Philosophy of mind Books

Book SynopsisWe long for moments we can slow down and be still. Our days are often filled with too much noise, anxiety, and confusion. What do you do when your life isn't what you expected it to be? What can you do to slow it all down? Stilte encourages readers to focus on stillness and literal silence, creating space for moments of peace.Originally published in Dutch, Stilte reveals a grace-filled lifestyle. It shows practical ways for how to receive inner calmness and serenity. It brings you closer to the heart of yourself, other people, and God.

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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 SynopsisAnswers some of the most pressing questions about life's nature and value. This title argues that evidence requires the abandonment of many traditional ideas about the soul, free will, and immortality, and shows how brain science matters for fundamental issues about reality, morality, and the meaning of life.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011 "[Thagard] offers a tightly reasoned, often humorous, and original contribution to the emerging practice of applying science to areas heretofore the province of philosophers, theologians, ethicists, and politicians: What is reality and how can we know it? Are mind and brain one or two? What is the source of the sense of self? What is love? What is the difference between right and wrong, and how can we know it? What is the most legitimate form of government? What is the meaning of life, and how can we find happiness in it? Thagard employs the latest tools and findings of science in his attempts to answer these (and additional) questions."--Michael Shermer, Science "A thoughtful and well-researched attempt to answer that most fundamental existential question: why not kill yourself? Or, to give it a positive spin, what gives life meaning? Thagard lays out detailed arguments that reality is knowable through science, that minds are nothing other than material brains and that there are no ultimate rights and wrongs handed down by a supernatural being."--New Scientist "Thagard's 'neural naturalism' promises nothing short of a conceptual revolution, or better, a paradigm shift. His evidence-based strategy uses the data from psychology and neuroscience to expose empirically based answers to questions such as, What is the meaning of life? What ought one to do? ... Thagard's reader-friendly text includes a glossary, endnotes, and extensive references."--Choice "The name of this well-written and ambitious book understates the breadth of its scope. The book deals with the relation of modern neuroscience not only to the meaning of life, but also to ethics, metaphysics, and epistemology... The discussion is rich, unorthodox, and frequently exciting."--Iddo Landau, Metapsychology Online Reviews "The book integrates decades of multidisciplinary research, but its clear explanations and humor make it accessible to the general reader."--Gaia Media News "[R]eaders will find much of the author's advice to be beneficial. The book contains many good suggestions for making one's life better including advice on how to be happier and how to make good decisions, all based on solid research in psychology and neuroscience. For anyone who is curious about current research in these fields, Thagard's book provides an accessible introduction to important concepts and theories."--Margery Lucas, Society "Thagard has published a string of distinguished books and papers on reasoning and scientific explanation, and was a pioneer in using cognitive science to study the way scientists think. The sections on reasoning bear the imprint of this work, and pack a lot of philosophy into a short span."--Dominic Murphy, Australian Review of Public AffairsTable of ContentsPreface xi Acknowledgments xv Chapter 1: We All Need Wisdom 1 Why Live? 1 Sources of Wisdom 3 Philosophical Approaches 5 The Relevance of Minds and Brains 6 Looking Ahead 8 Conclusion 12 Chapter 2: Evidence Beats Faith 13 Faith versus Evidence 13 How Faith Works 14 How Evidence Works 20 Evidence and Inference in Science 23 Medicine: Evidence or Faith? 27 Evidence, Truth, and God 32 A Priori Reasoning and Thought Experiments 35 Conclusion 40 Chapter 3: Minds Are Brains 42 The Brain Revolution 42 Evidence That Minds Are Brains 43 Evidence for Dualism? 54 Objections to Mind-Brain Identity 59 Who Are You? 63 Conclusion 64 Chapter 4: How Brains Know Reality 67 Reality and Its Discontents 67 Knowing Objects 69 Appearance and Reality 72 Concepts 76 Knowledge beyond Perception 81 Coherence in the Brain 85 Coherence and Truth 90 Conclusion 92 Chapter 5: How Brains Feel Emotions 94 Emotions Matter 94 Valuations in the Brain 95 Cognitive Appraisal versus Bodily Perception 98 Synthesis: The EMOCON Model 100 Emotional Consciousness 105 Multilevel Explanations 108 Rationality and Affective Afflictions 111 Conclusion 116 Chapter 6: How Brains Decide 119 Big Decisions 119 Inference to the Best Plan 121 Decisions in the Brain 123 Changing Goals 126 How to Make Bad Decisions 133 Living without Free Will 137 Conclusion 140 Chapter 7: Why Life Is Worth Living 142 The Meaning of Life 142 Nihilism 143 Happiness 146 Goals and Meaning 149 Love 152 Work 158 Play 161 Conclusion 165 Chapter 8: Needs and Hopes 168 Wants versus Needs 168 Vital Needs 169 How Love, Work, and Play Satisfy Needs 171 Balance, Coherence, and Change 176 Hope versus Despair 177 Conclusion 182 Chapter 9: Ethical Brains 183 Ethical Decisions 183 Conscience and Moral Intuitions 184 Mirror Neurons 188 Empathy 190 Moral Motivation 192 Ethical Theory 195 Moral Objectivity 201 Responsibility 204 Conclusion 206 Chapter 10. Making Sense of It All 209 Connections Made 209 Wisdom Gained 213 What Kind of Government Should Countries Have? 215 How Can Creative Change Be Produced? 217 What Is Mathematical Knowledge? 221 Why Is There Something and Not Nothing? 224 The Future of Wisdom 226 Notes 231 Glossary 251 References 255 Index 271

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Book SynopsisDianetics 55! is the ultimate manual on the subject of communiucation - in view of how communication is the "univerval solvent", and its use in Dianetics and Scientology. Subjects covered in the book are the components of Understanding, the "awareness of awareness unit" - meaning you, the spiritual being, and how Dianetics is approaching increasing ability.

