Synopses & Reviews
J. T. Ismael's monograph is an ambitious contribution to metaphysics and the philosophy of language and mind. She tackles a philosophical question whose origin goes back to Descartes: What am I? The self is not a mere thing among things--but if so, what is it, and what is its relationship to the world? Ismael is an original and creative thinker who tries to understand our problematic concepts about the self and how they are related to our use of language in particular.
Review
"...an exciting read because it is a fresh and vivid challenge to dualist and physicalist views about the mind, language, and the self.... Ismael's book is not just another philosophy book--it is feminist scientific theory in the making about mind and language.... Dynamic, thought provoking, and innovative is the only way to describe J. T. Ismael's The Situated Self. It is a definite must read for those wanting to get their heads into a serious scientific theory driven work in the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of language."--Feminism and Philosophy
"How do human selves find their way into the natural order? The answer, Ismael argues, lies in a delicate (perhaps uniquely human) balancing act between emergent organization and directed, self-model involving control. Steering confidently between the ant colony and the inner theatre, Ismael leads the reader on a compelling journey to the very heart of the mind and self. Philosophically incisive, scientifically astute, endlessly challenging and deeply engaging, this is a must for anyone who cares about who they are, and how they came to be."--Andy Clark, Edinburgh University
"This is a brilliant study of fundamental issues by a leading philosopher of her generation: clear, deep, and illuminating."--John Perry, Stanford University
"The Situated Self is genuinely elegant and philosophically deep. It exhibits a finely-tuned sense for where the hardest and most important problems are, and pares away at the central ideas until they are spare and hardened. It is the work of a powerful and original mind."--Elijah Milgram, University of Utah
Review
"An exciting read because it is a fresh and vivid challenge to dualist and physicalist views about the mind, language, and the self.... Ismael's book is not just another philosophy book--it is feminist scientific theory in the making about mind and language.... Dynamic, thought provoking, and innovative is the only way to describe J. T. Ismael's The Situated Self. It is a definite must read for those wanting to get their heads into a serious scientific theory driven work in the philosophy of mind and the philosophy of language."--Feminism and Philosophy
About the Author
J. T. Ismael is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Arizona, and Senior Researcher at the Centre for Time at the University of Sydney. Dr. Ismael has taught at Stanford University, held fellowships from the Mellon Foundation and the National Humanities Center in North Carolina, and holds a Queen Elizabeth II research grant from the ARC.
Table of Contents
Introduction
I: The Situated Mind
2. Traditional Representationalism
3. Confinement
4. The Dynamical Approach
5. Self-Description
6. Context and Coordination
7. Self-Representation, Objectivity, and Intentionality
II: Understanding Arguments for Dualism
8. Jackson's Mary
9. Inverted Spectra
10. Grammatical Illusions
III: Selves
11. Identity Over Time: The Pure Lockean View
12. The Unified Self
13. Reprise
Notes/References/Index