The Mind Matters
Consciousness and Choice in a Quantum World
Published on 4. February 1993
Book
Paperback/Softback
496 pages
978-0-19-824068-6 (ISBN)
Description
In this book David Hodgson presents a clear and compelling case against today's orthodox mechanistic view of the brain and mind, and in favour of the view that `the mind matters'. Although written from a philosophical viewpoint, the book has important implications for the sciences concerned with the brain and mind problem. At the same time, it is largely non-technical, and thus accessible to the non-specialist reader.
Reviews / Votes
Mainstream professional philosophers of mind should perhaps feel humbled by the fact that while they have been satisfied for the most part with hanging on the coattails of currently fashionable theories in cognitive science and artificial intelligence, it has largely been left to those outside the profession, like David Hodgson, to pursue the most profound metaphysical questions concerning the relations between mind and matter - questions which cannot even be begun to be addressed adequately without an understanding, such as Hodgson has taken so many pains to acquire, of the most successful theory of matter that humanity has ever devised. * E. J. Lowe, Philosophical Books * an excellent contribution to the literature. It is well written, authoritative, and wonderfully wide-ranging. ... This account of quantum theory ... will surely be of great value. ... On the front cover of the paper edition of this book Paul Davies is quoted as saying that this is "a truly splendid and provocative book". In writing this review I have allowed myself to be provoked, but I am happy to close by giving my endorsement to this verdict in its entirety! * Euan Squires, Journal of Consciousness Studies * an astonishing achievement ... This is an ambitious, plain-spoken, and unevasive presentation of an anti-reductionist position based in, and drawing from, contemporary science. It is good to have it. * Keith Campbell, Australasian Journal of Philosophy * a welcome new perspective on the subject ... Hodgson's book is the best I have seen for giving a clear and balanced account of the mind-body problem, the alternative current theories of mind, and the basic ideas of quantum mechanics. * Paul Davies, The Australian and New Zealand Physicist * I regard The Mind Matters as a landmark. * David Tompsett, Network * a worthwhile contribution to an important debate. It is well written, his philosophy sound, and the description of quantum physics one of the best ever offered for the non-specialist. * Danah Zohar, Independent on Sunday * In this large-scale and ambitious work Hodgson attacks a modern orthodoxy. Both its proponents and its opponents will find it compelling reading. * J. R. Lucas, Merton College, Oxford *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Oxford University Press
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
line figures
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 26 mm
Weight
716 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-824068-6 (9780198240686)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
David Hodgson is a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. His previous publication with Oxford University Press is Consequences of Utilitarianism (1967).
Content
Introduction; Part I. Preliminaries: General approach and assumptions; Mental events; The consensus; Part II. Against Mechanism: More and different information; Plausible reasoning; Consciousness selected by evolution; Folk psychology; Transcending the code; Part III. Quantum Mechanics: Historical outline; Some mechanics and mathematics; The quantum mechanical state; The development of the quantum state; Combined systems; The measurement problem; Quantum theory and reality; Part IV. Mind and the world: Outline of a theory of mind; The self; Time; Sketches for a world-view; References; Author index; Subject index.