Mind and Brain

The first edition of Mind and Brain is now out of print and has been replaced by a new second edition (February 2020). Click here for more information about the new second edition

This lively dialogue provides a clear and compelling overview of the mind-body problem suitable for both introductory students and those who have some background in the philosophy of mind. Topics include immortality; materialism; Descartes’ ‘Divisibility Argument’ for dualism; the ‘Argument from Introspection’; the problems with dualism; the interaction between mind and brain; parallelism; the ‘type/token’ distinction within materialism; recent arguments against materialism and its ability to explain consciousness; the epistemological problem of other minds; the nature of inductive knowledge; and the ‘Inverted Spectrum Argument.’ Also included are a list of study questions designed to enhance classroom discussion and to serve as a resource for the development of paper topics, and an index of key terms.

Reviews:

“Will be an invaluable addition to the resources available to teachers of beginning philosophy courses. It presents the fundamental arguments—historical and contemporary—for both dualism and materialism, as well as the standard objections to each. The presentation is clear and balanced, and should be useful for a wide range of courses.”
     —Mark Owen Webb, Texas Tech University