognition, and emotion. While keeping an eye on the contemporary philosophical debate, Montero also considers the cross-cultural roots of philosophy of mind, and its connections to psychology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and physics. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis little gem offers a succinct, thorough introduction to the central topics in philosophy of mind...providing insight into all the major positions and arguments, this is an excellent foundational book. * J. A. Kegley, CHOICE *Table of ContentsPreface 1: The mind-body problem 2: Dualism 3: Other minds 4: Physicalism 5: Intentionality 6: Consciousness 7: Animals, aliens, and machines 8: Dissolving the mind-body problem Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisFor many decades, the proponents of `artificial intelligence'' have maintained that computers will soon be able to do everything that a human can do. In his bestselling work of popular science, Sir Roger Penrose takes us on a fascinating tour through the basic principles of physics, cosmology, mathematics, and philosophy to show that human thinking can never be emulated by a machine.Oxford Landmark Science books are ''must-read'' classics of modern science writing which have crystallized big ideas, and shaped the way we think.Trade ReviewAn extraordinary masterpiece. * Adhemar Bultheel, European Mathmatical Society *Perhaps the most engaging and creative tour of modern physics that has ever been written * Sunday Times *A superb book... provocative and absorbing * Physics Today *A bold, brilliant, groundbreaking work... When Mr Penrose talks, scientists listen * New York Time Book Review *. . One cannot imagine a more revealing self-portrait than this enchanting, tantalising book... Roger Penrose reveals himself as an eloquent protagonist, not only of the wonders of mathematics, but also of the uniqueness of people. * Nature *I fail to see how anybody can remain unmoved by the book's central theme, which concerns the nature of human beings... His style is relaxed and entertaining, There are nuggets on almost every page. * Financial Times *Table of ContentsPrologue 1: Can a Computer Have a Mind? 2: Algorithms and Turing Machines 3: Mathematics and Reality 4: Truth, Proof, and Insight 5: The Classical World 6: Quantum Magic and Quantum Mystery 7: Cosmology and the Arrow of Time 8: In Search of Quantum Gravity 9: Real Brains and Model Brains 10: Where Lies the Physics of the Mind? Epilogue References Index

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Book SynopsisThis volume collects recent essays and reviews by Thomas Nagel in three subject areas. The first section, including the title essay, is concerned with religious belief and some of the philosophical questions connected with it, such as the relation between religion and evolutionary theory, the question of why there is something rather than nothing, and the significance for human life of our place in the cosmos. It includes a defense of the relevance of religion to science education. The second section concerns the interpretation of liberal political theory, especially in an international context. A substantial essay argues that the principles of distributive justice that apply within individual nation-states do not apply to the world as a whole. The third section discusses the distinctive contributions of four philosophers to our understanding of what it is to be human--the form of human consciousness and the source of human values.Trade ReviewThese essays are all written in Nagel's clear and familiar style; they combine substantial arguments and insights with the charms of a friendly conversation partner. Highly recommended to those interested in theism versus atheism and the current science-religion debate. * Religous Studies Review *Table of ContentsPART I. RELIGION ; PART II. POLITICS ; PART III. HUMANITY

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Book SynopsisA core philosophical project is the attempt to uncover the fundamental nature of reality, the limited set of facts upon which all other facts depend. Perhaps the most popular theory of fundamental reality in contemporary analytic philosophy is physicalism, the view that the world is fundamentally physical in nature. The first half of this book argues that physicalist views cannot account for the evident reality of conscious experience, and hence that physicalism cannot be true. Unusually for an opponent of physicalism, Goff argues that there are big problems with the most well-known arguments against physicalismChalmers'' zombie conceivability argument and Jackson''s knowledge argumentand proposes significant modifications. The second half of the book explores and defends a recently rediscovered theory of fundamental realityor perhaps rather a grouping of such theoriesknown as ''Russellian monism.'' Russellian monists draw inspiration from a couple of theses defended by Bertrand RusselTrade ReviewThis book is an interesting and energetic exploration of Russellian monism, a position in philosophy of mind that has gained considerable attention in recent years because it promises to move us beyond the physicalist-dualist stand-off ... the book is honest, unflinching, imaginative and argumentative; in other words, a very good philosophy book. * Daniel Stoljar, Notre Dame Philosophical Review *This book contains some of the most important contributions to the metaphysics of consciousness in recent years. Philip Goff develops a sophisticated argument against materialism, and then explores the prospects for radical alternatives in considerable depth. He makes a strong case for panpsychism, the thesis that consciousness exists at a fundamental level of physical reality, and extends this to a case for cosmopsychism, the thesis that the universe as a whole is conscious. Anyone interested in the philosophical problem of consciousness should pay close attention to his ideas." —David Chalmers, New York University, and series editor, Philosophy of Mind series (OUP)Goff has produced a grand piece of speculative metaphysics, in the tradition of Leibniz, Spinoza and Unger. It is also probably the best single piece of work emerging from the recent bloom of interest in Russellian monist views of consciousness. Starting with plausible and well-defended premises, he argues for a daring conclusion that many will find difficult to accept; yet, he makes a compelling case that there is no easy way to resist it. Figuring out how to respond to his rigorous and thorough arguments will be highly instructive (and fun!) for anyone with an interest in metaphysically-oriented philosophy of mind." —Geoffrey Lee, University of California, BerkeleyThis book will quickly become a reference point for philosophical discussions of consciousness. Philip Goff lays out the issues with precision and cuts through to the heart of the latest philosophical technicalities. He also writes beautifully and advances a number of strikingly novel theses. No philosopher interested in consciousness can afford to ignore Consciousness and Fundamental Reality." —David Papineau, King's College London and the City University of New York Graduate CenterIn an era of increasing specialization and 'small ball' philosophy, Philip Goff's Consciousness and Fundamental Reality comes as a welcome antidote. He defends a grand metaphysical vision of the world, constitutive cosmopsychism, according to which the universe as a whole is conscious, and everything else is grounded in its evolving conscious state. Yes, this view is revisionary. But all views on the mind-body problem are revisionary including orthodox physicalism. Goff develops a number of powerful arguments against the alternatives as well as a positive case for his cosmopsychism. His discussion demands and will repay our close attention." —Adam Pautz, Brown UniversityTable of Contents1. The reality of consciousness Part I: Against physicalism 2. What is physicalism? 3. The knowledge argument 4. The conceivability argument 5. Revelation and the transparency argument Part II: Russellian monism: An alternative 6. The elegant solution 7. Panpsychism versus panprotopsychism, and the subject-summing problem 8. Top-down combination problems 9. A conscious universe 10. Analytic phenomenology: A metaphysical manifesto

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Book SynopsisAnnie Reiner's introduction to Wilfred Bion's theories of mind presents Bion's intricate ideas in an accessible, original way without compromising their complexity.Reiner uses comparisons to painting, literature and philosophy, and detailed clinical examples, to provide an experience of Bion's work that can be felt as well as thought. The book explores many of Bion's theoretical and clinical innovations, and examines the controversy surrounding his concept of O. Reiner provides evidence of a continuity between Bion's early ideas and his later, more esoteric work.W. R. Bion's Theories of Mind will be essential reading for psychoanalysts and psychoanalytic candidates, as well as students of psychoanalytic and psychological history, and anyone looking for a readable introduction to Bion's work.Trade Review'Annie Reiner's excellent, thought-provoking book is one of the best expositions of Bion's ideas and clinical work. This clear, accessible and deep reflection on Bion's thinking and clinical practice, is based on first-hand, intimate knowledge absorbed through Reiner’s acquaintance with Bion himself. Moreover, it is an impressive account of Reiner's own thinking, grounded in many years of clinical work and important theoretical developments. Her thoughts on the natural continuity between Bion's early and late work, the origins of the mind and of thinking, and the presence of the transcendental, spiritual dimension in human experience, are invaluable. Anyone interested in human experience, philosophy and psychoanalysis will surely find in this book much needed, touching and evocative food for thought.'Joshua Durban, child and adult training and supervising psychoanalyst, The Israeli Psychoanalytic Society (IPA), The Sackler School of Medicine, The psychotherapy program, Tel-Aviv University, Israel'There are many books on Bion. This one is different: it captures what is revolutionary about Bion’s thinking in a fresh and clear way. Reiner, who was a student of Bion in the 1970s, and is now one of the foremost Bion scholars, traces the origins of his thinking concerning the concept of O from its very beginnings in his work on the selected fact, through his work on the ‘no-thing’ and ‘thoughts without a thinker’, and finally to his most developed conception of O as it informs intuition, which is all that we can know. This is a beautifully written book that captures the imagination of the reader, inviting him or her to think with Reiner about the development of Bion’s ideas.'Thomas Ogden, M.D. San Francisco. Member and supervising analyst at the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis (SFCP)'Dr. Reiner has written a remarkable book, describing essentials of the work of W.R. Bion with unusual clarity. Bion’s ideas are explored in depth, and applied to her work with analysands, which is presented in detail, and relevant to the specific theories being discussed.'Michael Paul, M.D. Los Angeles. Member and senior training analyst at the Psychoanalytic Center of California (PCC), and the New Center of Psychoanalysis (NCP)Table of ContentsForeword Introduction 1. Limitations of Language in the Psychic Realm 2. The No-Thing 3. The Selected Fact 4. Thoughts Without a Thinker 5. The Royal Road to O 6. Continuity in Early and Late Bion: An Integrative Approach References

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Book SynopsisYogi, mystic, and bestselling author Sadhguru provides a deeper understanding of death so that we can live more fulfilling lives.Death is a taboo subject in most societies in the world. But what if we have this completely wrong? What if death is not the catastrophe it is made out to be but an essential aspect of life, rife with spiritual possibilities for transcendence? We all want to live well, but how do we die well?In this unique exploration of death, Sadhguru dwells extensively upon his inner experience as he expounds on the more profound aspects of death that are rarely spoken about. Avoiding death is avoiding life. By the same token, dodging life is inviting death. Coming to terms with death will ensure that you live purposefully, striving to make each moment of life as beautiful as it can be. Sadhguru breaks down the mysteries surrounding death, including practical aspects such as what preparations one can make for one''s death, how best we can assist someone who is dying, and how we can continue to support their journey even after death.

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Book SynopsisFrom WW2 code-breaker to Artificial Intelligence - a fascinating account of the remarkable Alan Turing.Alan Turing''s 1936 paper On Computable Numbers was a landmark of twentieth-century thought. It not only provided the principle of the post-war computer, but also gave an entirely new approach to the philosophy of the mind. Influenced by his crucial codebreaking work during the war, and by practical pioneering of the first electronic computers, Turing argued that all the operations of the mind could be performed by computers. His thesis is the cornerstone of modern Artificial Intelligence. Andrew Hodges gives a fresh analysis of Turing''s work, relating it to his extraordinary life.Trade ReviewThe virtue of these deceptively brief books is that they are the real thing * EVENING STANDARD *Rarely have intellectual sophistication and complexity come so cheap * FINANCIAL TIMES *The books should improve the cultural circulation of philosophy by their style as well as their substance * TES *A promising venture * THE TIMES *If you want to acquire some first-hand experience of philosophy and democracy you would do well to read this welcome series * TIMES HIGHER EDUCATIONAL SUPPLEMENT *