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Book Synopsis“Sublime . . . Kalman’s elegantly witty and at times melancholy narrative runs arm in arm with her unmistakable paintings on a serendipitous romp through the history of the world.” —Vanity Fair “Wildly original . . . there’s nothing else even remotely like it . . . This hilarious, wise, and deeply moving volume [is] the ultimate picture book for grown-ups.” —O Magazine Maira Kalman paints her highly personal worldview in this inimitable combination of image and textAn irresistible invitation to experience life through a beloved artist's psyche, The Principles of Uncertainty is a compilation of Maira Kalman's New York Times columns. Part personal narrative, part documentary, part travelogue, part chapbook, and all Kalman, these brilliant, whimsical paintings, ideas, and images - which initially appear random - ultimately form an intricately interconnected worldv

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Book SynopsisIn Consciousness Explained, Daniel C. Dennett reveals the secrets of one of the last remaining mysteries of the universe: the human brain.Daniel C. Dennett''s now-classic book blends philosophy, psychology and neuroscience - with the aid of numerous examples and thought-experiments - to explore how consciousness has evolved, and how a modern understanding of the human mind is radically different from conventional explanations of consciousness.What people think of as the stream of consciousness is not a single, unified sequence, the author argues, but ''multiple drafts'' of reality composed by a computer-like ''virtual machine''. Dennett explains how science has exploded the classic mysteries of consciousness: the nature of introspection, the self or ego and its relation to thoughts and sensations, the problems posed by qualia, and the level of consciousness of non-human creatures. ''Brilliant ... a torrent of stimulating thought'' Richard DawkiTable of ContentsPart 1 Problems and methods: explaining consciousness - pandora's box - should consciousness be demystified?, the mystery of consciousness, the attractions of mind stuff, why dualism is forlorn, the challenge; a visit to the phenomenological garden - welcome to the phenom, our experience of the external world, our experience of the internal world, affect; a method for phenomenology - first person plural, the third-person perspective, the method of heterophenomenology, fictional worlds and heterophenomenological worlds, the discreet charm of the anthropologist, discovering what someone is really talking about, Shakey's mental images, the neutrality of heterophenomenology. Part 2 An empirical theory of the mind: multiple drafts versus the cartesian theater - the point of view of the observer, introducing the multiple drafts model, Orwellian and Stalinesque revisions, the theater of consciousness revisited, the multiple drafts model in action; time and experience - fleeting moments and hopping rabbits, how the brain represents time, Libet's case of "Backwards Referral in Time", Libet's claim of subjective delay of consciousness of intention, a treat - Grey Walter's precognitive carousel, loose ends; the evolution of consciousness - inside the black box of consciousness, early days, scene one - the birth of boundaries and reasons, scene two - new and better ways of producing future, evolution in brains, and the Baldwin effect, plasticity in the human brain - setting the stage, the invention of good and bad habits of autostimulation, the third evolutionary process - memes and cultural evolution, the memes of consciousness - the virtual machine to be installed; how words do things with us - review - E Pluribus Unum?, bureaucracy versus pandemonium, when words want to get themselves said; the architecture of the human mind - where are we?, orienting ourselves with the thumbnail sketch, and then what happens?, the powers of the Joycean machine, but is this a theory of consciousness?. Part 3 The philosophical problems of consciousness - show and tell - rotating images in the mind's eye, words, pictures, and thoughts, reporting and expressing, zombies, zimboes, and the user illusion, problems with folk psychology; dismantling the witness protection program - review, blindsight - partial zombiehood?, hide the thimble - an exercise in consciousness-raising, prosthetic vision - what, aside from information, is still missing?, "Filling In" versus finding out, neglect as a pathological loss of epistemic appetite, virtual presence, seeing is believing - a dialogue with Otto; qualia disqualified - a new kite string, why are there colors?, enjoying our experiences, a philosophical fantasy - inverted qualia, "Epiphenomenal" qualia?, getting back on my rocker; the reality of selves - how human beings spin a self, how many selves to a customer?, the unbearable lightness of being; consciousness imagined - imagining a

