Philosophy of mind Books

Book SynopsisWe fast all the time, even when we're not conscious of doing so. A fast manifests the idea of holding back, resisting the primal impulse to charge ahead. Its flip side is similarly everywhere: call it splurging, self-indulgence or a variant of 'self-care'. Based on extensive historical, scientific and cultural research and reporting, The Fast illuminates the many facets of this act of self-deprivation. John Oakes interviews doctors, spiritual leaders, activists and others who guide him through this practice - and embarks on fasts of his own - to provide readers curious about fasting with profound new understanding, appreciation and inspiration.Fasting has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons - from health advocates who see fasting as a method to lose weight or to detox, to the faithful who fast in prayer, to seekers pursuing mindfulness, to activists using hunger strikes as an effective means of peaceful protest. Whether for philosophical, political or health-related reasons, fasting marks a departure from daily routine and offers a chance to look at things anew.Fasting involves doing less but doing less in a radical way, reminding us that a slower, more intentional contemplative life can be more fulfilling. Ultimately, this book shows us that fasting is about much more than food: it is about reconsidering our place in the world.Trade Review'I couldn't stop reading this book about not eating. And I often had food in my mouth as I read. Like any important book in my life, this one leaves me changed. And I don't know what will happen next.' - Eileen Myles, author of For Now (Why I Write) and Evolution'Caloric restriction is one of the scientifically best-established ways to enhance longevity. A fascinating deep dive into the science and history of fasting.' - Steven M. Lipkin, MD, PhD; director, Adult and Cancer Genetics Clinic; Weill Cornell Medicine'This simple yet far-reaching account of a one-week fast shows how any of us can dissolve the constructed boundary between self and universe, experience the awe of undifferentiated existence, and make ourselves available to the greater dance of life. By all means take this inspiring journey with an instantly trustworthy guide.' - Douglas Rushkoff, author of Team Human'John Oakes takes us on an elegant and irresistible journey, all the while engaging us with personal experiences, scientific enlightenment, and the historical context of fasting. Beautifully written and meticulously researched, The Fast will stay with you long after you've read every word.' - Gilbert King, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Devil in the Grove'In this age of ever more, John Oakes dares to seek less in a fascinating, wonderfully researched, and beautifully written examination of the historical, philosophical, medical, and political implications of fasting - as he himself fasts and enjoys and endures the experience of 'the presence of an absence.'' - Jeff Jarvis, author of The Gutenberg Parenthesis'In The Fast, John Oakes, with his vast knowledge base and deep insight, helps us understand how doing without can offer a glimpse of the luminous wisdom within each of us.' - Cuong Lu, author of The Buddha in Jail and Happiness Is Overrated'This book offers a careful look at the historical and religious practices of fasting, beautifully punctuated by daily anecdotes of the author's experiences and emotions while fasting himself. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in better understanding fasting and its historical echoes.' - Dr. Britt Marie Hermes, former naturopathic doctor and current microbiome scientist'John Oakes has written an expansive, encyclopedic book that imparts its lessons with unpretentious conviction. The Fast is as much an appraisal of fasting as a guide for enlarging an inner consciousness. In this consumptive era, we would do well to turn to the generous intellect of Oakes - to learn the wonders of doing without, and like other venerable humans across millennia, to seek an enrichment of spirit.' - Emmanuel Iduma, author of I Am Still With You

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Book SynopsisWalden details Henry David Thoreau''s experiences over the course of two years, two months, and two days in a cabin he built near Walden Pond amidst woodland owned by his friend and mentor Ralph Waldo Emerson, near Concord, Massachusetts. The text is a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings. The work is part personal declaration of independence, social experiment, voyage of spiritual discovery, satire, and-to some degree-a manual for self-reliance.Walden can be seen as performance art, a demonstration of how easy it can be to acquire the four necessities of life. Once acquired, he believed people should then focus their efforts on personal growth. Thoreau hoped to gain a more objective understanding of society through personal introspection. Simple living and self-sufficiency were Thoreau''s other goals, and the whole project was inspired by transcendentalist philosophy, a central theme of the American Romantic Period.This case laminate collector''s edition includes a Victorian inspired dust-jacket. 

