Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience - 2nd Edition by M R Bennett & P M S Hacker (Paperback)

About the Book

"Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience was written at the beginning of the century. It has been widely read and often cited, and has provoked extensive debate that, we hope, has been fruitful. Our publishers, Wiley-Blackwell, suggested that we write a second edition to bring the book up to date in the light of the discoveries, new theories and novel conjectures that have emerged in the field of cognitive neuroscience over the last two decades. They offered us the possibility of extending the book by an extra hundred pages in order to do so. After careful deliberation we decided to accede to the request. This introduction to the new edition is directed primarily at readers of the first edition who wish to know why we thought fit to write a second edition, and would like to attain an overview of what we have added or modified. Four reasons moved us: First, new technical developments in neuroscience, such as fMRI were often highly problematic and new discoveries concerning blindsight and commisurotomy challenged previously received understanding. This called out for systematic clarification. Moreover, new cognitive neuroscientific doctrines were developed by Tononi and Dehaene and their research groups and demanded conceptual elucidation and evaluation"--

Book Synopsis

The second edition of the seminal work in the field--revised, updated, and extended

In Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience, M.R. Bennett and P.M.S. Hacker outline and address the conceptual confusions encountered in various neuroscientific and psychological theories. The result of a collaboration between an esteemed philosopher and a distinguished neuroscientist, this remarkable volume presents an interdisciplinary critique of many of the neuroscientific and psychological foundations of modern cognitive neuroscience. The authors point out conceptual entanglements in a broad range of major neuroscientific and psychological theories--including those of such neuroscientists as Blakemore, Crick, Damasio, Dehaene, Edelman, Gazzaniga, Kandel, Kosslyn, LeDoux, Libet, Penrose, Posner, Raichle and Tononi, as well as psychologists such as Baar, Frith, Glynn, Gregory, William James, Weiskrantz, and biologists such as Dawkins, Humphreys, and Young. Confusions arising from the work of philosophers such as Dennett, Chalmers, Churchland, Nagel and Searle are subjected to detailed criticism. These criticisms are complemented by constructive analyses of the major cognitive, cogitative, emotional and volitional attributes that lie at the heart of cognitive neuroscientific research.

Now in its second edition, this groundbreaking work has been exhaustively revised and updated to address current issues and critiques. New discussions offer insight into functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the notions of information and representation, conflict monitoring and the executive, minimal states of consciousness, integrated information theory and global workspace theory. The authors also reply to criticisms of the fundamental arguments posed in the first edition, defending their conclusions regarding mereological fallacy, the necessity of distinguishing between empirical and conceptual questions, the mind-body problem, and more. Essential as both a comprehensive reference work and as an up-to-date critical review of cognitive neuroscience, this landmark volume:

• Provides a scientifically and philosophically informed survey of the conceptual problems in a wide variety of neuroscientific theories
• Offers a clear and accessible presentation of the subject, minimizing the use of complex philosophical and scientific jargon
• Discusses how the ways the brain relates to the mind affect the intelligibility of neuroscientific research
• Includes fresh insights on mind-body and mind-brain relations, and on the relation between the notion of person and human being
• Features more than 100 new pages and a wealth of additional diagrams, charts, and tables

Continuing to challenge and educate readers like no other book on the subject, the second edition of Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience is required reading not only for neuroscientists, psychologists, and philosophers, but also for academics, researchers, and students involved in the study of the mind and consciousness.

From the Back Cover

In the time since its initial publication nearly two decades ago, this provocative work has been widely hailed as a singular achievement in scholarship--challenging many of the scientific and philosophical concepts underlying the practice of cognitive neuroscience. Distinguished neuroscientist M.R. Bennett and celebrated philosopher P.M.S. Hacker provide a truly interdisciplinary survey of the conceptual confusion encountered in the neuroscientific and psychological theories of Blakemore, Crick, Edelman, Gazzaniga, LeDoux, Damasio, Kandel, Dehaene, Tononi, Baars and others.

Extensively revised and expanded by 70,000 words, the second edition of this volume incorporates new discussions of the conceptual problems of fMRI and its interpretation, of Integrated Information Theory of Tononi, and of Global Workspace Theory of Dehaene, of conflict monitoring and the Executive, as well as a new chapter on concepts, thinking and speaking. In addition, Bennett and Hacker have inserted dozens of diagrams, tables, and figures into the text to provide overviews of arguments, classifications and comparisons. Detailed responses to criticisms of the first edition are advanced.

Simultaneously a well-informed critique and a conceptual handbook for students and researchers, Philosophical Foundations of Neuroscience, Second Edition remains an indispensable resource for everyone looking to understand, and avoid, the conceptual confusions inherent in cognitive neuroscience.

About the Author

M. R. Bennett AO is Emeritus Professor of Neuroscience and University Chair at the University of Sydney, Founding Director of the Brain and Mind Research Institute, and Chair of the Mind and Neuroscience-Thompson Institute. He is the author and co-author of numerous books, including The Idea of Consciousness, History of the Synapse, History of Cognitive Neuroscience, and Stress, Trauma and Synaptic Plasticity. He is past President of the International Society for Autonomic Neuroscience and of the Australian Neuro-science Society.

P.M.S. Hacker is Emeritus Research Fellow at St John's College, Oxford, and holds an Honorary Professorship at University College, London at the Institute of Neurology. He is author and co-author of numerous books and articles on philosophy of mind and philosophy of language, and is the leading authority on the philosophy of Wittgenstein. His works include Human Nature: The Categorial Framework, The Intellectual Powers, The Passions, The Moral Powers, and the landmark seven-volume Analytic Commentary on Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations.