Description

Book Synopsis
''What is real?'' has been one of the key questions of philosophy since its beginning in antiquity. It is a question that, due to such films as The Matrix, has also made its way into popular culture. But it is not just a question philosophers ask. It is also asked by scientists when they investigate whether the fundamental constituents of matter are actually ''out there'' or just a mere abstraction from a successful theory. Cognitive scientists ask it when trying to find out which set of the bewildering array of data processed by our brain could constitute the basis for such supposedly fundamental entities like the free agent or the self.This Very Short Introduction discusses what reality is by looking at a variety of arguments, theories and thought-experiments from philosophy, physics, and cognitive science.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 perfec

Table of Contents
Introduction ; 1. What is real? Dreams and simulations ; 2. Is matter real? ; 3. Are persons real? ; 4. Is time real? ; Conclusion ; References and Further Reading

Reality A Very Short Introduction Very Short

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    A Paperback / softback by Jan Westerhoff

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      Book details

      Publisher Oxford University Press
      Published 24 November 2011
      ISBN-13 9780199594412
      978-0199594412
      ISBN-10 0199594414
      Also in:
      Philosophy of mind Philosophy: metaphysics and ontology

      Description

      Book Synopsis
      ''What is real?'' has been one of the key questions of philosophy since its beginning in antiquity. It is a question that, due to such films as The Matrix, has also made its way into popular culture. But it is not just a question philosophers ask. It is also asked by scientists when they investigate whether the fundamental constituents of matter are actually ''out there'' or just a mere abstraction from a successful theory. Cognitive scientists ask it when trying to find out which set of the bewildering array of data processed by our brain could constitute the basis for such supposedly fundamental entities like the free agent or the self.This Very Short Introduction discusses what reality is by looking at a variety of arguments, theories and thought-experiments from philosophy, physics, and cognitive science.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 perfec

      Table of Contents
      Introduction ; 1. What is real? Dreams and simulations ; 2. Is matter real? ; 3. Are persons real? ; 4. Is time real? ; Conclusion ; References and Further Reading

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