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Book SynopsisPoverty is not accident, but design. We are not all equal before the law. And the central message of contemporary ethics is that only some people matter. Expanding on work described as “crucial” and “very fine and provocative” by the Editor of The Oxford Handbook of Free Will, author James Miles now shows not only that free will is a delusion but that it is this delusion that has left us with only the illusion of morality. Belief in free will means never having to acknowledge your own great good fortune, or recognise the far greater misfortune of others. It is the conceit of freedom of the will that today ensures that so many at the bottom are denied any chance of social and economic advancement. Some free will theorists even argue that we need not be concerned with ideals of equality, fair play and opportunity. Is this fair? “Is it fair...? Life isn’t fair”, shrugs the free will philosopher Dan Dennett. Yes, life is not fair, and if we leave it up to the priests and the philosophers, it never will be. The Free Will Delusion is an eloquent and rousing call to arms that we can be, we must be, better than this.Trade Review“The Free Will Delusion is a remarkable book that covers an enormous range of positions, ideas, and writers on free will and moral responsibility, which is already impressive. But to take this often esoteric material and form it into a book that is powerful, provocative, clear, accessible, and a joy to read: that is a singular achievement." -- Prof. Bruce Waller“A terrific book… bold and provocative, yet rigorously argued... Miles maintains a hard incompatibilist and anti-utilitarian position against the most prominent defenders of a belief in free will strong enough to support moral responsibility, including Kane, Searle, Dennett, Watson, Fischer, Frankfurt, P. F. Strawson, and the free will illusionist Saul Smilansky... The Free Will Delusion is passionate, compassionate, and an exciting read. Highly recommended” -- Dr Richard Double * both published by OUP *"In this impassioned critique of views on free will, Miles decisively rebuts the morally problematic claim that people are to blame for who they become, lighting the way toward more fair and effective responses to wrong-doing and social inequality." -- Tom Clark * Center for Naturalism *

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Book SynopsisIt is commonly held that our thoughts, beliefs, desires and feelings - the mental phenomena that we instantiate - are constituted by states and processes that occur inside our head. The view known as externalism, however, denies that mental phenomena are internal in this sense. The mind is not purely in the head. Mental phenomena are hybrid entities that straddle both internal state and processes and things occurring in the outside world. The development of externalist conceptions of the mind is one of the most controversial, and arguably one of the most important, developments in the philosophy of mind in the second half of the twentieth century. Yet, despite its significance most recent work on externalism has been highly technical, clouding its basic ideas and principles. Moreover, very little work has been done to locate externalism within philosophical developments in both analytic and continental traditions. In this book, Mark Rowlands aims to remedy both these problems and present for the reader a clear and accessible introduction to the subject grounded in wider developments in the history of philosophy. Rowlands shows that externalism has significant and respectable historical roots that make it much more important than a specific eruption that occurred in late twentieth-century analytic philosophy.Trade Review"Rowland's survey is well designed for its intended audience; the prose is consistently clear and straightforward, avoiding undue complications. Relevant philosophical background is unobtrusively provided when needed. He judiciously balances his own argumentation with his review of the existing literature - what is most remarkable is its breadth: the book could almost double as a general introduction to the philosophy of mind." - Mind "Discussions of externalism have become highly specialized and detailed and we risk losing sight of the broader questions and issues. Rowlands' focus in this fascinating book is on such broader issues and provides a welcome preventive against such myopia." - Philosophical QuarterlyTable of ContentsPreface and acknowledgements 1. Introduction: internalism and externalism 2. Cartesianism 3. Idealism 4. The "radical reversal" of idealism 5. The attack on the inner 6. Content externalism 7. The scope and limits of content externalism 8. Externalism and first-person authority 9. Vehicle externalism 10. Externalism and consciousness 11. Externalist axiology 12. Conclusion: externalism, internalism, and idealism Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThe Illustrated Desiderata brings Max Ehrmann''s words to life with beautiful watercolor illustrations. These words have inspired generations of people for nearly 100 years. Now, in this beautiful gift quality book, you can share them with someone you love, or enjoy them in your own quiet reflections and meditations. Makes a perfect graduation gift, birthday or holiday gift, hostess gift, or an anytime Thinking of You gift.

