Cartesian Psychology and Physical Minds
Cartesian Psychology and Physical Minds
$50.00
USDThis book offers a sustained critique of individualism in psychology, a view that has been the subject of debate between philosophers such as Jerry Fodor and Tyler Burge for many years. The author approaches individualism as an issue in the philosophy of science and by discussing issues such as computationalism and the mind's modularity he opens the subject up for non-philosophers in psychology and computer science. Professor Wilson carefully examines the most influential arguments for individualism and identifies the main metaphysical assumptions underlying them. Since the topic is so central to the philosophy of mind, a discipline generating enormous research and debate, the book has implications for a very broad range of philosophical issues including the naturalisation of intentionality, psychophysical supervenience, the nature of mental causation, and the viability of folk psychology.
- Important contribution to the 'hottest' area of philosophy; the philosophy of mind
- Although attacking philosophers, and written by a philosopher, its approach will appeal to psychologists and computer scientists
Reviews & endorsements
"The book offers an extensive critique of individualism in psychology...The author...opens the subject up for non-philosophers in psychology and computer science. He carefully examines the most influential arguments for individualism and identifies the main metaphysical assumptions underlying them...the book has implications for a very broad range of philosophical issues..." International Journal of Psychology
"The present work is a powerful addition to the debate concerning individualism. It value lies in its clear presentation and much-needed critical summary of recent developments in individualism." Choice
"Robert Wilson's intelligent and careful book is a smart step in the direction of anti-individualist wide psychology and a good help to clarify the terms of the debate." Augustin Vicente, Philosophy in Review
"This book offers an extensive critique of individualism in psychology....[Wilson] opens the subject up for non-philosophers in psychology and computer science. He carefully examines the most influential arguments for individualism and identifies the main metaphysical assumptions underlying them....the book has implications for a very broad philosophical range." International Journal of Psychology
Product details
August 1997Paperback
9780521597340
288 pages
216 × 139 × 21 mm
0.34kg
2 b/w illus.
Available
Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1. Introduction: what is individualism in psychology?
- Part I. On Arguments for Individualism:
- 2. An a priori argument: the argument from causal powers
- 3. An Empirical Argument: The Computational Argument
- 4. Methodological arguments
- Part II. Psychological Explanation and Mental Causation:
- 5. Rethinking the Role of Causal Powers in Taxonomy and Explanation
- 6. Making sense of mental causation
- 7. The Place of Folk Psychology: Computationalism, Individualism and Narrow Content
- Part III. The Case Against Individualism:
- 8. The Causal Depth and Theoretical appropriateness of wide psychology
- 9. Individualistic visions of psychology: prospects and problems
- 10. Conclusion: Cartesian psychology and the science of the mind
- References
- Index.
