1st Edition

Philosophy of Psychology A Contemporary Introduction

By Jose Luis Bermudez Copyright 2005
392 Pages
by Routledge

392 Pages
by Routledge

392 Pages
by Routledge

José Luis Bermúdez introduces the philosophy of psychology as an interdisciplinary exploration of the nature and mechanisms of cognition. Philosophy of Psychology charts out four influential 'pictures of the mind' and uses them to explore central topics in the philosophical foundations of psychology, including the relation between different levels of studying the mind/brain; the nature and... Read more
Introduction: What is the Philosophy of Psychology?  1. Levels of Psychological Explanation and the Interface Problem  2. The Nature of Commonsense Psychology: The Autonomous Mind and the Functional Mind  3. Causes in the Mind: From the Functional Mind to the Computational Mind  4. Neural Networks and the Neurobiological Mind  5. Rationality, Mental Causation and Commonsense Psychology  6. The Scope of Commonsense Psychology  7. From Perception to Action  8. Propositional Attitudes: Contents and Vehicle  9. Words and Thoughts

Biography

José Luis Bermúdez is Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program at Washington University in St Louis, USA. He is series editor of the International Library of Philosophy (Routledge).

'As an advanced introductory text, this book has much to recommend it to undergraduate and graduate philosophy students: as being clearly and engagingly written and...strking an excellent balance between exegesis and criticism...Essential reading for anyone with at least a little background in philosophy of psychology and wishes to learn more.' - Richard de Blacquiere-Clarkson, Metapsychology On Line

'a great feat...chock full of examples from contemporary research, and beginners are brought to advanced discussion of contemporary thinking about cognition. Beginning philosophers, and serious researchers in philosophy and allied fields will profit from it."

Krista Lawlor, Philosophical Books

'An outstanding introductory text in philosophy of psychology that lends itself readily to use in a variety of courses. It will, in addition, constitute an independent, substantive contribution to philosophy of psychology and philosophy of mind.' - David Rosenthal, City University of New York, USA

'Philosophers of psychology and philosophically minded psychologists are in need of just this kind of introductory book. I would recommend this material both for pedagogy and as a place for scholars to turn to for a refresher.' - Joe Cruz, Williams College, USA