1st Edition

Plant Minds A Philosophical Defense

By Chauncey Maher Copyright 2017
144 Pages 44 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

144 Pages 44 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

144 Pages 44 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

The idea that plants have minds can sound improbable, but some widely respected contemporary scientists and philosophers find it plausible. It turns out to be rather tricky to vindicate the presumption that plants do not have minds, for doing so requires getting clear about what plants can do and what exactly a mind is. By connecting the most compelling empirical work on plant behavior with... Read more

1. Do Plants Have Minds?

2. Perceiving

3. Feeling

4. Remembering

5. Acting

6. Mind in Life

Biography

Chauncey Maher is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Dickinson College, USA. He is the author of The Pittsburgh School of Philosophy (Routledge, 2012).

"Maher is an admirably clear and engaging writer ...the chapters are just the right length, the text is beautifully illustrated, and the overviews of plant physiology and biochemistry are fascinating. In short: Plant Minds is a lovely and accessible text for the uninitiated."Bob Fischer in Metapsychology

"Chauncey Maher's book provides a compact primer on the growing scientific appreciation for the range and sophistication of plant behavior … His enthusiasm for the marvels of plant physiology and the complexity of their responses to environmental stimuli is conveyed in a conversational tone."Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews