Rocco J. Gennaro - Böcker

This volume, which grew out of a 1995 NEH seminar on the Rationalists, presents nineteen previously unpublished papers on the work of Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz. These three philosophers are the most important representatives of the 17th and 18th century movement known as rationalism, which can be characterized by the idea that knowledge can be acquired a priori, without sensory experience, from pure thought or reason. Particularly in epistemology and metaphysics, their work has remained at the centre of philosophical interest. The volume is thematically organized into three Parts: Matter and Substance, Freedom and Necessity, and Mind and Consciousness.

This collection presents some of the most vital and original recent writings on Descartes, Spinoza, and Leibniz, the three greatest rationalists of the early modern period. Their work offered brilliant and distinct integrations of science, morals, metaphysics, and religion, which today remain at the center of philosophical discussion. The essays written especially for this volume explore how these three philosophical systems treated matter, substance, human freedom, natural necessity, knowledge, mind, and consciousness. The contributors include some of the most prominent writers in the field, including Jonathan Bennett, Michael Della Rocca, Jan A. Cover, Catherine Wilson, Stephen Voss, Edwin Curley, Don Garrett, and Margaret D. Wilson.

There has been an explosion of work on consciousness in the last 30–40 years from philosophers, psychologists, and neurologists. Thus, there is a need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive volume in the field that brings together contributions from a wide range of experts on fundamental and cutting-edge topics. The Routledge Handbook of Consciousness fills this need and makes each chapter’s importance understandable to students and researchers from a variety of backgrounds. Designed to complement and better explain primary sources, this volume is a valuable "first-stop" publication for undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in any course on "Consciousness," "Philosophy of Mind," or "Philosophy of Psychology," as well as a valuable handbook for researchers in these fields who want a useful reference to have close at hand. The 34 chapters, all published here for the first time, are divided into three parts: Part I covers the "History and Background Metaphysics" of consciousness, such as dualism, materialism, free will, and personal identity, and includes a chapter on Indian philosophy. Part II is on specific "Contemporary Theories of Consciousness," with chapters on representational, information integration, global workspace, attention-based, and quantum theories. Part III is entitled "Major Topics in Consciousness Research," with chapters on psychopathologies, dreaming, meditation, time, action, emotion, multisensory experience, animal and robot consciousness, and the unity of consciousness. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction and concludes with a list of "Related Topics," as well as a list of "References," making the volume indispensable for the newcomer and experienced researcher alike.

Ethics is concerned with the way human beings ought to behave. This book, written in the form of a dialogue, is an introduction to several ethical theories and to four major contemporary moral issues: euthanasia, abortion, animal rights, and capital punishment. It aims to develop some views and arguments that have already emerged in the literature of ethics.

Dialogues on Minds, Machines, and AI invites readers into a series of thought-provoking debates among three college seniors bound for graduate school: Sue, completing her double major in philosophy and cognitive science; John, a computer engineering specialist; and Amy, a psychology major. Through five engaging lunchtime conversations, these students bring their diverse perspectives to fundamental questions about consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the nature of mind.The dialogues seamlessly blend discussions of popular science fiction films with critical examinations of recent AI developments, including ChatGPT, deep fakes, and other emerging technologies. Readers will explore foundational concepts at the intersection of human consciousness and machine learning: Alan Turing's influential "imitation game," John Searle's provocative "Chinese room argument," computational theories of mind, robot creativity, and the modularity of mind hypothesis. Rather than advocating for any particular viewpoint, these conversations illuminate the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of each perspective.Perfect for undergraduate students and curious minds from all backgrounds, this accessible introduction to cognitive science requires no prior knowledge of philosophy or technical subjects. The book includes a comprehensive glossary and thoughtful study questions to enhance understanding, while a carefully curated bibliography enables readers to explore specific topics in greater depth.

