Brain-wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy

Patricia Smith Churchland

MIT Press, 2002 - Medical - 471 pages

Progress in the neurosciences is profoundly changing our conception of ourselves. Contrary to time-honored intuition, the mind turns out to be a complex of brain functions. And contrary to the wishful thinking of some philosophers, there is no stemming the revolutionary impact that brain research will have on our understanding of how the mind works.

Brain-Wise is the sequel to Patricia Smith Churchland's Neurophilosophy, the book that launched a subfield. In a clear, conversational manner, this book examines old questions about the nature of the mind within the new framework of the brain sciences. What, it asks, is the neurobiological basis of consciousness, the self, and free choice? How does the brain learn about the external world and about its own introspective world? What can neurophilosophy tell us about the basis and significance of religious and moral experiences?

Drawing on results from research at the neuronal, neurochemical, system, and whole-brain levels, the book gives an up-to-date perspective on the state of neurophilosophy--what we know, what we do not know, and where things may go from here.

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LibraryThing Review

User Review  - G.Whilliquor - LibraryThing

So far I love this book... it combines so many of my favorite things...

Contents

• An Introduction to Metaphysics: 37
• Self and SelfKnowledge: 59
• Consciousness: 127
• Free Will: 201
• Epistemology: 239
• An Introduction to Epistemology: 241
• How Do Brains Represent?: 273
• How Do Brains Learn?: 321
• Religion: 371
• Religion and the Brain: 373
• Notes: 403
• References: 421
• Index: 451

Popular passages

Page 8 - I felt as if I were thrown again into the open sea. For I could not find any way of explaining how the body makes anything happen in the soul, or vice versa, or how one substance can communicate with another created substance. Descartes had given up the game at this point, as far as we can determine from his writings.

Page 438 - Marshall BJ, Warren JR. Unidentified curved bacilli in the stomach of patients with gastritis and peptic ulceration.

Page 8 - I admit it would be easier for me to concede matter and extension to the soul, than the capacity of moving a body and of being moved, to an immaterial being.

About the author

Patricia Smith Churchland is UC President's Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego, and Adjunct Professor at the Salk Institute.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Brain-wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy; Bradford Books; Brain-wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy, Patricia Smith Churchland
• Author: Patricia Smith Churchland
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: MIT Press, 2002
• ISBN: 026253200X, 9780262532006
• Length: 471 pages
• Subjects: Medical / Neurology; Medical / Neuroscience; Psychology / Neuropsychology; Science / Life Sciences / Biology; Science / Philosophy & Social Aspects