+612 9045 4394
Paperback
Published: 14th December 2000
ISBN: 9780415241939
Number Of Pages: 352
How do we know whether there are other minds besides our own? The problem of other minds raises many questions which are at the root of all philosophical investigations - how it is we know, what is the mind and can we be certain about any of our beliefs?
In this compelling analysis of 'other minds' Anita Avramides traces the question from the Ancient Sceptics through to Descartes, Malebranche, Locke, Berkeley, Reid and Wittgenstein. The second part of the book explores the views of influential contemporary philosophers such as Strawson, Davidson, Nagel and Searle.
Other Minds provides a clear insightful introduction to one of the most important problems in philosophy. It will prove invaluable to all students of philosophy.
'A worthwhile contribution. Its style makes it accessible to students, and it also deserves the attention of experts.' - Philosophical Quarterly
'...a major contribution to the literature on other minds.' - Philosophical Books
| Preface | p. xi |
| Acknowledgements | p. xiii |
| Overview | p. 1 |
| Philosophy and the problem of other minds | p. 1 |
| The history of the problem | p. 4 |
| And more history | p. 13 |
| The problem today | p. 15 |
| Knowledge of other minds | p. 19 |
| Ancient and modern scepticism and the problem of other minds | p. 21 |
| Introduction | p. 21 |
| The ancient sceptics: a brief introduction | p. 21 |
| Ancient Greek scepticism and the problem of other minds | p. 26 |
| Ancient and modern scepticism | p. 30 |
| Other minds: an epistemological problem? | p. 36 |
| Descartes and knowledge of other minds | p. 45 |
| Introduction | p. 45 |
| Brief interlude: St Augustine | p. 46 |
| Descartes and the problem of other minds | p. 50 |
| Descartes and the argument from analogy | p. 51 |
| Men versus automatons | p. 55 |
| All and (of corporeal beings) only human animals have minds | p. 59 |
| The test of a real man | p. 62 |
| Descartes' optimism | p. 64 |
| Malebranche and knowledge of other men's souls | p. 68 |
| Introduction | p. 68 |
| Knowledge of one's own mind | p. 72 |
| Knowledge of bodies | p. 76 |
| Knowledge of other men's minds | p. 79 |
| Brief interlude: Arnaud on Malebranche on knowledge of other minds | p. 85 |
| John Locke and knowledge of other spirits | p. 88 |
| Introduction | p. 88 |
| Our idea of mind | p. 90 |
| '[Immaterial] substance, which we call spirit' | p. 94 |
| Other men's minds | p. 99 |
| Knowledge and opinion | p. 105 |
| Conclusion | p. 110 |
| Berkeley and knowledge of other finite spirits | p. 113 |
| Introduction | p. 113 |
| The objects of human knowledge: ideas and spirit | p. 115 |
| Our (probable) knowledge of other finite spirits | p. 123 |
| Conclusion | p. 132 |
| The problem of other minds | p. 137 |
| Thomas Reid and knowledge of other intelligent beings | p. 139 |
| Introduction | p. 139 |
| First principles of common sense | p. 142 |
| Scepticism and the evidence of the senses | p. 146 |
| First principles and other intelligent beings | p. 151 |
| Reid versus Berkeley | p. 157 |
| Conclusion | p. 162 |
| Brief interlude: John Stuart Mill | p. 164 |
| Brief interlude: Carnap and Schlick | p. 171 |
| Wittgenstein and living with others | p. 181 |
| Introduction | p. 181 |
| Early thoughts | p. 184 |
| The mature view | p. 188 |
| The private language argument | p. 201 |
| Conclusion | p. 210 |
| The conceptual problem of other minds | p. 215 |
| The conceptual problem of other minds | p. 217 |
| Introduction | p. 217 |
| The conceptual problem | p. 218 |
| Our conceptual structure | p. 230 |
| Strawson and descriptive metaphysics | p. 233 |
| Davidson and interpretation | p. 239 |
| Strawson and Davidson | p. 246 |
| Another sceptical challenge | p. 248 |
| The conceptual problem: another approach | p. 254 |
| Introduction | p. 254 |
| The (uninteresting) epistemological problem | p. 254 |
| The (interesting) conceptual problem | p. 257 |
| The problem of generality and the problem of unity | p. 265 |
| The relationship between epistemological and conceptual problems | p. 268 |
| Rejecting behaviour | p. 274 |
| A challenge to behaviour | p. 274 |
| A return to behaviour | p. 283 |
| Notes | p. 291 |
| Bibliography | p. 318 |
| Index | p. 327 |
| Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780415241939
ISBN-10: 0415241936
Series: The Problems of Philosophy
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Paperback
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 352
Published: 14th December 2000
Country of Publication: GB
Dimensions (cm): 21.59 x 13.34
x 2.54
Weight (kg): 0.44
Edition Number: 1
Earn 129 Qantas Points
on this Book
