Panpsychism and the religious attitude / D.S. Clarke.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Clarke, D. S. (David S.), 1936-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Panpsychism.

Philosophy.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (212 p.)

Place of Publication:

Albany : State University of New York Press, 2003.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Human beings have thoughts, sensations, and feelings and think that at least some of this mental life is shared with domestic and wild animals. But, are there reduced degrees of mentality found in mosquitoes, bacteria, and even more primitive natural bodies? Panpsychists think so and have defended this belief throughout the history of philosophy, beginning with the ancient Greeks and continuing into the present. In this bold, challenging book, D. S. Clarke outlines reasons for accepting panpsychism and defends the doctrine against its critics. He proposes it as an alternative to the mechanistic materialism and humanism that dominate present-day philosophy.

Contents:

Intro

Panpsychism and the Religious Attitude

Contents

Preface

1. Introduction

What is Panpsychism?

Analogical Inferences

Epistemological Questions

2. Versions of Panpsychism

Greek Origins

Leibniz's Monadology

The Panpsychism of Whitehead's Process and Reality

Hartshorne's Reformulation

Nagel on Mentality in Wholes and Parts

The Analogical Reasoning of Fechner and Chalmers

3. Humanist and Mechanist Alternatives

Humanism and Naturalism

Behavioral and Functionalist Descriptions of Language Use

Some Criticisms of Functionalism

Self-Consciousness and Freedom

Intentionality

4. Mental Ascriptions

Ascribing Sensations

Social Aspects of Attitude Ascriptions

Mentality and Spontaneity in the Infrahuman

5. Mentality and Evolution

Mechanism and the Origination Argument

Does the Panpsychist Thesis Extend to Fundamental Particles?

Resultant and Emergent Properties

The Role of Spontaneity in Evolution

6. The Theistic Alternative

Universe-Wide Mentality

Locke's Argument for God's Existence

Swinburne's Argument from Consciousness

7. The Religious Attitude

The Religious Attitude and Theology

Linguistic Fideism

Practical Inferences and Moral Overrides

The Positive Drift for Panpsychism

Notes

Frontispiece

Chapter 1. Introduction

Chapter 2. Versions of Panpsychism

Chapter 3. Humanist and Mechanist Alternatives

Chapter 4. Mental Ascriptions

Chapter 5. Mentality and Evolution

Chapter 6. The Theistic Alternative

Chapter 7. The Religious Attitude

References

Index

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

Z.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 189-194) and index.

ISBN:

9780791487044

0791487040

9781417506712

1417506717

OCLC:

61367682