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Book SynopsisEmma Borg examines the relation between semantics (roughly, features of the literal meaning of linguistic items) and pragmatics (features emerging from the context within which such items are being used), and assesses recent answers to the fundamental questions of how and where to draw the divide between the two. In particular, she offers a defence of what is commonly known as ''minimal semantics''. Minimal semantics, as the name suggests, wants to offer a minimal account of the interrelation between semantics and pragmatics. Specifically, it holds that while context can affect literal semantic content in the case of genuine (i.e. lexically or syntactically marked) context-sensitive expressions, this is the limit of pragmatic input to semantic content. On all other occasions where context of utterance appears to affect content, the minimalist claims that what it affects is not literal, semantic content but what the speaker conveys by the use of this literal content--it affects what a sTrade ReviewPursuing Meaning is a must-read for philosophers of language and a very clear guide to the current state of semantics for those interested in the field. * The Philosophical Quarterly *The book is very clearly written and structured, and it is informed not just by the philosophical debate, but also by developments in linguistics and cognitive science. In addition, Borg's configuration of a very messy theoretical landscape is helpful and insightful, and the arguments she presents for her views and against the different alternatives are at least always worth taking seriously. I wholeheartedly recommend the book to all those interested in this core philosophical issue. . . anybody interested in these issues should carefully study the arguments and proposals in this excellent work, which I expect to have a great impact in the field. * Manuel García-Carpintero, Mind *Borg presents her readers with a thoroughly scholarly text. She cites just about everybody who plays her kind of game. In these citings, she gives fair and comprehensive representations of what others say about these matters and does so, generally, in a clear writing style. * Nick Fotion, Analysis *Borg brings order and focus to the debate, responding to a deluge of objections from multiple perspectives. . .Borg writes in an exceptionally clear and often witty style. Pursuing Meaning is lively, full of interesting turns of phrase, and detailed in content. . .Borg addresses questions about the usefulness and underlying plausibility of minimalism head-on, offering positive reasons for being a minimalist. . .Pursuing Meaning has a proactive rather than reactive tone, which helps draw along readers who are initially disinclined to support her position. Given the depth of disagreement over the semantics/pragmatics divide, that, in itself, is a major achievement. * Allyson Mount, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Table of Contents1. Surveying the Terrain ; 2. Minimal Semantics and Psychological Evidence ; 3. Propositionalism and Some Problem Cases ; 4. Intention-Sensitive Expressions ; 5. Ontological Arguments Against Minimal Word Meanings ; 6. The Methodological Argument Against Minimal Word Meanings ; Bibliography ; Index

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Book SynopsisDie ersten drei Bände der vorliegenden,vier Teilbände umfassenden Edition bieten eine umfangreiche Präsentation von Husserls deskriptiver Erforschung der intentionalen Strukturen des Bewusstseins in den drei Hauptklassen von intentionalen Akten, den Verstandes-, Gemüts- und Willensakten. Der größte Teil der wiedergegebenen Manuskripte entstand in den Jahren zwischen 1908 und 1915. Im Jahr 1925 hat Husserls Assistent Ludwig Landgrebe auf der Grundlage vieler der hier edierten Texte ein umfangreiches Typoskript mit dem Titel „Studien zur Struktur des Bewusstseins“ angefertigt. Husserls fragmentarischer Entwurf einer Einleitung zu diesem Typoskript wird im ersten Band der Edition wiedergegeben.Der zweite Teilband enthält Husserls deskriptive Untersuchungen der Gefühlsakte und der Konstitution der Werte in solchen Akten. In detaillierten Beschreibungen unterscheidet er zwischen verschiedenen Gefühlsarten, zwischen Gefühlspassivität und Gefühlsaktivität und er ringt mit dem Problem der objektivierenden Leistung der Gefühlsakte. Dieser Band ist der zweite Teilband des vier Teilbände umfassenden Sets Husserliana 43. Er enthält keine Einleitung (erhältlich als Teil des Teilbandes 1) und keinen Index (erhältlich als Teilband 4). This volume is the second part of the four-part set Husserliana 43. It does not contain the Introduction (available as part of the first volume of the set) nor Index (available as the fourth volume of the set).Table of ContentsChapter 1. Werten und Wert. – Zur Wertlehre.- Chapter 2. Die Von Gegenständen Ausgehende Erregung Von Gefühlen Gegenüber der auf Die Gegenstände Hinzielenden Wertung. Die Frage Nach dem Gefühlscharakter des Wertens.- Chapter 3. Die Analogie Zwischen Denkakten und Axiologischen Akten. Rezeptivität und Spontaneität bei der Konstitution von Seins- und Wertobjektivitäten.- Chapter 4. Die Arten der Gemütsintentionalität.- Chapter 5. Die Konstitution der Gemütscharaktere.- Chapter 6. Gefühlsbewusstsein – Bewusstsein von Gefühlen. Gefühl als Akt und als Zustand.- Chapter 7. Passivität und Aktivität in Intellekt und Gemüt.- Chapter 8. Reine Werte gegenüber Praktischen Werten. Die Frage Nach der Absoluten Willenswahrheit.- Chapter 9. Das Gefallen am Schönen und der Schönheitswert.- Ergänzende Texte.

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Book SynopsisPresupposing no familiarity with the technical concepts of either philosophy or computing, this clear introduction reviews the progress made in AI since the inception of the field in 1956.Trade Review"An excellent job ... the most balanced treatment of the hopes and claims of AI I have yet seen." Hubert Dreyfus, University of California "The best philosophical introduction to artificial intelligence available." Justin Leiber, University of HoustonTable of ContentsList of figures x Acknowledgements xi Introduction 1 In outline 2 1 The beginnings of Artificial Intelligence: a historical sketch 4 2 Some dazzling exhibits 11 3 Can a machine think? 33 4 The symbol system hypothesis 58 5 A hard look at the facts 83 6 The curious case of the Chinese room 121 7 Freedom 140 8 Consciousness 163 9 Are we computers? 180 10 AI’s fresh start: parallel distributed processing 207 Epilogue 249 Notes 250 Blibliography 283 Index 299

