The Philosophy of Mind: An Introduction

By O.R. Jones, Peter Smith, O. R. Jones, et al.

Book Overview

This is a straightforward, elementary textbook for beginning students of philosophy. The general aim is to provide a clear introduction to the main issues arising in the philosophy of mind. Part I discusses the Cartesian dualist view which many find initially appealing, and contains a careful examination of arguments for and against. Part II introduces the broadly functionalist type of physicalism which has Aristotelian roots. This approach is developed to yield accounts of perception, action, belief and desire, and the emerging theory of the mind is compared at each stage with rival historical and contemporary views. In Part III the functionalist approach is further explored in giving analyses of sensation, thought and freedom of will. The discussions throughout are exceptionally clear, and the writing uncomplicated, to make available to the students a wealth of detailed argument in the philosophy of mind.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0521312507
• ISBN13: 9780521312509
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 12.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Good introductory book, if somewhat biased

This book offers a clear and well written introduction to a difficult topic. Reading it can be a rewarding experience as it explains the most important problems of the philosophy of mind with a clear language. The only problem that I could find in it is that it doesn't pursuit the consecuences of their functionalist theory in the last chapters; instead they try to give some "non-standard" definition of freedom, which is not at all clear or even near of the common concept of that word.