Dialogues on Minds, Machines, and AI invites readers into a series of thought-provoking debates among three college seniors bound for graduate school: Sue, completing her double major in philosophy and cognitive science; John, a computer engineering specialist; and Amy, a psychology major. Through five engaging lunchtime conversations, these students bring their diverse perspectives to fundamental questions about consciousness, artificial intelligence, and the nature of mind.The dialogues seamlessly blend discussions of popular science fiction films with critical examinations of recent AI developments, including ChatGPT, deep fakes, and other emerging technologies. Readers will explore foundational concepts at the intersection of human consciousness and machine learning: Alan Turing's influential "imitation game," John Searle's provocative "Chinese room argument," computational theories of mind, robot creativity, and the modularity of mind hypothesis. Rather than advocating for any particular viewpoint, these conversations illuminate the strengths, weaknesses, and implications of each perspective.Perfect for undergraduate students and curious minds from all backgrounds, this accessible introduction to cognitive science requires no prior knowledge of philosophy or technical subjects. The book includes a comprehensive glossary and thoughtful study questions to enhance understanding, while a carefully curated bibliography enables readers to explore specific topics in greater depth.

There has been an explosion of work on consciousness in the last 30–40 years from philosophers, psychologists, and neurologists. Thus, there is a need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive volume in the field that brings together contributions from a wide range of experts on fundamental and cutting-edge topics. The Routledge Handbook of Consciousness fills this need and makes each chapter’s importance understandable to students and researchers from a variety of backgrounds. Designed to complement and better explain primary sources, this volume is a valuable "first-stop" publication for undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in any course on "Consciousness," "Philosophy of Mind," or "Philosophy of Psychology," as well as a valuable handbook for researchers in these fields who want a useful reference to have close at hand. The 34 chapters, all published here for the first time, are divided into three parts: Part I covers the "History and Background Metaphysics" of consciousness, such as dualism, materialism, free will, and personal identity, and includes a chapter on Indian philosophy. Part II is on specific "Contemporary Theories of Consciousness," with chapters on representational, information integration, global workspace, attention-based, and quantum theories. Part III is entitled "Major Topics in Consciousness Research," with chapters on psychopathologies, dreaming, meditation, time, action, emotion, multisensory experience, animal and robot consciousness, and the unity of consciousness. Each chapter begins with a brief introduction and concludes with a list of "Related Topics," as well as a list of "References," making the volume indispensable for the newcomer and experienced researcher alike.

The Who were one of the most memorable and influential of the 1960s British Invasion bands—memorable because of their loudness and because they destroyed instruments during performances, and influential because of their success in crafting “Power Pop” singles like “My Generation” and “I Can See for Miles,” long-playing albums Live at Leeds and Who’s Next, and the “rock operas” Tommy and Quadrophenia. The themes that principal songwriter Pete Townshend imparted into The Who’s music drew upon the group’s mostly working-class London upbringings and early Mod audiences: frustration, angst, irony, and a youthful inclination to lash out. Like some of his rock and roll contemporaries, Townshend was also affected by religious ideas coming from India and the existential dread he felt about the possibility of nuclear war. During a career that spanned three decades, The Who gave their fans and rock critics a lot to think about. The remarkable depth and breadth of The Who’s music and their story as one of the most exciting and provocative rock bands over the last half-century are the subjects of the philosophical explorations in this collection.

Since its publication in 1996, many thousands of students have first encountered key issues in the philosophy of mind in the pages of Rocco J. Gennaro's introductory work, Mind and Brain: A Dialogue on the Mind-Body Problem. In this new edition, Gennaro updates and expands the work to reflect current topics and discussions.The dialogue provides a clear and compelling overview of the mind-body problem suitable for both introductory students and those who have some background in the philosophy of mind. Topics include: ImmortalityMaterialism Descartes’ “Divisibility Argument” for substance dualismThe “Argument from Introspection” for substance dualismThe main objections to dualismThe interaction between mind and brainThe relation between brain damage and the prospect of an afterlifeParallelism and epiphenomenalismThe type/token distinction within materialism and the problem of multiple realizability Arguments against materialism and its ability to explain consciousnessProperty dualism and panpsychismThe epistemological problem of other mindsThe nature of inductive knowledgeEvidence for animal consciousnessThe problem of machine or robot mindsThe inverted spectrum argumentAlso included are a brief Introduction, a list of Study Questions designed to enhance classroom discussion and serve as a resource for the development of paper topics, a Glossary, and an Index of Key Terms.