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Book SynopsisConversations on Consciousness is just that - a series of twenty lively and challenging conversations between Sue Blackmore and some of the world''s leading philosophers and scientists. Written in a colloquial and engaging style the book records the conversations Sue had when she met these influential thinkers, whether at conferences in Arizona or Antwerp, or in their labs or homes in Oxford or San Diego. The conversations bring out their very different personalities and styles and reveal a wealth of fascinating detail about their theories and beliefs. Why is consciousness such a special and difficult issue for twenty-first century science? Sue, herself a researcher into this controversial and difficult topic, begins by asking each of her colleagues this simple question and is immediately plunged into the depths of the debate: How do the subjective experiences we call consciousness arise from the physical brain? Is this even the right question to ask? Can zombies - people who behave ouTrade Reviewa fascinating insight * Guardian *Table of Contents1. Introduction ; 2. Bernard Baars ; 3. Ned Block ; 4. David Chalmers ; 5. Patricia and Paul Churchland ; 6. Francis Crick ; 7. Daniel Dennett ; 8. Susan Greenfield ; 9. Richard Gregory ; 10. Stuart Hameroff ; 11. Christof Koch ; 12. Stephen LaBerge ; 13. Thomas Metzinger ; 14. Roger Penrose ; 15. Kevin O'Regan ; 16. Vilayanur Ramachandran ; 17. John Searle ; 18. Petra Stoerig ; 19. Francisco Varela ; 20. Max Velmans ; 21. Daniel Wegner ; Glossary ; Index

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Book SynopsisA study of Aristotle, providing an understanding of the Greek philosopher, and expressing Aquinas's own views on philosophical issues. Robert Pasnau includes an introduction and notes to clarify difficult points and set the context, as well as a medieval translation of "De Anima".

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Book SynopsisCognitive science joins with Asian contemplative traditions and philosophy to bring revolutionary meaning to the human experience.Trade ReviewIn a game-changing book that is both an intellectual tour de force and the courageous statement of a life's ideal, Thompson brilliantly demonstrates how Indian philosophical thought can join forces with the neurosciences to create a new science of the conscious mind. A must-read for anyone who believes that the future of philosophy is crosscultural. -- Jonardon Ganeri, University of Sussex and the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London Evan Thompson, a philosopher with a deep knowledge of Indo-Tibetan contemplative traditions and modern neuroscience, has written a brilliant and comprehensive book on the nature of awareness and the self. Waking, Dreaming, Being is a dazzling synthesis. Thompson takes on some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of mind and addresses them with remarkable creativity and clarity. This volume is a must read for any serious student of the mind and consciousness. -- Richard J. Davidson, New York Times-bestselling coauthor of The Emotional Life of Your Brain Drawing on multiple sources of knowledge, all tested by first-person experience and critical analysis, Thompson presents an illuminating neurophenomenological account of what it's like to be a conscious human being. -- Stephen LaBerge, author of Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming Waking, Dreaming, Being powerfully demonstrates how bringing cognitive science, philosophy, and Buddhism into a critical engagement can open innovative ways of exploring the 'hard problem' of consciousness. The blending of philosophical rigor and scientific knowledge with meditative insights, with the author's own remarkable life as the larger background, makes the book a real joy to read. This book will be an invaluable help to anyone who is interested in knowing how the fundamental questions of self, consciousness, and human existence can be explored in a way that combines the best of both East and West. -- Thupten Jinpa, author of Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy With extensive training in Buddhism, brain science, and phenomenology, Evan Thompson is uniquely positioned to reveal how different perspectives on the mind can be mutually illuminating. He begins with the Buddhist insight that there are many forms of consciousness--far more than traditionally recognized in the West--and he shows that these can be associated with deferent brain processes. The result is a richly original and integrated account of human mental life. Whether you are a curious newcomer or a seasoned expert, you have much to learn from this stunning synthesis of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge science. -- Jesse Prinz, author of The Conscious Brain and Beyond Human Nature [An] excellent book. New York Times Book Review Extraordinary and exciting claims... beautiful ideas. Cosmos and Culture Contemplative and groundbreaking, Waking, Dreaming, Being is a welcome addition to college library philosophy shelves. Midwest Book Review Waking, Dreaming, Being is an exceptional and intriguing contribution to the exploration of consciousness as a multidimensional self and makes a convincing argument for the usefulness of philosophical, experiential, and scientific approaches to understanding consciousness. -- Marissa Krimsky Buddhadharma A rich, thought-provoking and poetic tour of a wide variety of phenomena of consciousness... Constructivist Foundations A magnificent tome. Big Think This is a ground-breaking exploration of conciousness and the self as they occur across the states of waking, falling asleep, dreaming, lucid dreaming, deep dreamless sleep, out-of-body experiences and dying. Evan Thompson's rich, beautifully written book interweaves lucid prose with relevant personal anecdotes, bringing the latest neuroscience together with ancient contemplative wisdom to offer valuable insightr into the nature of conciousness and the self. -- Miri Albahari Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews This remarkable book addresses deep philosophical questions from a unique perspective. Choice Waking Dreaming Being will soon be considered a landmark and a tipping point in consciousness investigations.Journal of Mind and Behavior Journal of Mind and Behavior A lucid and comprehensive account of the self as a subject of experience and agent of action. -- George T. Hole Philosophical Practice A fine book by an extraordinary author. Journal of Consciousness StudiesTable of ContentsForeword by Stephen Batchelor Prologue: The Dalai Lama's Conjecture Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Seeing: What Is Consciousness? 2. Waking: How Do We Perceive? 3. Being: What Is Pure Awareness? 4. Dreaming: Who Am I? 5. Witnessing: Is This a Dream? 6. Imagining: Are We Real? 7. Floating: Where Am I? 8. Sleeping: Are We Conscious in Deep Sleep? 9. Dying: What Happens When We Die? 10. Knowing: Is the Self an Illusion? Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisCould a computer have a mind? What kind of machine would this be? Exactly what do we mean by ''mind'' anyway?The notion of the ''intelligent'' machine, whilst continuing to feature in numerous entertaining and frightening fictions, has also been the focus of a serious and dedicated research tradition. Reflecting on these fictions, and on the research tradition that pursues ''Artificial Intelligence'', raises a number of vexing philosophical issues. Minds and Computers introduces readers to these issues by offering an engaging, coherent, and highly approachable interdisciplinary introduction to the Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence.Readers are presented with introductory material from each of the disciplines which constitute Cognitive Science: Philosophy, Neuroscience, Psychology, Computer Science, and Linguistics. Throughout, readers are encouraged to consider the implications of this disparate and wide-ranging material for the possibility of developing machines with minds. And they can expect to deTrade ReviewThis book is an excellent introduction to some of the most important problems within the philosophy of artificial intelligence... Carter's book is in fact highly interdisciplinary, but he has clearly succeeded in integrating some very crucial topics regarding artificial intelligence in a clever and thought-provoking manner... The book will be an excellent choice as a textbook to be used for a university course introducing important and interesting problems within the philosophy of artificial intelligence. History and Philosophy of Logic Like good science fiction, Matt Carter's Minds and Computers essentially constitutes an exploration into what makes human beings what they are... [It] is a teaching tool par excellence and should find its way into every classroom where the philosophy of mind is being studied. Heythrop Journal

