Rationality + consciousness = free will / David Hodgson.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hodgson, David (David H.), author.

Series:

Philosophy of mind series.

Philosophy of mind series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Free will and determinism.

Responsibility.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (x, 267 pages) : illustrations.

Other Title:

Rationality plus consciousness equals free will

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, [2011]

Language Note:

English

Summary:

In recent years, philosophical discussions of free will have focused largely on whether or not free will is compatible with determinism. In this challenging book, David Hodgson takes a fresh approach to the question of free will, contending that close consideration of human rationality and human consciousness shows that together they give us free will, in a robust and indeterministic sense. In particular, they give us the capacity to respond appositely to feature-rich gestalts of conscious experiences, in ways that are not wholly determined by laws of nature or computational rules. The author

Contents:

Cover; Contents; Preface; Introduction; The problem of free will and responsibility; Compatibilism; Haldane's argument; How I will proceed; 1. Foundational Beliefs; Can I be certain that I exist?; The need for language; Experiences and the external world; Foundational beliefs; 2. Truth and Rationality; Truth; Relativity of truth?; Rationality; Fallacies and biases; Stich's argument; A legal example; Core assertions about truth and rationality; 3. Plausible Reasoning; Formal and informal reasoning; Induction; Bayes' Theorem; Illustration of Bayes' Theorem; Levels of cognitive processes

Core assertions about plausible reasoning; 4. Consciousness and Decision-Making; Dual aspects; Characteristic features of conscious experiences; Subjectivity; Qualia and unity; Neural correlates of consciousness; The efficacy of conscious experiences; Three questions; Rule-determined processes do not need consciousness; Core assertions about consciousness and decision-making; 5. Gestalts and Rules; The argument outlined; Laws and rules; The Game of Life and computation; Tricks of consciousness; Some further thoughts; Core assertions about gestalts and rules; 6. How Gestalts Promote Rationality

Evolutionary origins; Aesthetic judgments; Plausible reasoning; Conclusion; Core assertions about how gestalts promote rationality; 7. Science and Determinism; A lawful universe; Quantum mechanics; The free will theorem; Explanation of the theorem; Implications; Time and the block universe; Core assertions about science and determinism; 8. Neuroscience and Conscious Choice; Science and the brain; A general picture; The Cartesian theatre; The scale and nature of quantum effects; Libet, Gazzaniga and Wegner; Core assertions about neuroscience and conscious choice; 9. Indeterministic Free Will

Will and responsibility; Comparison with Kane; Agent-causation; Compatibilism; Assessment of compatibilism; Does luck swallow everything?; More about luck; Core assertions about indeterministic free will; 10. Value Judgments; A different philosophical approach; Natural imperatives; Absolute imperatives; Prima facie imperatives; No reasonable irreconcilable differences; Why be moral?; Good, evil and beauty; Community practices and laws; Legal systems; Capacity for reasonable value judgments; Core assertions about value judgments; 11. Responsibility and Retribution; Responses to wrong conduct

Overview; Australian criminal law; Retribution as a restriction on State compulsion; Why retribution should be maintained; Philosophical bases for retribution; The future of retribution; Core assertions about responsibility and retribution; 12. The Big Picture; The scientific account; An experienced universe; Constraint, empowerment and guidance; Religious belief: a subject for rational enquiry; A value-embedded universe; Where do we come from?; Where are we going?; Can more specfic beliefs be supported?; Potential for evil and good; Core assertions about the big picture

Appendix A: Why Bayes' Theorem Works

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-19-020860-0

1-283-42761-3

9786613427618

0-19-984531-X

OCLC:

773936312