The minds of the Moderns : rationalism, empiricism and philosophy of mind / Janice Thomas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Thomas, Janice.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Philosophy of mind.

Philosophy, Modern--17th century.

Philosophy, Modern.

Philosophy, Modern--18th century.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (ix, 293 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Stocksfield : Acumen, 2009.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Taking Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Locke, Berkeley, and Hume in turn, Janice Thomas presents an authoritative and critical assessment of each of these canonical thinkers’ views of the notion of mind. The book examines each philosopher’s position on five key topics: the metaphysical character of minds and mental states; the nature and scope of introspection and self-knowledge; the nature of consciousness; the problem of mental causation and the nature of representation and intentionality. The exposition and examination of their positions is informed by present-day debates in the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of psychology so that readers get a clear sense of the importance of these philosophers’ ideas, many of which continue to define our current notions of the mental. Again and again, philosophers return to the great early modern rationalist and empiricist philosophers for instruction and inspiration. Their views on the philosophy of mind are no exception and as Thomas shows they have much to offer contemporary debates.

Contents:

Cover; Half Title; Title Page; Copyright Page; Table of Contents; Acknowledgements; Abbreviations; Introduction; I Descartes; 1. Does Descartes think minds are substances?; 2. Descartes on self-knowledge; 3. Human consciousness and the rational soul; 4. Mental causation; 5. Mental representation; II Spinoza; 6. Is the mind a substance for Spinoza?; 7. Spinoza and self-knowledge; 8. The subject of thought and consciousness; 9. Spinoza and mental causation; 10. Spinoza on representation; III Leibniz; 11. Is the mind a substance for Leibniz?; 12. Self-knowledge and the monads

13. Leibniz on consciousness and unconscious perceptions14. Leibniz and the problem of mental causation; 15. Leibniz and representation; IV Locke; 16. Is the mind a substance for Locke?; 17. Locke's views on self-knowledge; 18. Locke on consciousness; 19. Locke on mental causation; 20. Locke on representation; V Berkeley; 21. Minds are the only substances; 22. What do we know about our own minds or selves?; 23. What is the nature of consciousness for Berkeley?; 24. Berkeley's problem of mental causation; 25. What is Berkeley's theory of mental representation and intentionality?; VI Hume

26. Is the mind a substance for Hume?27. Hume and self-knowledge; 28. Hume's notion of consciousness; 29. Hume on mental causation; 30. Hume on representation; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on metadata supplied by the publisher and other sources.

ISBN:

1-317-49240-4

1-317-49241-2

1-315-71159-1

1-283-45677-X

9786613456779

1-84465-441-9

9781315711591

OCLC:

898028321