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Book SynopsisThe Phenomenology of Pregnancy and Early Motherhood provides an ethical, social, and psychological investigation of the process of becoming a mother. Through a phenomenological analysis that engages with feminist philosophy, medical ethics, philosophy of care, and phenomenological psychology, Susi Ferrarello unravels the intricacies of this transformative phase of life to shed light on layers of lived experiences that impact the well-being of the woman. This book addresses the complexity of common lived-experiences characterizing this transition; the overarching period from the first to the fourth trimester, issues concerning maternal-fetal bonding, breastfeeding, PDAM, loss of identity and coming back to work. Enriched by case studies from Ferrarelloâs philosophical counseling practice, the book provides a compassionate and insightful exploration of the struggles, triumphs, and moments of self-revelation that mothers encounter in their daily lives. By exploring the heart o

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Book SynopsisModern philosophy finds it difficult to give a satisfactory picture of the place of minds in the world. In Mind and World, one of the most distinguished philosophers writing today offers his diagnosis of this difficulty and points to a cure.Trade ReviewEver since Descartes, a lot of the very best philosophers have thought of science as an invading army from whose depredations safe havens have somehow to be constructed. Philosophy patrols the borders, keeping the sciences ‘intellectually respectable’ by keeping them ‘within…proper bounds.’ But you have to look outside these bounds if what you care about is the life of the spirit or the life of the mind. McDowell’s is as good a contemporary representative of this kind of philosophical sensibility as you could hope to find. -- Jerry Fodor * London Review of Books *Mind and World is, above all, a work of therapy; and, like every good talking cure, it is hard work. But the diagnosis is penetrating, deeply persuasive, and expressed with that ear for the right phrase precisely placed which is the literary equivalent of perfect pitch. -- Max de Gaynesford * Australasian Journal of Philosophy *McDowell locates an important tension in our thinking about thought, suggests an attractive way of easing the tension, and offers a plausible diagnosis of why the tension is acute… Mind and World is a genuinely provocative book that should be discussed. -- Paul M. Pietroski * Canadian Journal of Philosophy *A powerfully impressive book which simply towers over the more routine contributions of current analytical philosophy. -- Simon Glendinning * Radical Philosophy *Table of ContentsPreface Introduction Lecture I. Concepts and Intuitions Lecture II. The Unboundedness of the Conceptual Lecture III. Non-conceptual Content Lecture IV. Reason and Nature Lecture V. Action, Meaning, and the Self Lecture VI. Rational and Other Animals Afterword Part I. Davidson in Context Part II. Postscript to Lecture III Part III. Postscript to Lecture V Part IV. Postscript to Lecture VI Index

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Book SynopsisOften we act neither for our own sake nor out of duty or an impersonal concern for the world. Rather, we act out of love for objects that we rightly perceive as worthy of love - and it is these actions that give meaning to our lives. This title states that this kind of meaningfulness constitutes a distinctive dimension of a good life.Trade Review"Given the unfortunate (but arguably necessary) divorce of psychology from philosophy more than a century ago, books like Meaning in Life and Why It Matters, which allow for dialogue between these disciplines, are a much-needed and much-welcomed development... Wolf's essay is a psychologically sophisticated philosophical argument on the structure, reality, and importance of meaningfulness in life. Its psychological sophistication lies not in her mastery of any particular empirical literature but rather in her attentiveness to normal, everyday intuitions and feelings."--Russell D. Kosits, PsycCRITIQUESTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction by Stephen Macedo xi MEANING IN LIFE AND WHY IT MATTERS Meaning in Life 1 Why It Matters 34 COMMENTS AND RESPONSE John Koethe 67 Robert M. Adams 75 Nomy Arpaly 85 Jonathan Haidt 92 Response Susan Wolf 102 Contributors 133 Index 137

