1st Edition

Subjectivity And Reduction An Introduction To The Mindbody Problem

By Barbara Hannan Copyright 1994

    Contemporary philosophy has seen a proliferation of complex theories and intricate arguments brought to bear on the mind-body problem, perhaps the most intractable of perennial philosophical problems. In this concise and accessible text, Barbara Hannan provides an elegant introduction to this contemporary debate. Her emphasis is upon the clear and even-handed presentation and evaluation of the major theories of the mind, but she does not shrink from contributing to the advancement of the argument, including the presentation of an original account, the theory of "content internalism." Along the way to the formulation of this account, Hannan puts into context and discusses the views of all the major contemporary philosophers writing on the mind, including Lewis, Putnam, Searle, Davidson, Dennett, and Fodor. Combining a deep respect for the depth of the issues with clarity of thought and lucidity of expression, Subjectivity and Reduction is the ideal introduction to the central problem of today's philosophy of mind.

    Preface -- The Mind-Body Problem and Substance Dualism -- Reductive Materialist Mind-Body Theories -- Functionalist Mind-Body Theories -- Arguments for Eliminative Materialism -- Arguments Against Eliminative Materialism -- Two Versions of Non-Reductive Materialism -- In Defense of Content Internalism -- The Problem of Mental Causation -- Summary, Loose Ends, Conclusions

    Biography

    Barbara Hannan is assistant professor of philosophy at the University of New Mexico. She has taught previously at the University of Arkansas and the University of Idaho.