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Book Synopsis'This erudite and heartfelt survey reminds us that the need for consolation is timeless, as are the inspiring words and examples of those who walked this path before us.' - Toronto StarAs read on BBC Radio 4's 'Book of the Week', a timely, moving and profound exploration of how writers, composers and artists have searched for solace while facing loss, tragedy and crisis, from the historian and Booker Prize-shortlisted novelist Michael Ignatieff.When we lose someone we love, when we suffer loss or defeat, when catastrophe strikes – war, famine, pandemic – we go in search of consolation. Once the province of priests and philosophers, the language of consolation has largely vanished from our modern vocabulary, and the places where it was offered, houses of religion, are often empty. Rejecting the solace of ancient religious texts, humanity since the sixteenth century has increasingly placed its faith in science, ideology, and the therapeutic.How do we console each other and ourselves in an age of unbelief? In a series of portraits of writers, artists, and musicians searching for consolation – from the books of Job and Psalms to Albert Camus, Anna Akhmatova, and Primo Levi – writer and historian Michael Ignatieff shows how men and women in extremity have looked to each other across time to recover hope and resilience. Recreating the moments when great figures found the courage to confront their fate and the determination to continue unafraid, On Consolation takes those stories into the present, movingly contending that we can revive these traditions of consolation to meet the anguish and uncertainties of the twenty-first century.Trade ReviewIlluminating and moving, these wide-ranging portraits of men and women seeking answers in dark times - from the Book of Job to Montaigne, from Cicero to Akhmatova, and on to today's palliative care - appeal to us all, as a universal quest and an intimate personal testament. -- Jenny Uglow, author of Mr. Lear: A Life of Art and NonsenseAn extraordinary meditation on loss and mortality - drawing on all of Michael Ignatieff’s powers as a philosopher, a historian, a politician and a man. His portraits of figures such as Hume and Montaigne are sharp and dignified, troubling and consoling, thoughtful and deeply humane. -- Rory Stewart, author of The Places in BetweenReading this book is like taking a walk along a winding path with a dear friend and sharing life’s travails. But the friend keeps metamorphosing - into Montaigne or Marx or Mahler, Anna Akhmatova or Albert Camus. At the end, you feel enlivened, fortified, and somehow just a little wiser. This is a bold, brilliant, and yes, moving book. -- Lisa Appignanesi, author of Everyday Madness: On Grief, Anger, Loss and LoveIn an age when we are so much in need of solace, Michael Ignatieff went looking for it in texts and times whose assumptions are profoundly different from our own. The result is a secular reinterpretation of a landscape that has often seemed visible only through a religious lens: it is elegant, humane and intensely rewarding. -- Kwame Anthony Appiah, author of The Lies that Bind: Rethinking IdentityIt is at once illuminating, moving and consoling, to follow Michael Ignatieff as he searches for moments of consolation across the centuries. With resolute honesty Ignatieff follows the search into his own inner life, grappling, as we all must do, with failure, loss, and death. -- Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Swerve: How the World Became ModernThis is an extraordinarily moving book. The idea of solidarity in time is itelf consoling, amidst so much loss: in Ignatieff’s words, “we are not alone, and we never have been”. -- Emma Rothschild, author of The Inner Life of EmpiresA wonderful balance of literary survey and personal reflection, this book is wide-ranging, moving, and stylishly written. It makes the perfect introduction to a genre that never goes out of fashion. -- Sarah Bakewell, author of How to Live and At the Existentialist CaféA passionate, thought-provoking, unpredictable book. -- Carlo Ginzburg, author of Threads and TracesOn Consolation is splendidly immune to the panics of our age. Written with eloquence in an affecting spirit of humility by a man of uncommon intelligence, for many of its readers this book will be—is there any higher praise for a study of this subject?—useful. -- Leon Wieseltier, author of KaddishHuman problems are like crystals: they have so many faces that they must be turned over and around many times in order to see every side. Michael Ignatieff’s ruminative On Consolation does that artfully. Reading his memorable portraits of historical figures who needed, sought, lost, or found consolation leaves the reader with a deeper appreciation of the profound challenges and possibilities that life lays before every one of us. -- Mark Lilla, author of The Reckless MindAn inspiration for those in need of words to carry on with life. * Kirkus *

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Book SynopsisUnderstanding the human mind and how it relates to the world that we experience has challenged philosophers for centuries. How then do we even begin to think about ‘minds’ that are not human?Taking a uniquely broad view of minds and where they might be found – including in plants, aliens, and God – prize-winning science writer Philip Ball pulls these multidisciplinary pieces together to explore what sorts of minds we might expect to find in the universe.He offers for the first time a unified way of thinking about what minds are and what they can do, arguing that in order to understand our own minds and imagine those of others, we need to move on from considering the human mind as a standard against which all others should be measured, and to think about the ‘space of possible minds’.Ball sheds new light on a host of fascinating questions. What moral rights should we afford animals, and can we understand their thoughts? Should we worry that AI is going to take over society? If there are intelligent aliens out there, how could we communicate with them? Should we? Ball’s thrillingly ambitious The Book of Minds about the nature and existence of minds is more mind-expanding than we could imagine. In this fascinating panorama of other minds, we come to better know our own.