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Book SynopsisThe most important work by one of America's greatest twentieth-century philosophers, Empiricism and the Philosophy of Mind helped bring about a sea change in analytic philosophy. This publication makes comprehensible a difficult but important figure in this movement.Table of ContentsIntroduction by Richard Rorty An Ambiguity in Sense-Datum Theories Another Language? The Logic of 'Looks' Explaining Looks Impressions and Ideas: a Logical Point Impressions and Ideas: A Historical Point The Logic of 'Means' Does Empirical Knowledge Have a Foundation? Science and Ordinary Usage Private Episodes: The Problem Thoughts: The Classical View Our Rylean Ancestors Theories and Models Methodological versus Philosophical Behaviorism The Logic of Private Episodes: Thoughts The Logic of Private Episodes: Impressions Study Guide by Robert Brandom

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Book SynopsisNAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORKER AND THE ECONOMIST“Life Is Hard is a humane consolation for challenging times. Reading it is like speaking with a thoughtful friend who never tells you to cheer up, but, by offering gentle companionship and a change of perspective, makes you feel better anyway.” —The New York Times Book Review There is no cure for the human condition: life is hard. But Kieran Setiya believes philosophy can help. He offers us a map for navigating rough terrain, from personal trauma to the injustice and absurdity of the world. In this profound and personal book, Setiya shows how the tools of philosophy can help us find our way. Drawing on ancient and modern philosophy as well as fiction, history, memoir, film, comedy, social science, and stories from Setiya’s own experience, Life Is Hard is a book for this moment—a work of solace and compassion

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Book SynopsisANTONIO DAMASIO is University Professor, David Dornsife Professor of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Neurology, and director of the Brain and Creativity Institute at the University of Southern California. Damasio's other books include Descartes' Error; The Feeling of What Happens; and Looking for Spinoza. He has received the Honda Prize, the Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research, and, shared with his wife Hanna, the Pessoa, Signoret, and Cozzarelli prizes. Damasio is a fellow of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Bavarian Academy of Sciences, and the European Academy of Sciences and Arts. He lives in Los Angeles.Trade ReviewBreathtakingly original * Financial Times *Awareness may be mostly mystery, but Damasio shapes its hints and glimmerings into an imaginative, informed narrative * Kirkus *The marvel of reading Damasio's book is to be convinced one can follow the brain at work as it makes the private reality that is the deepest self * V. S. Naipaul *Damasio's most ambitious work yet. It is a lucid and important work * Word *The epicenter of Self Comes to Mind concerns the neurological basis for cognition and the issue of the superposition of a "self' onto the construct which we address as reality. Damasio is both eloquent and scholarly. His command of the themes he approaches is impressive, as is the vigor with which he tackles such recondite issues as the elusive "self," inside the head. A wonderful read, and a recommended one! -- Rodolfo R. Llinás, New York University

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Book SynopsisBy defending the importance of individual reflection, this title celebrates the power and variety of human consciousness in the tradition of William James. It explores the nature of subjectivity and considers the culture in which Sigmund Freud that was situated and its influence on his model of self and civilization.Trade Review"There is much to admire, and even to agree with, in Robinson's humanist passion. Her defense of the insights to be gained from religion and literature is as convincing as her attacks on the facile generalizations of parascience."—Adam Kirsch, Boston Globe"[Robinson] makes the case with exceptional elegance and authority—the authority not only of one of the unmistakably great novelists of the age but of a clear and logical mind that is wholly intolerant of intellectual cliché. . . . This book has a greater density (and sophistication) of argument than many three times its length; but it is one of the most significant contributions yet to the current quarrels about faith, science and rationality."—Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, Daily Telegraph"These impassioned pages require and reward very close attention."—Michael Dirda, Washington Post"Robinson's argument is prophetic, profound, eloquent, succinct, powerful and timely."—Karen Armstrong, The Guardian"I enjoyed reading Absence of Mind. The reason: it is always a pleasure to keep company with a person who takes ideas seriously."—Siri Hustvedt, Financial Times"The width of Robinson’s erudition is almost daunting, but she shares it with characteristic generosity. . . . Persist and you’ll be rewarded."—Sunday Telegraph"Marilynne Robinson, one of the greatest living American novelists, turns her word power towards those whose bogus science leaves us feeling that 'our minds are not our own.' In Absence of Mind, her affirmation of 'human exceptionalism' presents humanity as 'much more than an optimised ape.'"—Christopher Jamison, Times"Those who savor Robinson's clear prose will be gratified; her mind, in thought, is elegant."—Publishers Weekly"The 2009 Orange Prize Winner considers science, religion, and consciousness, and defends the importance of individual reflection and the search for answers."—The Bookseller"Robinson is one of the greatest Christian thinkers alive today. She is also one of the world's best novelists. . . . Absence of Mind is a slim but compelling volume."—Luke Coppen, Catholic Herald"This is a wonderful little book, full of wisdom, warmth and wit. . . . [Robinson] is able to apply her astute intellect, delicious sense of humour, incisive insight into human nature and down-to-earth philosophy of life."—Mark Patrick Hederman, Irish Times"I'm enjoying arguing and agreeing with Marilynne Robinson's Absence of Mind."—Zadie Smith, The Observer"I have barely scratched the surface of this dense and yet endlessly entertaining little book. Marilynne Robinson is herself the best evidence of her own thesis—the exceptional mystery of the human mind."—Bryan Appleyard, Literary Review"It is worth admiring Robinson's bravery and intellectual independence, and noting the sheer force and capacity of language like hers to persuade."—Geordie Williamson, The Australian"A typically rigorous argument about the nature of modernity from one of the greatest thinkers and novelists of our time."—Bryan Appleyard, New Statesman 'A Year In Books'Named a Best Book of 2010—Globe & Mail, "2010 Globe 100"