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Book SynopsisThis book focuses on the social psychological aspects of gay men’s lives and provides a cutting-edge examination of topics including sexual orientation, sexual behavior, identity, relationships, prejudice, and health. The Social Psychology of Gay Men forces us to re-think existing theory and research, much of which has taken heterosexuality for granted. With identity process theory at its heart, this book advocates a social psychology of gay men which incorporates three levels of analysis – the psychological, interpersonal and societal. The book promises not only a deeper understanding of gay men’s lives but also pathways for enhancing wellbeing, intergroup relations and equality in this key population. This illuminating and thought-provoking text is an invaluable resource not only for psychologists, but for students, scholars and practitioners working in the area of gay men’s life. Trade Review Table of Contents

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a comprehensive account of the phenomenon of identity in politics, featuring for the first time the question of individual emancipation. It addresses the burning questions of our times, viz. nationalism, populism, Islamic fundamentalism, multiculturalism, postsecularism and postcolonialism. The volume repudiates an easy reconciliation between identity and emancipation, such as it occurs in contemporary liberal and multicultural political theories. It shows that we cannot achieve emancipation without Kant’s help, whereas identity relentlessly draws us back to collective values and the community. The book urges for a new understanding of identity and a politics that instead of accommodating identities seeks to govern them. Identity is the buzzword in the humanities and social sciences, but also the most contentious and least conceptualized term. This book intends to bring theoretical clarity into the debate on how identity plays out in politics.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Identity and the Difficulty of Emancipation.- Part I: Liberalism in Search of Identity.- Chapter 2. Liberal Nationalism.- Chapter 3. Freedom and Identity.- Chapter 4. Psychology, Autonomy and Liberalism.- Chapter 5. Identity, Difference and Anti-Essentialism.- Chapter 6. Agency, Psychology and the Self: The Case of Religious Fundamentalism.- Part II: Identity and the Quest for Multiculturalism.- Chapter 7. Multiculturalism, Islam and Suicide Bombers.- Chapter 8. Foundations of Multiculturalism (1): Self-Knowledge.- Chapter 9. Foundations of Multiculturalism (2): Recognition.- Chapter 10. Islam and Democracy.- Part III: Identity Politics.- Chapter 11. Populism.- Chapter 12. Postsecularism.- Chapter 13. Postcolonialism.- Chapter 14. Communalism in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Reintegration of Child Soldiers.- Chapter 15. For the Time Being: Modus Vivendi Liberalism or Political Liberalism?.