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Book SynopsisThis unique book is about freeing psychology's poetic imagination from the dead weight of unconscious assumptions about the soul. Whether we think of the soul scientifically or medically, behaviourally or in terms of inner development, all of us are used to thinking of it in an individual context, as something personal. In this book, however, we are asked to consider psychology from a truly transpersonal perspective as a cultural, universal-human phenomenon.Cobb teaches us to look at the world as a record of the soul's struggles to awaken and as the soul's poetry. From this perspective, the real basis of the mind is poetic. Beauty, love, and creativity are as much instincts of the soul as sexuality or hunger. Cobb shows us how artists and mystics can teach us the meaning of love, death, and beauty, if only we can awaken to their creations. The exemplars here are Dante, Rumi, Rilke, Munch, Lorca, Schumann, and Tarkovsky.Trade Review'Archetypal Imagination finds wonderful new ways to bless psychopathology. Rich with good learning and clear writing."-- James Hillman, author of The Soul's Code'I like Noel Cobb's outcries on behalf of ferocity, loneliness, anxiety, "the hideous hag of life", beauty sitting in the lap of terror, Edvard Munch's paintings and Garcia Lorca's panther-like poems -- let's have more.'-- Robert Bly, author of Iron John and The Sibling Society'In this richly stuffed book, Cobb takes psychology to the threshold and invites it into the world, where the artist is bold enough to live, where its language may have more life and its images more independence.'-- Thomas Moore, author of The Care of the Soul and Original Self: Living with Paradox and Originality

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Book SynopsisA unique celebration of silence?in art, literature, nature, and spirituality?and an exploration of its ability to bring inner peace, widen our perspectives, and inspire the human spirit in spite of the noise of contemporary life.Silence is habitually overlooked?after all, throughout our lives, it has to compete with the cacophony of the outside world and our near-constant interior dialogue that judges, analyzes, compares, and questions. But, if we can get past this barrage, there lies a quiet place that?s well worth discovering.The Lost Art of Silence encourages us to embrace this pursuit and allow the warm light of silence to glow. Invoking the wisdom of many of the greatest writers, thinkers, contemplatives, historians, musicians, and artists, Sarah Anderson reveals the sublime nature of quiet that?s all too often undervalued. Throughout, she shares her own penetrating insights into the potential for silence to transform us. This celebration of silence invites us to widen our perspective and shows its power to inspire the human spirit in spite of the distracting noise of contemporary life.