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Book SynopsisA concise, comprehensive overview of the “M Theory” and its application in today’s world, by a renowned American philosopher Ken Wilber has long been hailed as one of the most important thinkers of our time, but his work has seemed inaccessible to readers who lack a background in consciousness studies or evolutionary theory—until now. In A Theory of Everything, Wilber uses clear, non-technical language to present complex, cutting-edge theories that integrate the realms of body, mind, soul, and spirit. He then demonstrates how these theories and models can be applied to real world problems and incorporated into readers’ everyday lives. Wilber begins his study by presenting models like “spiral dynamics”—a leading model of human evolution—and his groundbreaking “all-level, all-quadrant” model for integrating science and religion, showing how they are being applied to politics, medicine, business, education, and the environment. He also covers broader models, explaining how they can integrate the various worldviews that have been developed around the world throughout the ages. Finally, Wilber proposes that readers take up an integral transformative practice—such as meditation—to help them apply and develop this integral vision in their personal, daily lives. A fascinating and easy-to-follow exploration of the “M Theory,” this book is another tour-de-force from one of America’s most inventive minds.

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Book SynopsisWhat is consciousness? How does the subjective character of consciousness fit into an objective world? How can there be a science of consciousness? In this sequel to his groundbreaking and controversial The Conscious Mind, David Chalmers develops a unified framework that addresses these questions and many others. Starting with a statement of the hard problem of consciousness, Chalmers builds a positive framework for the science of consciousness and a nonreductive vision of the metaphysics of consciousness. He replies to many critics of The Conscious Mind, and then develops a positive theory in new directions. The book includes original accounts of how we think and know about consciousness, of the unity of consciousness, and of how consciousness relates to the external world. Along the way, Chalmers develops many provocative ideas: the consciousness meter, the Garden of Eden as a model of perceptual experience, and The Matrix as a guide to the deepest philosophical problems about consciousness and the external world. This book will be required reading for anyone interested in the problems of mind, brain, consciousness, and reality.Trade Reviewthe papers collected here exemplify all the virtues that we have come to expect from Chalmerss work ... Throughout, he is strikingly resourceful in articulating and defending his views. * Stephan Leuenberger, Australasian Journal of Philosophy *Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS; AFTERWORD: FROM "MOVING FORWARD ON THE PROBLEM OF CONSCIOUSNESS"; AFTERWORD: FIRST-PERSON DATA AND FIRST-PERSON SCIENCE; AFTERWORD: OTHER ANTI-MATERIALIST ARGUMENTS; AFTERWORD: THE TWO-DIMENSIONAL CONTENTS OF PERCEPTION; AFTERWORD: PHILOSOPHICAL NOTES; APPENDIX: TWO-DIMENSIONAL SEMANTICS

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Book SynopsisIn this lively and entertaining introduction to the philosophy of mind, Edward Feser explores the questions central to the discipline; such as 'do computers think', and 'what is consciousness'; and gives an account of all the most important and significant attempts that have been made to answer them.Trade ReviewCharles Taliaferro - Professor of Philosophy, St Olaf College, Minnesota"A splendid, highly accessible and lucid introduction. The arguments are engaging and provide a refreshing challenge to some of the conventional assumptions in the field."David Oderberg - Professor of Philosophy, University of Reading, UK"Tightly written and admirably clear... Fesar covers just the right topics, and does so judiciously and fairly... a refreshing, provocative, and important addition to the introductory books in philosophy of mind. It should appear on every reading list."Table of ContentsTable of Contents Preface and acknowledgments 1. Perception 2. Dualism 3. Materialism 4. Qualia 5. Consciousness 6. Thought 7. Intentionality 8. Persons Glossary

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This stunning, colour-illustrated guide includes practices to help you let go of everyday stresses and find inner peace. With practical tools, strategies and exercises harnessing the benefits of mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, creativity, relaxation and compassion, this book will guide you towards your own inner peace and help you to find harmony with those around you: family, friends, your community and the world.CONTENTSIntroduction1. Grounded and Rooted2. Relaxation3. Equinamity4. Acceptance5. Gratitude6. Compassion7. Beyond YourselfToward World Peace

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Book SynopsisAlva Noë is one of a new breedpart philosopher, part cognitive scientist, part neuroscientistwho are radically altering the study of consciousness by asking difficult questions and pointing out obvious flaws in the current science. In Out of Our Heads, he restates and reexamines the problem of consciousness, and then proposes a startling solution: do away with the two-hundred-year-old paradigm that places consciousness within the confines of the brain.Our culture is obsessed with the brainhow it perceives; how it remembers; how it determines our intelligence, our morality, our likes and our dislikes. It''s widely believed that consciousness itself, that Holy Grail of science and philosophy, will soon be given a neural explanation. And yet, after decades of research, only one proposition about how the brain makes us conscioushow it gives rise to sensation, feeling, and subjectivityhas emerged unchallenged: we don''t have a clue.In this inventive work, Noë sugge

