Description
Book SynopsisRanging across both standard philosophical territory and the landscape of cutting-edge cognitive science, Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Second Edition, is a vivid and engaging introduction to key issues, research, and opportunities in the field.Starting with the vision of mindware as software and debates between realists, instrumentalists, and eliminativists, Andy Clark takes students on a no-holds-barred journey through connectionism, dynamical systems, and real-world robotics before moving on to the frontiers of cognitive technologies, enactivism, predictive coding, and the extended mind. Throughout, he highlights challenging issues in an effort to engage students in active debate. Each chapter opens with a brief sketch of a major research tradition or perspective, followed by concise critical discussions dealing with key topics and problems.NEW TO THIS EDITION* Three new chapters (9-11) on cognitive extensions, enactivism, and the predictive brain, and a revised appendix on consciousness* Extensive revisions, additions, and updates throughout in light of new developments in the field* New text boxes and revised and expanded suggestions for further reading, including many electronic resources (summarized on the book''s Companion Website at www.oup/us/coogan)
Trade Review"The first edition of Mindware was so clear and engagingly written that it immediately became the go-to textbook for the philosophy of cognitive science. It was also so far out on the cutting edge that it has remained relevant for more than a decade. This updated and significantly expanded second edition is a major upgrade. With it, Andy Clark has improved on what already was the best introduction to the discipline and, no doubt, mapped out the debates of the next decade."--Anthony Chemero, University of Cincinnati "As an introduction to the field, Mindware has no equal. It's one thing to transport traditional philosophical discussions into the realm of empirical research; it's another thing to do so in a way that students find accessible and engaging. This is a lively and assured guide, and Clark is an excellent tour guide."--Scott M. James, University of North Carolina Wilmington
Table of ContentsIntroduction: (Not) Like a Rock ; 1. Meat Machines: Mindware as Software ; 2. Symbol Systems ; 3. Patterns, Contents, and Causes ; 4. Connectionism ; 5. Perception, Action, and the Brain ; 6. Robots and Artificial Life ; 7. Dynamics ; 8. Cognitive Technology: Beyond the Naked Brain ; 9. Extended Minds? ; 10. Enacting Perceptual Experience ; 11. Prediction Machines ; Appendix I. Some Backdrop: Dualism, Behaviorism, and Beyond ; Appendix II . Consciousness and the Meta-Hard Problem