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Book SynopsisEnchantment is a profound human experience. When we encounter wonder, awe or amazement, that is enchantment. Enchantment can reveal profound truths, lead to deep values and become central to a life well-lived. This unique book explores how enchantment plays out in a wide range of contexts -- in love, art, religion and learning, in food and drink, and perhaps most significantly in our relationship with the natural world. Patrick Curry argues that modernist attempts to undermine or dismiss enchantment as a delusion are not only misguided but dangerous, potentially leading to a disengagement with our world that could have disastrous consequences for our future on this planet.Trade Review'Patrick Curry's study is insightful about uncovenanted blessings that bring delight. It also resonates with current ecological concerns and critiques of technology and economic "rationality" as the measure of human value.'-- Bernice Martin, The Times Literary Supplement'Enchantment. A word that conjures up feelings, images, memories. But they are fleeting. The mind tries to find a box to put it in, to give ita meaning and a history. Yet it retreats from reason behind a veil ofcolours and impressions. It is Blake’s joy which can be kissed in its passing and lives in eternity’s sunrise but cannot be bound or you will destroy its life. So, to find myself with a finite, concrete book which claims to be full of words relating to Enchantment, and its twin Wonder, seems a pure contradiction. Yet, Patrick Curry has succeeded in writing a book which in itself reads like a poem in progress. In trying to define without imprisoning this evanescent theme the door is left open for us to feel and sense our way into this illusive occurrence. For that is what it is. An event, an experience which takes place at a specific moment in time and place between two or more subjects and is gone before you know it; its after effect and its depth of penetration can however last for ever and change a life profoundly.'-- Anna Phillips, Perspectives'This is a delightful, not to say enchanting book about enchantment and the possibilities for wonder in modern life in an era increasingly characterised by disenchantment... The text is beautifully woven, with many magical excerpts and episodes from the author's wide reading and extensive experience... A crucial reminder of what represents real quality of life.'-- David Lorimer, Scientific and Medical Network'I found the book thought-provoking while at the same time relishing its clarity and accessibility -- it can be so hard to talk about this subject without delving in to all kinds of abstract or arcane language -- and in the end, uplifting, for I felt it opened a way in for people who might be suspicious of the philosophical and religious sides of this experience.'-- Professor John Burnside, St. Andrews University'Patrick Curry suggests that the opposite of enchantment is not disenchantment but glamour. Like Jung when he stated that the opposite of love is not hatred but power, Curry shows how glamour is a fabricated, false, fake version of enchantment. His demonstration is extremely convincing. Reading him, one feels like opening one's eyes wider.'-- Ginette Paris, author of The Wisdom of the Psyche'Curry's Enchantment is simply an enchanting book, built on the wonder of our relationship with existence. It is lyrically written for all who have been enchanted, and draws on his own experiences. It encourages each of us to consider the wonder and love we are gifted -- and can return.'-- Haydn Washington, author of A Sense of Wonder Towards Nature'As Patrick Curry argues eloquently in his thoughtful examination of the human condition in these challenging modern times, "enchantment is an experience of wonder". This is no mere academic exercise, although he is surprisingly erudite in his choice of texts, writers and cultural icons to illustrate his thoughts on this vital feature of being fully human. Nor is this a fluffy 'New Age' extended essay on how much better this world would be if we were all nice to each other. Much of the material is philosophical or poetic in nature, drawn from inspirational writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Max Weber, and W.H. Auden. Although mainly positive in tone, Curry does not hold back from stating things as they are. He is passionately scathing in denunciation of elements in the present world that seek to enslave the human race as little more than robots.'-- Magonia Review'What could be more confounding than trying to understand 'enchantment', an uncanny power that by its very nature frustrates all comprehension? Yet in this small volume Patrick Curry accomplishes much. If we join him as he tracks several of the numberless styles of enchantment, if we pay heed to his insights and sometimes argue with him, we'll find ourselves slowly becoming more layered within ourselves, wiser, and maybe even wonder-struck.' -- David Abram, author of The Spell of the Sensuous and Becoming Animal'Understanding begins -- and ends -- in wonder. This book articulates simply, and in a personal and unpretentious manner, an urgently needed defence of wonder as indispensable to a true perception and just appreciation of the world. We neglect its message at our peril.'-- Iain McGilchrist, author of The Master and his Emissary'An impressive erudition and literary sensibility animate the pages of this thoughtful book. With a light poetic touch Curry traces the many ways in which enchantment lies at the core of human experience, even in a world that does its best to disabuse and disillusion us. Detaching it from ideology, Curry sees enchantment as an irrepressible mode of our being present to things, and vice versa. The enchanted moments cannot be sustained yet they lay their claim on us time and time again by virtue of the fact that we are alive and capable of wonder.'-- Robert Pogue Harrison, author of Forests: the Shadow of Civilization'After reading any of [Patrick Curry's] pieces life seems more worth living, and for that I am especially grateful.'-- Zygmunt Bauman, author of Liquid Modernity'Curry is a poet and philosopher and both come through so clearly in his writing which is rich, precise, and full of complex ideas expressed with a remarkable ease... I can't recommend [this book] enough, especially for those who experience enchantment but for whom words for expressing it have always been difficult. At long last, we have our poet philosopher whose respect for enchantment has allowed us to understand its extraordinary qualities at the deepest levels and by gently keeping himself from being at the center of the story (as other writers on enchantment and wonder have not been able to resist) allows us very much to hear his words and yet to be in our own songs. A wonder indeed.'-- Goodreads ReviewerTable of Contents1. Introduction 2. The Dynamics of Enchantment 3. Love 4. Art 5. Religion 6. Food and Drink 7. Learning 8. Nature 9. Disenchantment 10. Technoscience 11. Enchantment as a Way of Life Endnotes A Bibliographical Note Acknowledgements Index

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