Consciousness and Human Identity - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0198503237 ISBN 13: 9780198503231

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1998

Synopsis

An examination of whether or not the nature of consciousness and human identify can be explained using scientific methodology and neurobiological technology. Until recently, the vast complexity of the brain has kept researchers from tackling the thorny topic of consciousness. But now, new imaging techniques are revealing many of the brain's mysteries to neuroscientists, while researchers in the field of artificial intelligence believe they soon might replicate consciousness with silicon and circuitry. Meanwhile, philosophers take issue with this scientific methodology, questioning whether a reductionist approach can really solve the holistic relationship between mind and brain.

These approaches are debated in Consciousness and Human Identity by leading figures from such diverse fields as psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, cognitive science, theology, and artificial intelligence. Each contributor brings the insights of their field of study to the debate.

Contributors include John Searle, Margaret Boden, Steven Rose, and Olaf Sporns. John Cornwell, the editor, is the former features editor of the Observer, a frequent contributor to the Sunday Times, and currently runs The Science and Human Dimension Project at Jesus College. The project's aims is to stimulate debate between science and the arts and humanities.

About this title

Review

John Cornwell is to be congratulated on the editing of this collection, which forms an effective introduction to consciousness studies. The papers have been rewritten sinse the conference at which they were presented to form a more coherent whole, and make frequent reference to one another.
Cornwell's introduction is excellent, and includes a summary of the history of consciousness studies s Nature

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0198503237
• ISBN 13: 9780198503231
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 248
• Editor: Cornwell John