Mind that Abides: Panpsychism in the new millenniumDavid Skrbina Panpsychism is the view that all things, living and nonliving, possess some mind like quality. It stands in sharp contrast to the traditional notion of mind as the property of humans and (perhaps) a few select higher animals . Though surprising at first glance, panpsychism has a long and noble history in both Western and Eastern thought. Overlooked by analytical, materialist philosophy for most of the 20th century, it is now experiencing a renaissance of sorts in several areas of inquiry. A number of recent books including Skrbina s Panpsychism in the West (2005) and Strawson et al s Consciousness and its Place in Nature (2006) have established panpsychism as respectable and viable. Mind That Abides builds on these works. It takes panpsychism to be a plausible theory of mind and then moves forward to work out the philosophical, psychological and ethical implications. With 17 contributors from a variety of fields, this book promises to mark a wholesale change in our philosophical outlook. (Series A) |
Contents
1 | |
31 | |
Realistic monism | 33 |
Halting the descent into panpsychism | 67 |
Mind under matter | 83 |
The conscious connection | 109 |
Can the panpsychist get around the combination problem? | 129 |
Universal correlates of consciousness | 137 |
Finite eventism | 231 |
Metaphysics and mind | 251 |
Zeroperson and the psyche | 253 |
All things think | 283 |
Something there? | 301 |
Panpsychic presuppositions of Samkhya metaphysics | 315 |
The awareness of rock | 325 |
Why has the West failed to embrace panpsychism? | 341 |
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Common terms and phrases
absolutely animals atoms body brain causal Chalmers claim cognition complex concept concrete conscious experience consciousness cosmos David Skrbina define definition difficulty direct realism distinct dualism dynamics electron emergence energy entities existence experiential reality fact Fechner feel field find first function fundamental hex cycle human idea infinite influence interaction interpretation intrinsic nature kind laws Leibniz matter means mental metaphysical mind mind-like mode molecules monads monism neurons neutral monism non-experiential notion objects one’s ontological panexperientialism panpsychism panpsychist particles Penrose perception philosophers physical reality physical world physicalist Planck scale possible Prakrti principle problem properties Purusa qualia qualities quantum quantum superpositions question reason reflected relations rocks Samkhya Samkhyakarika scientific sensations sense sensory sesmets Skrbina soul space spacetime specific Strawson strong emergence structure subjects of experience sufficient superposition supervenience theory things thought tubulins ultimates understand universe what-it-is-likeness Whitehead whole wholly