Investigating Phenomenal Consciousness: New Methodologies and Maps (Advances in Consciousness Research) [Paperback]

Max Velmans (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2000 | Series: Advances in Consciousness Research

How can one investigate phenomenal consciousness? As in other areas of science, the investigation of consciousness aims for a more precise knowledge of its phenomena, and the discovery of general truths as well as the description of individual differences. This requires the development of systematic investigative methods, including combinations of first-person, second-person and third-person methods. This book introduces some of the creative ways in which this can be achieved for different investigative purposes, e.g. for understanding the relation of consciousness to brain, for examining or transforming consciousness as such, and for understanding the way individual experience is influenced by social, clinical and therapeutic contexts. To clarify the interplay of methodology and epistemology in this new, interdisciplinary field, the book also suggests a number of "maps" of the consciousness studies terrain that place different approaches to the study of consciousness into a broader context, establishing their domain of applicability and providing some bases for synthesis.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"The study of internal experience has become a growth field in the social and brain sciences. We can finally subject a vast number of intriguing ideas in consciousness studies to careful scientific scrutiny. The banquet of perspectives in this volume will serve as a superlative guide for future inquiries. An excellent read." Jaak Panksepp, Distinguished Research Professor, Dept of Psychology, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA.

"Velmans does an extraordinarily good job of drawing together disparate approaches to the scientific study of consciousness and first-person experience. This volume creates a reasonable framework that allows the reader to judge the relevance and viability of methodologies that range from studies of neuroimaging to the interpretation of first-person reports of clinical patients, from the pure descriptions of continental phenomenology to the transforming strategies of therapeutic procedures, from biology to social construction, and from Eastern meditative practices to intersubjective exploration. The emphasis is clearly placed on a rigorous pluralism--an interdisciplinary triangulation of methods that remains tied to empirical verification." Professor Shaun Gallagher, Department of Philosophy and Cognitive Science, Canisius College, Buffalo, New York, USA.

"There is a growing movement in the science of consciousness to incorporate phenomenological methods and findings directly into cognitive scientific research. INVESTIGATING PHENOMENAL CONSCIOUSNESS provides an excellent overview of the issues at the center of this movement. This important collection will be essential reading for researchers and students alike, and will stimulate discussion for some time to come." Professor Evan Thompson, Department of Philosophy, York University, Ontario. Canada

Product Details

• Paperback: 381 pages
• Publisher: John Benjamins Pub Co (November 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556191936
• ISBN-13: 978-1556191930
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,270,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)