The Philosophy of Mind A Short Introduction

Could a machine ever be conscious?
Is there any way to disprove the theory that we are all just brains wired up to a giant computer program?
How do you know that you are really reading this sentence and not just dreaming that you are?

In this lively and entertaining introduction to the philosophy of mind, Edward Feser explores the questions central to the discipline â?? such as do computers think, and what is consciousness â?? and gives an account of all of the most important and significant attempts that have been made to answer them. Those new to the subject will appreciate the accessible style and the explanations of key terms, whilst teachers and more advanced readers will be glad of an introductory text which engages with the most up-to-date arguments in the literature. Dualism â?? the theory that the mind is separate from the body â?? has gained increasing currency in recent years, and this book is the first introductory text to give a full account and defence of the position. Complete with a comprehensive guide to further reading, The Philosophy of Mind: A Short Introduction will provide a perfect introduction to the subject for undergraduates and general readers, and an indispensable resource for teachers.

Edward Feser teaches philosophy at Pasadena City College, and the author of On Nozick. He has taught and written widely in the area of philosophy of mind, and his most recent research has focused on new solutions to the mind/body problem.


CONTENTS
Preface and acknowledgments
1. Perception
Dreams, demons, and brains in vats
Indirect realism
Skepticism
Appearance and reality, mind and matter
Further reading

2. Dualism
Minds and brains, apples and oranges
The indivisibility argument
The conceivability argument
The interaction problem
Further reading

3. Materialism
Tables, chairs, rocks, and trees
Reduction and supervenience
Cause and effect
Behaviorism
The identity theory
Functionalism
The burden of proof
Further reading

4. Qualia
The inverted spectrum
The â??Chinese nationâ?? argument
The zombie argument
The knowledge argument
Subjectivity
Property dualism
Further reading

5. Consciousness
Eliminativism
Representationalism and Higher-Order Theories
Russellian identity theory and neutral monism
Troubles with Russellianism
A more consistent Russellianism
Consciousness, intentionality, and subjectivity
The binding problem
Further reading

6. Thought
Reasons and causes
The computational/representational theory of thought
The argument from reason
The Chinese Room argument
The mind-dependence of computation
Thought and consciousness
Further reading

7. Intentionality
Naturalistic theories of meaning
1. Conceptual role theories
2. Causal theories
3. Biological theories
4. Instrumentalist theories
Eliminativism again
The indeterminacy of the physical
1. Representations
2. Concepts
3. Formal reasoning
Materialism, meaning, and metaphysics
Further reading

8. Persons
Personal identity
Consequences of mechanism
Hylomorphism
Thomistic dualism
Philosophy of mind and the rest of philosophy
Further reading

Glossary