This coursebook introduces philosophy of mind as it is practiced in the third decade of the 21st century to a wide range of readers. It provides any interested student, researcher, or general reader—no matter their academic background—with an appreciation of what philosophers of mind do.
The book is particularly well suited for classroom use: each of the 20 chapters contains enough material for one standard week of classes, including an editorial preface, an essay, a response to that essay, discussion questions, and suggestions for further readings. The 42 contributing authors address perennial philosophical puzzles about consciousness, perception, thought, and agency from 21st century perspectives. They also address new philosophical issues that arise from research in psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence. And they do so without assuming any background knowledge of philosophy or the relevant sciences, using clear prose and vivid examples to communicate what experts understand about the mind, what fascinating philosophical puzzles remain, and what solutions to those puzzles are currently under consideration. The book is thus well positioned as a highly readable introduction for undergraduates and general readers, while also getting graduate students and professors quickly up to speed with current debates in philosophy of mind.
Key Features
- Each of the 20 self-contained, multi-authored chapters is designed for one week of college-level instruction and includes a preface, a main essay, a response to that essay, discussion questions, and suggestions for further reading
- Written by an international team of 42 experts with specializations that cover all aspects of philosophy of mind
- A comprehensive glossary clearly defines all important terms, which are bolded the first time they are used in each chapter