Consciousness and the Mind-Body Problem A Reader

by Alter, Torin; Howell, Robert J.

• ISBN13: 9780199739240
• ISBN10: 0199739242
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-09-30
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

Over the past three decades, the challenge that conscious experience poses to physicalism--the widely held view that the universe is a completely physical system--has provoked a growing debate in philosophy of mind studies and given rise to a great deal of literature on the subject. Ideal for courses in consciousness and the philosophy of mind,Consciousness and The Mind-Body Problem: A Readerpresents thirty-three classic and contemporary readings, organized into five sections that cover the major issues in this debate: the challenge for physicalism, physicalist responses, alternative responses, the significance of ignorance, and mental causation. Edited by Torin Alter and Robert J. Howell, the volume features work from such leading figures as Karen Bennett, Ned Block, David J. Chalmers, Frank Jackson, Colin McGinn, David Papineau, and many others. It is enhanced by a thorough general introduction by the editors, which explains "the hard problem of consciousness"--the question of how any physical phenomenon could give rise to conscious experience. The introduction also provides historical and conceptual background and explains how the consciousness/mind-body problem is related to such theories as the identity theory, dualism, and functionalism. In addition, accessible introductions outline the themes and readings contained in each section.

Author Biography

Torin Alter is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama.

Robert J. Howell is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Southern Methodist University.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
I. THE CHALLENGE FOR PHYSICALISM
1. Saul A. Kripke, Naming and Necessity (excerpt)
2. Thomas Nagel, What Is It Like to Be a Bat?
3. Frank Jackson, Epiphenomenal Qualia
4. Frank Jackson, Postscript
5. Brie Gertler, In Defense of Mind-Body Dualism
6. David J. Chalmers, Consciousness and Its Place in Nature (revised version)
II. PHYSICALIST RESPONSES
A. A priori Physicalism
7. Terence Horgan, Jackson on Physical Information and Qualia
8. David J. Chalmers, Phenomenal Concepts and the Knowledge Argument (excerpt)
9. David K. Lewis, Postscript to "Mad Pain and Martian Pain"
10. William G. Lycan, Ten Arguments Against Nemirow and Lewis
11. Daniel C. Dennett, What RoboMary Knows
12. Torin Alter, Phenomenal Knowledge without Experience
B. A posteriori Physicalism
13. Brian Loar, Phenomenal States (revised version, excerpt)
14. David Papineau, Phenomenal and Perceptual Concepts
15. David J. Chalmers, Phenomenal Concepts and the Explanatory Gap (excerpt)
16. Christopher S. Hill and Brian P. McLaughlin, There Are Fewer Things in Reality Than Are Dreamt of in Chalmers' Philosophy
17. Robert J. Howell, The Ontology of Subjective Physicalism
C. Representationalism
18. Michael Tye, Précis of Ten Problems of Consciousness
19. Ned Block, Is Experience Just Representing?
20. Michael Tye, Response to Discussants (excerpt)
21. Amy Kind, What's So Transparent about Transparency?
22. Frank Jackson, Mind and Illusion
23. Torin Alter, Does Representationalism Undermine the Knowledge Argument?
III. ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES
24. Grover Maxwell, Rigid Designators and Mind-Brain Identity (excerpt)
25. Galen Strawson, Realistic Monism
26. Philip Goff, Experiences Don't Sum
IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IGNORANCE
27. Colin McGinn, Can We Solve The Mind-Body Problem?
28. Daniel Stoljar, The Mysterian Version of The Epistemic View (excerpt)
29. Daniel Stoljar, Précis of Ignorance and Imagination
30. Derk Pereboom, The Knowledge Argument and Introspective Inaccuracy
31. Barbara Montero, Post-Physicalism
32. Robert J. Howell, Physicalism, Old School
V. MENTAL CAUSATION
33. David Papineau, The Case for Materialism (excerpt)
34. Jaegwon Kim, The Rejection of Immaterial Minds
35. David J. Chalmers, The Paradox of Phenomenal Judgment (excerpt)
36. Karen Bennett, Exclusion Again (excerpt)