Mind, matter, & nature : a Thomistic proposal for the philosophy of mind / James D. Madden.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Madden, James D.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philosophy of mind.

Naturalism.

Dualism.

Materialism.

Philosophy of nature.

Physical Description:

xiii, 307 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Other Title:

Mind, matter, and nature

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : The Catholic University of America Press, [2013]

Summary:

Introductory texts on the philosophy of mind tend to presume that we are forced into a dichotomy between some version of materialism and substance dualism. Hylomorphism-the idea that living material substances are not just matter but compounds of matter and soul-is typically treated as a historical curiosity or as inherently obscure. In Mind, Matter, and Nature, James D. Madden offers an alternative: an introduction to contemporary philosophy of mind on its own terms that concludes that the hylomorphic philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas offers the best approach. This book offers a fair-minded and detailed presentation of the most influential contemporary positions along with the arguments for and against them. Written for students, Mind, Matter, and Nature presumes no prior philosophical training on the part of the reader. The book nevertheless holds the arguments discussed to rigorous standards and is conversant with recent literature, thus making it useful as well to more advanced students and professionals interested in a resource on Thomistic hylomorphism in the philosophy of mind. Book jacket.

Contents:

Chapter 1 Naturalism and the Philosophy of Mind 1

What Is Naturalism? 1

Naturalism and the Philosophy of Mind 7

Chapter 2 The Case for Dualism 19

What Is Dualism? 19

The Modal Argument for Substance Dualism 30

The Difference Argument for Dualism: Unity and Simplicity 47

Concluding Remarks about the Case for Dualism 57

Chapter 3 The Case Against Dualism: The Problem of Mind-Body Interaction 58

Intelligibility 60

The Law of the Conservation of Energy 65

The Causal Closure of the Physical 69

Psycho-Physical Dependence, Conscious Animals, and the Unity of Human Persons 81

Chapter 4 Materialism 88

Eliminative Materialism 89

Behaviorism 95

Identity Theory 102

Token Identity Theory and Nonreductive Materialism 114

Functionalism and Artificial Intelligence 122

Chapter 5 Problems for Materialism 132

Qualia Arguments-Bats, Cloistered Neuroscientists, and Zombies 133

Materialist Replies to the Qualia Arguments 138

Arguments from Thought-Beliefs, Intentionality, and the Man in the Chinese Room 147

Materialism and Agency 161

Chapter 6 Emergentism and Naturalism 169

Emergence 171

Problems for Emergence 182

Emergentism and Abstract Thought 203

Emergentism and Agency 210

Chapter 7 Before the Philosophy of Mind-The Philosophy of Nature 217

The Problem of Change 222

Atomism and the Problem of Change 229

The Aristotelian Solution to the Problem of Change 235

Forms, Final Causes, and Scientific Explanation 243

Chapter 8 Aristotelian-Hylomorphic Philosophy of Mind 250

The Souls of Living Substances 251

The Souls of Conscious Substances 255

The Souls of Human Beings 265

But Is This Dualism? 274

A Key Objection and Reply 280

Some Tentative Conclusions 284.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780813221410

0813221412

OCLC:

819717696