Mind and the Machine, The: What It Means to Be Human and Why It Matters - Softcover

Dickerson, Matthew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1587432722 ISBN 13: 9781587432729

Publisher: Brazos Press, 2011

Synopsis

What does it mean to be human? Some naturalists believe that the human mind can be reduced to brain biology, suggesting that we are no more than complex biochemical machines. Computer scientist Matthew Dickerson critiques a physicalist/naturalist view of human persons and defends theistic accounts of human nature. He responds to the widespread assertion that human consciousness is nothing more than "software" that can one day be downloaded into supercomputers. Drawing on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, Dickerson gets at the heart of human nature itself, highlighting a far richer vision of personhood, creativity, and love. This thought-provoking book on a timely topic will appeal to those interested in science and religion, philosophy, and technology; readers of the materialist New Atheists; and anyone who simply cares what it means to be human.

About this title

From the Back Cover

Are We More Than Biochemical Machines?

"An engaging and probing exploration of some of the fundamental questions humans ask about themselves: Is a human being just a machine made out of protein? Are humans completely determined by the physical processes going on in their bodies? Is the belief that humans are spiritual just a vestige of prescientific thinking? Dickerson attacks these questions--and many others--with verve and élan. The book is a model of interdisciplinary inquiry, drawing on a deep understanding of contemporary philosophy, science, and computers."--C. Stephen Evans, Baylor University

"[A] complex, thoughtful book."--Publishers Weekly

"Dickerson deftly evaluates cutting-edge cultural implications of physicalist treatments of human persons. Refreshingly, he presents a specific dualist alternative and underscores the important entailments of that alternative. I am glad to recommend this wonderful book."--J. P. Moreland, Biola University; author, The Recalcitrant Imago Dei

"Dickerson is one of the most gifted, clear-headed contemporary writers working on consciousness today. He has a command of the philosophical literature, a love for well-crafted, compelling arguments, and a matchless grasp of the deep wisdom that can be found in the work of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien. His latest book is both an accessible introduction to central questions about human nature and a sustained, rigorous argument for recognizing the distinctive, overwhelming value of human persons."--Charles Taliaferro, St. Olaf College; author, Consciousness and the Mind of God

"Whether human minds are machines is a central question not only for philosophers and scientists but also for the future of our culture and of the human race itself. This book is clearer, fairer, more helpful, and more reliable than 99 out of 100 others on the subject. Its author knows both halves of his book's title very well."--Peter Kreeft, Boston College

"I highly recommend this engaging critique of how contemporary popular culture and techno-gurus reduce human beings to machine-like creatures supposedly in the name of progress."--Quentin J. Schultze, Calvin College

About the Author

Matthew Dickerson (PhD, Cornell University) is professor of computer science and environmental studies at Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont, and the author of From Homer to Harry Potter; Narnia and the Fields of Arbol; and Ents, Elves, and Eriador. He is an internationally known Tolkien scholar and directs the New England Young Writers' Conference at Bread Loaf.

Edition details

• Publisher: Brazos Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1587432722
• ISBN 13: 9781587432729
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 230