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Book SynopsisThis book takes the reader on a philosophical quest to understand the dark side of emotions. The chapters are devoted to the analysis of negative emotions and are organized in a historical manner, spanning the period from ancient Greece to the present time. Each chapter addresses analytical questions about specific emotions generally considered to be unfavorable and classified as negative. The general aim of the volume is to describe the polymorphous and context-sensitive nature of negative emotions as well as changes in the ways people have interpreted these emotions across different epochs. The editors speak of ‘the dark side of the emotions’ because their goal is to capture the ambivalent – unstable and shadowy – aspects of emotions. A number of studies have taken the categorial distinction between positive and negative emotions for granted, suggesting that negative emotions are especially significant for our psychological experience because they signal difficult situations. For this reason, the editors stress the importance of raising analytical questions about the valence of particular emotions and focussing on the features that make these emotions ambivalent: how – despite their negativity – such emotions may turn out to be positive. This opens up a perspective in which each emotion can be understood as a complex interlacing of negative and positive properties. The collection presents a thoughtful dialogue between philosophy and contemporary scientific research. It offers the reader insight by illuminating the dark side of the emotions.Table of ContentsPaola Giacomoni, Sara Dellantonio, Nicolò Valentini - Introduction Anna Beltrametti (University of Pavia) - Philosophical fear and tragic fear Martina Di Stefano (University of Trento, PHD Student) - The pathos of ridicule in Plato’s Dialogues Fulvia De Luise (University of Trento) - Shame and self-consciousness in Plato’s Symposium: Reversing the meaning of a social emotion Silvia Gastaldi (University of Pavia) - Envy and competition in Aristotle’s Rhetoric Andrea Aldo Robiglio (University of Leuven)- Aquinas on the benefits of disgust for the sound use of reason Emanuele Coccia (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris) - The normative code of emotions: Christian mythology and the construction of a normative psychology Paola Giacomoni (University of Trento)- An optimistic anger? Barbara Carnevali (École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris) - Glory, The race for prestige in the Hobbesian model Maddalena Mazzocut-Mis (University of Milano)- The pleasure of weeping: The novelty of research Caterina Maurer (University of Trento)– Blushing with shame: The feeling of the discordance between what I am and what I ought to be in Hegel’s Philosophy of Subjective Spirit Nicolò Valentini (University of Trento, PHD student)- The subtle interplay between disgust and morality: Miasma as a case study Alessandro Grecucci (University of Trento), – How shame guides our lives. Historical, Philosophical and Psychological perspectives Pastore, Luigi (University of Bari), Dellantonio, Sara (University of Trento) - The negative effects of the missing emotion awareness: The case of alexithymia

