Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Part 1. Philosophical Theories of Consciousness: David Chalmers.- Paul and Patricia Churchland.- Tim Crane.- Donald Davidson.- Daniel Dennett.- Ren Descartes.- Jerry Fodor.- Jaegwon Kim.- William Lycan.- Collin McGinn.- Thomas Nagel.- Alva No .- Hilary Putnam.- David Rosenthal.- John Searle.- Part 2. Scientific Theories of Consciousness: Bernard Baars.- Francis Crick and Christof Koch.- Antonio Damasio.- Stanislas Dehaene.- Merlin Donald.- John Eccles and Karl Popper.- Gerald Edelman.- Nicholas Humphrey.- Julian Jaynes.- Benjamin Libet.- John Kevin O'Regan.- Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff.- Giulio Tononi.- Max Velmans.- Semir Zeki.
Synopsis
This book reviews some of the most important scientific and philosophical theories concerning the nature of mind and consciousness. Current theories on the mind-body problem and the neural correlates of consciousness are presented through a series of biographical sketches of the most influential thinkers across the fields of philosophy of mind, psychology and neuroscience. The book is divided into two parts: the first is dedicated to philosophers of mind and the second, to neuroscientists/experimental psychologists. Each part comprises twenty short chapters, with each chapter being dedicated to one author. A brief introduction is given on his or her life and most important works and influences. The most influential theory/ies developed by each author are then carefully explained and examined with the aim of scrutinizing the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches to the nature of consciousness.