Wiley-Blackwell Philosophy and the Neurosciences: A Reader

By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the basic concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Review "William Bechtel and his colleagues have set about creating a genuine teaching aid." Journal of Consciousness Studies "The first of its kind, Philosophy and the Neurosciences is sure to find an eager audience in neuroscience and philosophy. Under the encyclopedic and judicious guidance of Bill Bechtel, the editors have assembled a genuinely useful collection, provided insightful introductions to each section, and included a sample of groundbreaking papers from the history of neuroscience." Patricia Smith Churchland, University of California, San Diego <!--end--> "The philosophy of neuroscience finally has a good teaching text. This nicely edited collection is a collage of classic and contemporary papers by neuroscientists and some solid, yet innovative philosophy." Peter Machamer, University of Pittsburgh From the Inside Flap Philosophy and the Neurosciences is the first systematic integration of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science with neuroscience research. As philosophers have come to focus more and more on the relationship between mind and brain, they have had to take greater account of theory and research in the neurosciences. Likewise, as neuroscientists have learned more about cognitive structures and functions, their investigations have expanded and merged with traditional questions from the philosophy of mind. By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the fundamental concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Study questions, figures, and references to further reading are provided in each chapter to enhance the reader's understanding of how philosophy and the neurosciences are related in their exploration of the human mind. From the Back Cover Philosophy and the Neurosciences is the first systematic integration of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science with neuroscience research. As philosophers have come to focus more and more on the relationship between mind and brain, they have had to take greater account of theory and research in the neurosciences. Likewise, as neuroscientists have learned more about cognitive structures and functions, their investigations have expanded and merged with traditional questions from the philosophy of mind. By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the fundamental concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Study questions, figures, and references to further reading are provided in each chapter to enhance the reader's understanding of how philosophy and the neurosciences are related in their exploration of the human mind. About the Author William Bechtel is Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Director of the Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program at Washington University in St. Louis. He is editor of the international journal Philosophical Psychology and his publications include A Companion to Cognitive Science (co-edited, Blackwell, 1998), Connectionism and the Mind (co-authored, second edition, Blackwell, 2002) and Discovering Complexity (1993). Pete Mandik is Assistant Professor and Associate Director fo the Cognitive Science Laboratory at William Patterson University of New Jersey Jennifer Mundale is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Central Florida University. Robert S. Stufflebeam is Assistant P