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Book SynopsisIs materialism right to claim that the world of everyday-life experience - the phenomenal world - is nothing but an illusion produced in physical reality, notably in the brain? Or is Merleau-Ponty right when he defends the fundamental character of the phenomenal world while rejecting physical realism? Jasper van Buuren addresses these questions by exploring the nature of the body proper in Merleau-Ponty and Plessner, arguing that physical and phenomenal realism are not mutually exclusive but complementary. The argument includes a close examination of the relationships between scientific and pre-scientific perspectives, between living and non-living things, and between humans and animals.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An ingenious piece of work; a brilliant essay in comparative philosophy. The whole presentation is delightful.” — Prof. Paul Seligman, author of The aperion of Anaximander and Being and Not-Being: An Introduction to Plato’s Sophist“A work of intrinsic merit; competent and philosophically adept. The general public, as well as academics, will enjoy reading this book, and will profit from doing so.” — Prof. Robert Carter, Trent University, author of The Dimensions of Moral Education (U of Toronto Press)“The book addresses issues of central and critical importance. It is well written and concieved … it is unorthodox in its approach … it is a pleasure to read.” — Prof. Alan R. Dregson, University of Victoria“The thesis is clear; the demonstration is convincing. The scholarship is impeccable, and the author displays a well articulated understanding of the various [philosophical positions] he evokes through the characters of the dialogue.” — Claude Lagadec, University of Montreal“ … an exceptionally well-written book, on a subject of fundamental importance.” — Canadian Philosophical ReviewsTable of ContentsThe SoliloquyAfternoon — Erosion From WithinAristos of GnosisRenéImmanuelDavidFriedrichLudwigThe Brother From ElisThe Storm - Assault From WithoutChangNagarajAfter the Storm — Metamorphosis RenéImmanuelDavidFriedrichLudwigChangThe Brother From Elis Evening — The Magic of UnknowingThe Common BroodingAuthor’s Note

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Book SynopsisA renowned thinker explores a way of seeing that draws attention back from what is experienced, into the act of experiencing.Trade Review'Henri Bortoft is one of the world's foremost experts on Goethean science. Here he extends the argument of his earlier work The Wholeness of Nature to articulate a new history and philosophy of science with an emphasis on a dynamic way of understanding that highlights process rather than product, the coming into being rather than the end result. This represents a fundamental shift away from abstraction to lived sensory experience, and from the dominance of left-hemisphere thinking to a more integrated approach. This is a seminal text that deserves the widest audience.'-- David Lorimer, Scientific and Medical Network'Taking Appearance Seriously is a rare philosophical work of both outstanding quality and immense practicality, written to guide the reader into really experiencing what Henri Bortoft calls the dynamic way of seeing: a radically aware way of thinking and comprehending our complex world which is as applicable in the creative arts and business world as it is in science.'-- Simon Robinson (editor of Transition Consciousness). Resurgence & Ecologist'Bortoft's aim is to help readers see and understand the world and human experience in a more integrated, compelling way. Exploring and developing previous work on the fascinating relationship between parts and whole through the lenses of phenomenology, hermeneutics, and Goethean science, Bortoft demonstrates convincingly the need to shift attention from what is experienced to the experience of what is experienced. In a writing style that is both accessible and penetrating, he shows how to do this by drawing on examples from our experience of meaning, understanding and language. By teaching ourselves to become more sensitive to this dynamic way of seeing, we learn to "take appearance seriously".'-- David Seamon, Professor, Kansas State University, and Editor, Environmental and Architectural Phenomenology'Through his carefully crafted prose Bortoft takes us on an incredible journey in which we learn to shift the focus of our attention away from our common-sense view of a fragmented world of subjects and objects, into our experiencing of what we experience.This is not just an exercise for the philosophically curious. If we are able to make this shift we enter into what Bortoft calls the dynamic way of seeing.The genius of Taking Appearance Seriously lies in Bortoft’s ability to extend his previous work on the science of Goethe, guiding us into a deeper level of perception, i.e. this dynamic way of seeing. The importance of this, and also the reason why this dynamic way of thinking may be so hard for us to comprehend in the first instance is that we are trapped in the left-brain way of conceiving the world. By following Bortoft’s work slowly, we are led into a way of thinking that brings harmony and balance between the two sides of the brain.'-- Simon Robinson, Resurgence

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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 SynopsisA wise, accessible guide that makes the spiritual and ethical teachings of the yogic tradition immediately relatable to our practice on the mat—and in our everyday relationships and activities“There is no daily practice without some formal training; and there is no deep spiritual training without the mess of relational life. The two are one,” says Michael Stone. At the root of yoga practice there is a vast and intriguing philosophy that teaches the ethics of nonviolence, patience, honesty, and respect. Innovative teacher Michael Stone draws from numerous disciplines—including Buddhism and psychotherapy—to provide an in-depth, completely clear explanation of yogic philosophy, along with teachings on how to bring our understanding of yoga theory to deeper levels through our practice on the mat—and through our relationships with others. Yoga, says Stone, is a practice that helps us be more present with the actual, fluid life we are living right now—and there is no yoga without the conditions of your life. This book describes how to work with those conditions and how to fully appreciate yoga as a practice of being intimate with moment-to-moment reality.

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