The paradox of cause and other essays

Sample

Fred Dretske

Naturalizing the Mind skillfully develops a representational theory of the qualitative, the phenomenal, the what-it-is-like aspects of the mind that have defied traditional forms of naturalism. Central to Dretske's approach is the claim that the phenomenal aspects of perceptual experiences are one and the same as external, real-world properties that experience represents objects as having. Combined with an evolutionary account of sensory representation, the result is a completely naturalistic account of phenomenal consciousness. Dretske's theory of naturalistic representationalism is perhaps the only approach to the study of consciousness that can satisfactorily pin down the slippery first-person aspect of our sensory and affective life. It distinguishes, in wholly naturalistic terms, between what we experience (reality) and how we experience it (appearance). The theory establishes a framework within which subjectivity can be studied objectively, explains the peculiar authority we enjoy about our own mental states, and provides a biologically plausible answer to questions about the function or purpose of consciousness.

Sample

Joseph Raz

"Ranging over central issues in morals and politics, this book discusses the nature of freedom and authority. Raz examines the role of value-neutrality, rights, equality, and the prevention of harm in the liberal tradition, and relates these concepts to fundamental moral questions such as the relation of values to social forms, the comparability of values, and the significance of personal commitments. The author's own views centre on the value of personal autonomy in modern societies. He considers the political implications of autonomy, which presupposes value-pluralism, and delineates the scope and limits of a perfectionist doctrine of toleration"--Unedited summary from book cover.

Sample

Peter Nickl, Georgios Terizakis (Hg

Verlagsinfo: Die Seele - die tiefen Verstrickungen dieses Begriffs in metaphysische Traditionen haben ihn für lange Zeit in den Archiven der Philosophie verschwinden lassen und dem Vergessen übergeben. Wie können Philosophen heute aber über die Seele sprechen? Der Band stellt renommierte Autoren und Denker vor diese Herausforderung. Hinderk Emrich, Julian Nida-Rümelin, Robert Spaemann, Franco Volpi und andere zeigen, dass Philosophie heute lebendiges Denken zwischen Metapher und Wirklichkeit sein kann, das selbst vor der Seele keine Angst zu haben braucht

Sample

David Baggett and William A. Drumin

The shower scene in Psycho; Cary Grant running for his life through a cornfield; innocent birds lined up on a fence waiting, watching these seminal cinematic moments are as real to moviegoers as their own lives. But what makes them so? What deeper forces are at work in Hitchcock s films that so captivate his fans? This collection of articles examines those forces with fresh eyes. These essays demonstrate a fascinating range of topics: Sabotage s lessons about the morality of terrorism and counter-terrorism; Rope s debatable Nietzschean underpinnings; Strangers on a Train s definition of morality. Some of the essays look at more overarching questions, such as why Hitchcock relies so heavily on the Freudian unconscious. In all, the book features 18 philosophers paying a special homage to the legendary auteur in a way that s accessible even to casual fans.