Animal consciousness / Daisie Radner and Michael Radner.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Radner, Daisie.

Contributor:

Radner, Michael.

Clarence J. Marshall Memorial Library Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Consciousness in animals.

Physical Description:

253 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Amherst [Mass.] : Prometheus Books, [1996]

Summary:

Any intelligent debate on the ethical treatment of animals hinges on understanding their mental processes. The idea that consciousness in animals is beyond comprehension is usually traced to the 17th-century philosopher Rene Descartes whose concept of animals as beast machines lacking consciousness influenced arguments for more than 200 years. But in reviewing Descartes' theory of mind, Daisie and Michael Radner demonstrate in Animal Consciousness that he did not hold the view so frequently attributed to him. In fact, they contend that Descartes distinguished two types of consciousness, which make it easier to discuss the conscious experiences of animals and to trace the debate into the post-Darwinian era.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-243) and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Clarence J. Marshall Memorial Library Fund.

ISBN:

1573921149

OCLC:

35042588