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Philosophy of Mind
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jerome Shaffer chaired the Philosophy Department at the University of Connecticut for twenty years. He has published numerous essays in philosophy journals, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and other venues, and has written a book,
Reality, Knowledge, and Value for Random House. He is now a practicing psycho-therapist.
EDITORIAL REVIEW
"Professor Shaffer has a gift for exploring and clarifying subjects that bristle with difficulties. In this book, he examines puzzles concerning what is consciousness and what is its place in nature. He examines the theories of mind that have proliferated since Descartes' seminal work on what had become to be
known as the mind-body problem. Shaffer's analytical rigor teases out the metaphysical and epistemological distinctions that are essential to informed discussions of the philosophy of mind. The first edition of this book was a gem, a distinguished introduction to the topic and included important contributions of his own. This second edition brings us up to date. It is a first rate introduction to the field. Professor Shaffer writes with an elegant informality that will please both the university student and the general reader"---Jack David, Professor Emeritus, University of Connecticut.
DESCRIPTION
How can a brain give rise to thoughts, emotions, sensations? How can desires and intentions produce changes in a brain? In this book, Shaffer skillfully leads the reader from one such philosophical puzzle to another, often leaving it to readers to draw conclusions but he sometimes offers his own thoughtful, suggestions. Philosophical people who want a firm foundation for drawing their own conclusions should read this book. Only by pondering the mysterious puzzles hidden in the concept of "mind" can one discover one's own answers to these puzzles.
The work is written in such a way as to be understandable by both philosophy students and others who have a philosophical bent. The different chapters focus on different sets of puzzles so that they can be read independently. This newly available verson is highly updated version of a book popular enough to go through 16 printings. Now, it joins the publishing revolution by debuting as an ebook.
Jerome Shaffer chaired the Philosophy Department at the University of Connecticut for twenty years. He has published numerous essays in philosophy journals, the Encyclopedia Britannica, and other venues, and has written a book,
Reality, Knowledge, and Value for Random House. He is now a practicing psycho-therapist.
EDITORIAL REVIEW
"Professor Shaffer has a gift for exploring and clarifying subjects that bristle with difficulties. In this book, he examines puzzles concerning what is consciousness and what is its place in nature. He examines the theories of mind that have proliferated since Descartes' seminal work on what had become to be
known as the mind-body problem. Shaffer's analytical rigor teases out the metaphysical and epistemological distinctions that are essential to informed discussions of the philosophy of mind. The first edition of this book was a gem, a distinguished introduction to the topic and included important contributions of his own. This second edition brings us up to date. It is a first rate introduction to the field. Professor Shaffer writes with an elegant informality that will please both the university student and the general reader"---Jack David, Professor Emeritus, University of Connecticut.
DESCRIPTION
How can a brain give rise to thoughts, emotions, sensations? How can desires and intentions produce changes in a brain? In this book, Shaffer skillfully leads the reader from one such philosophical puzzle to another, often leaving it to readers to draw conclusions but he sometimes offers his own thoughtful, suggestions. Philosophical people who want a firm foundation for drawing their own conclusions should read this book. Only by pondering the mysterious puzzles hidden in the concept of "mind" can one discover one's own answers to these puzzles.
The work is written in such a way as to be understandable by both philosophy students and others who have a philosophical bent. The different chapters focus on different sets of puzzles so that they can be read independently. This newly available verson is highly updated version of a book popular enough to go through 16 printings. Now, it joins the publishing revolution by debuting as an ebook.
- GenresPhilosophyPsychology
117 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 7, 2016
On free will..."Consider the drug addict who wants a fix and believes that injecting himself with this needle will give him a fix, these reasons causing him to inject the needle. It is certainly true of this man that he would have acted differently if he had not that want and that belief. But this does not mean that he injected the needle of his own free will. In fact, as we all know, he could not help himself; his act was not voluntary. And now, what difference is there between the drug addict, whose actions are caused by his wants and beliefs, and the rest of us?"
True dat...we all addicts, baby...to samsara...
Dense but lots of good examples to illustrate his points...I enjoyed his sense of humour. Obviously very smart guy...unfortunate that he shares the hubris of most 20thC western philosophers, including the apparent belief that western science is a touchstone for understanding everything.
True dat...we all addicts, baby...to samsara...
Dense but lots of good examples to illustrate his points...I enjoyed his sense of humour. Obviously very smart guy...unfortunate that he shares the hubris of most 20thC western philosophers, including the apparent belief that western science is a touchstone for understanding everything.
July 17, 2013
A clear, engaging discussion of the basic issues dealt with by philosophers of mind.
July 1, 2025
Dated in the scope of the field, however, still useful in terms of parsing out bad stances that resemble behaviourism and reductive materialism/physicalism.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews