Suzanne Cunningham
Suzanne Cunningham has produced a wonderful primer on all the major
foundational questions being discussed in contemporary philosophy
of mind, cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience. The
mind-brain relation, the self, knowledge of other minds, the nature
of consciousness, the emotions, and the prospects for artificial
intelligence, receive complete, even-handed treatment from this
experienced teacher's pen. Cunningham provides wonderful questions,
exercises, research topics and bibliographical resources. I suspect
many of her probing questions will engage professors as much as
they will students. They did me. --Owen Flanagan, James B. Duke
Professor of Philosophy, Duke University
A terrific introduction to Philosophy of Mind that moves gracefully
from mainstream topics to others that are gaining attention in the
field, yet are rarely broached in introductory texts: e.g., one
chapter apiece devoted to emotions, evolution and animal
(especially early hominid) minds, and theories of self. The book
does a good job of integrating the empirical with the
philosophical. . . . It is perhaps the most accessible introduction
to the Philosophy of Mind currently available, an ideal book for
people with little or no background in Philosophy. Terms that are
unfamiliar or used in unfamiliar ways are clearly explained in
boxed text. Theories such as functionalism are set in not just
their philosophical contexts but also their broad intellectual and
cultural milieus. I recommend the book enthusiastically. --Robert
Gordon, University of Missouri-St. Louis
The book has several virtues. Overall, the writing is clear, the
discussions are accurate, and the material does not presuppose any
background philosophical knowledge. I was pleased and surprised to
see a chapter on the emotions. For some reason that I do not
understand, a discussion of the emotions does not play a
significant role in introductory books in philosophy of mind.
--Abraham Witonsky ,in Minds and Machines: The Journal for
Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy, and Cognitive Science
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