"The philosophy of mind is unique among contemporary philosophical subjects," writes John Searle, "in that all of the most famous and influential theories are false." In Mind, Searle dismantles these famous and influential theories as he presents a vividly written, comprehensive introduction to the mind. Here readers will find one of the world''s most eminent thinkers shedding light on the central concern of modern philosophy. Searle begins with a look at the twelve problems of philosophy of mind--which he calls "Descartes and Other Disasters"--problems which he returns to throughout the volume, as he illuminates such topics as the freedom of the will, the actual operation of mental causation, the nature and functioning of the unconscious, the analysis of perception, and the concept of the self. One of the key chapters is on the mind-body problem, which Searle analyzes brilliantly. He argues that all forms of consciousness--from feeling thirsty to wondering how to translate Mallarm©--are caused by the behavior of neurons and are realized in the brain system, which is itself composed of neurons. But this does not mean that consciousness is nothing but neuronal behavior. The main point of having the concept of consciousness, Searle points out, is to capture the first person subjective features of the phenomenon and this point is lost if we redefine consciousness in third person objective terms. Described as a "dragonslayer by temperament," John Searle offers here a refreshingly direct and open discussion of philosophy, one that skewers accepted wisdom even as it offers striking new insights into the nature of consciousness and the mind.
Industry Reviews
"Searle has written a forceful, clear, accessible and fascinating introductory book that explains much more convincingly than anything else his iconoclastic view that both materialism and dualism are false. Searle vigorously explores the big issues in philosophy of mind, always keeping the deepest intuitions about the mind in focus."--Ned Block, New York University
"Mind finishes with a chapter whose title says it all, 'Philosophy and the Scientific World-View.' That masterful, three-page essay should top the required-reading list in every high school and college around the world. I believe that every thinking person concerned about the mind and its place in the world should own a copy. Easy to read, the book keeps philosophical jargon to a minimum. Pound per pound, you don't get much better
value."--Science, Christof Koch, California Institute of Technology
"Searle has written a forceful, clear, accessible and fascinating introductory book that explains much more convincingly than anything else his iconoclastic view that both materialism and dualism are false. Searle vigorously explores the big issues in philosophy of mind, always keeping the deepest intuitions about the mind in focus."--Ned Block, New York University
"Mind finishes with a chapter whose title says it all, 'Philosophy and the Scientific World-View.' That masterful, three-page essay should top the required-reading list in every high school and college around the world. I believe that every thinking person concerned about the mind and its place in the world should own a copy. Easy to read, the book keeps philosophical jargon to a minimum. Pound per pound, you don't get much better
value."--Science, Christof Koch, California Institute of Technology
