Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain [Hardcover]

Patricia Smith Churchland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 1986 | Series: Bradford Books

Honorable Mention in the category of Psychology in the 1986 Professional/Scholarly Publishing Annual Awards Competition presented by the Association of American Publishers, Inc.

Five chapters in the book's first part, "Some Elementary Neuroscience," sketch the history of the science of nervous systems and provide a general introduction to neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neuropsychology. In the second part, "Recent Developments in the Philosophy of Science," chapters place the mind-body problem within the wider context of the philosophy of science. Drawing on recent research in this area, a general account of intertheoretic reduction is explained, arguments for a reductionist strategy are developed, and traditional objections from dualists and other anti reductionists are answered in novel ways. The third part, "A Neurophilosophical Perspective," concludes the book with a presentation and discussion of some of the most promising theoretical developments currently under exploration in functional neurobiology and in the connectionist models within artificial intelligence research.

Patricia Churchland is Professor of Philosophy, University of California, San Diego. A Bradford Book.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This profound, exhaustive, and well-written scholarly work is an excellent introduction to neuroscience from a philosopher's point of view. It traces the history of neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, and neuropsychology, then treats issues in the philosophy of science, such as the mind/body problem and non-dualistic reductionism. Finally, it reviews and discusses interesting current developments in neurobiology and artificial intelligence. In demonstrating the relevancy of neuroscience to philosophy, Churchland (Philosophy, Univ. of California, San Diego) argues that mental processes are brain processes, that the theoretical construct blending neuroscience and psychology surpasses folk psychology, and that detailed knowledge of the organization and structure of nervous systems is necessary for the evolution of an adequate theory of the mind/brain. Highly recommended. Robert Paustian, Wilkes Coll. Lib., Pa.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Neurophilosophy is exactly the introduction to the neurosciences that philosophers need, and exactly the introduction to philosophy of mind that neuroscientists need, and only someone who knew both fields very well could write it. This is a unique book. It is excellently written, crammed with information, wise, and a pleasure to read."
- Daniel C. Dennett, Tufts University



"The book represents a unique synthesis of neurobiology in a philosophical context, put in truly exquisite language that is easy to read. A definite must for philosophers interested in neuroscience and for neuroscientists interested in the philosophical issues of their fields."
- Rodolfo Llinas, Chairman, Department of Physiology and Biophysics, New York Medical Center



"While many people in cognitive science are beginning to look at relations among pairs of related disciplines, Patricia Churchland's book is the best yet at elucidating the key issues that underly the enterprise."
- Jerome A. Feldman, University of Rochester

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 2nd prt. edition (April 29, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262031167
• ISBN-13: 978-0262031165
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,910,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Out of date now...but motivates modern developments, May 13, 2003

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Dr. Lee D. Carlson (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain (Paperback)

Published over 17 years ago, this book was one of the first examples of the now accelerating trend to make philosophical investigations into the mind/brain problem accountable to modern science. Pure speculation once dominated any discussion of the mind (or the brain) and therefore progress in the field by any measure was non-existent. There are of course still purely philosophical investigations into the mind/body problem, but these will no doubt decay rapidly with time as scientific investigations continue to lay to rest various "impossibility" claims philosophers have made about the physical brain. Indeed, in this century, the rise of machine intelligence will hammer the last nail in the coffin of mind/brain philosophical speculation.

The author of the book is a materialist, and in this book she has given an excellent justification of her position, and expresses at all times fairness to those who disagree with her positions and conclusions. She also expresses a rare intellectual honesty about the scientific evidence supporting her claims, informing the reader at every place in the book where it is not available or weak at best. Without a doubt the author was not happy at the state of philosophy at the time the book was published, holding that it completely omitted neuroscience, and embraced in her words "a novel and sophisticated form of dualism". She explains this was ample reason for her to take the plunge into a more scientific/empirical framework. The book is an excellent example of what can result when a philosopher decides to do this.

The book is divided up into three parts, with the first one emphasizing the biology of nervous systems and neuropsychology, the second part an overview of developments in the philosophy of science, and the third part discussing the ramifications of neurobiology for research in artificial intelligence. Although somewhat out of date due to the advancements in both experimental and theoretical neuroscience since then, it could still be of interest, mainly to philosophers, who are interested in applying their talent for logical thinking and organization to difficult problems in neuroscience. The transition from pure philosophical speculation to the rigors of scientific investigation may at first be difficult for the typical armchair philosopher, but their high degree of intelligence and their restless desire to get at the truth will soften it considerably. And in the decades ahead, one will witness the presence of "industrial philosophers": those who have chosen to leave the "proverbial armchair" and apply their abilities to both understand and give rise to intelligent machines.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent introduction to 'materialism', January 18, 2003

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death metal and black metal "death metal and ... (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain (Paperback)

This book begins with a complete and somewhat dry but useful tour of the history of neuropsychology, complete with major discoveries and the arguments that predated them, showing their conclusions and how it has led to the construction of an in-progress model of human intelligence. This is followed by a summarization of general epistemological arguments from the discipline of philosophy, concluding with a general understanding of how our world functions relative to our own intelligences. In the process, the author argues convincingly for a materialist - or "limited to the physical world only" - understanding of human consciousness and how thoughts are generated, avoiding un-politically-correct conclusions entirely but thoroughly debunking any religious, dualistic or overly idealized conclusions about human individuality. Rough reading at times but an excellent compendium of information.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Epistemology of Consciousness, February 9, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain (Paperback)

Churchland's primary goal is to demonstrate that the problem of mind-brain is reducable through neuroscience. She gives a brief history of the study of the brain, basic neuroanatomy, and talks about recent developments in the philosophy of science. Tremendous job ! Very detailed, hard reading, but extremely worthwhile