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Book SynopsisThis book examines the concepts of subjectivity and selfhood developed in the oeuvre of Jean-Paul Sartre. Although Sartre is a prominent philosopher, the reception of his work is shrouded in misguided ideas concerning his alleged subjectivism. This book accurately positions Sartre in debates concerning the two themes which form a guiding thread throughout his work and remain immensely relevant in the philosophical landscape of today. Gusman expertly tracks and uncovers the nuances of the evolving notions of subjectivity and selfhood, paying particular attention to his claim that the Self is a ‘thing among things’ and to his views on narrative identity.Using as a framework the critical reception from thinkers in Sartre’s own tradition, the book also draws from the recent popularity of his thought in analytic philosophy of mind. Illuminating and impactful, this book provides an invaluable resource to scholars looking for a contemporary and up-to-date critical study of Sartre’s work.Table of Contents1. Introduction2. Subjectivity without Self3. The Project of Freedom4. The Force of Things5. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisThis sourcebook explores how the Middle Ages dealt with questions related to the mental life of creatures great and small. It makes accessible a wide range of key Latin texts from the fourth to the fourteenth century in fresh English translations. Specialists and non-specialists alike will find many surprising insights in this comprehensive collection of sources on the medieval philosophy of animal minds. The book’s structure follows the distinction between the different aspects of the mental. The author has organized the material in three main parts: cognition, emotions, and volition. Each part contains translations of texts by different medieval thinkers. The philosophers chosen include well-known figures like Augustine, Albert the Great, and Thomas Aquinas. The collection also profiles the work of less studied thinkers like John Blund, (Pseudo-)Peter of Spain, and Peter of Abano. In addition, among those featured are several translated here into English for the first time. Each text comes with a short introduction to the philosopher, the context, and the main arguments of the text plus a section with bibliographical information and recommendations for further reading. A general introduction to the entire volume presents the basic concepts and questions of the philosophy of animal minds and explains how the medieval discussion relates to the contemporary debate. This sourcebook is valuable for anyone interested in the history of philosophy, especially medieval philosophy of mind. It will also appeal to scholars and students from other fields, such as psychology, theology, and cultural studies.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Animal Minds In Medieval and Modern Philosophy.- Part I – Cognition.- Chapter 1. Perception, Knowledge, and Reason (Augustine, De quantitate animae 25-28).- Chapter 2. Souls and Discrimination (Adelard of Bath, Quaestiones naturales 13-14).- Chapter 3. Estimation and Concept Formation (John Blund, Tractatus de anima 19).- Chapter 4. (a). Memory, Learning, and Prudence (Albert the Great, Metaphysica I.1.6).- (b). Reasoning, Learning, and Language (Albert the Great, De animalibus XXI.1.2-4). Chapter 5. Universal Cognition (Pseudo-Peter of Spain, Commentum super libros De animalibus VIII).- Chapter 6. (a). Reasoning and Thinking (Roger Bacon, Perspectiva II.3.9).- (b). Goal-Directed Behaviour (Roger Bacon, Questiones super libros IV Physicorum II).- Chapter 7. Inner Senses (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I.78.4).- Chapter 8. Prudence (John Duns Scotus, Quaestiones super libros Metaphysicorum Aristotelis I.3).- Chapter 9. Judging and Erring (Gregory of Rimini, Lectura super I Sententiarum III.1 vs.Adam Wodeham, Lectura secunda in I Sententiarum, prol. 4.8).- Part II. Emotion.- Chapter 10. Friendship, Enmity, and Fear (Albert the Great, Quaestiones super De animalibus VIII.1-3).- Chapter 11. (a). Lust and Anger (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I.81.2-3).- (b). Enjoyment (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II.11.2).- (c). Hope (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II.40.3).- Chapter 12. Happiness and Fun (Peter of Abano, Expositio problematum Aristotelis 28.7).- Part III. Volition.- Chapter 13. Judging and Free Choice (Albert the Great, De homine I).- Chapter 14. Free Will (Bonaventure, Commentarius in secundum librum Sententiarum 25.1.1).- Chapter 15. Instinct and Deliberation (Roger Bacon, Communia naturalium I.2.4.1).- Chapter 16. (a). Free Choice (Thomas Aquinas, Quaestiones disputatae de veritate 24.2).- (b). Choosing and Acting (Thomas Aquinas, Summa theologiae I-II.13.1-2).

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Book SynopsisThis book examines what seems to be the basic challenge in neuroscience today: understanding how experience generated by the human brain is related to the physical world we live in. The 25 short chapters present the argument and evidence that brains address this problem on a wholly trial and error basis. The goal is to encourage neuroscientists, computer scientists, philosophers, and other interested readers to consider this concept of neural function and its implications, not least of which is the conclusion that brains don’t “compute.”Trade Review“I highly recommend this volume for behavioral, cognitive, and evolutionary neuroscientists.” (Paul Tibbetts, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 97 (2), June, 2022)Table of ContentsPreface PART I. TWO REALITIES Chapter 1. Solving Problems Chapter 2. Objective and Subjective Reality PART II. Computation Chapter 3. Algorithms Chapter 4. Coding for Computers PART III. ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS Chapter 5. Neural Networks Chapter 6. The Resurrection of Neural Networks Chapter 7. Reinforcement Learning Part IV. perception Chapter 8. What We Perceive Chapter 9. Lines and Intervals Chapter 10. Angles Chapter 11. Lightness and Darkness Chapter 12. Empirical Ranking Chapter 13. Color Chapter 14. Colorimetry Chapter 15. Motion Speed Chapter 16. Motion Direction Chapter 17. Size Chapter 18. Stereopsis PART V. Linking OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE Chapter 19. Stimuli and Behavior Chapter 20. Associations Chapter 21. Mechanisms Chapter 22. Reflexes PART VI. THEORIES Chapter 23. Feature Detection Chapter 24. Statistical Inference Chapter 25. Information Theory PART VII. SELF AWARENESS Chapter 26. Awareness Chapter 27. Summing Up

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