Descartes' Dualism

ISBN-13: 9780415301046 / Angielski / Miękka / 2002 / 250 str.

J. J. Gadrey; Gordon P. Baker;Baker Gordon

Opis

Was Descartes a Cartesian dualist? In this controversial study, Gordon Baker and Katherine J.Morris argue that, despite a textbook consensus within philosophy, Descartes was not a dualist nor is he guilty of the many philosophical crimes 20th century philosophers have foisted upon him. Contemporary philosophy has made Descartes into everyone's anti-hero, whose vices range from being unscientific through licensing cruelty to animals to a commitment to a Private Language. Baker and Morris argue that such a role has been manufactured largely to fulfil twentieth century intellectual needs. The authors present a radical revision of the legend which has emerged about Descartes' doctrine and the ways in which Descartes' work has been interpreted. Descartes emerges with both his historical importance ensured and his philosophical importance regained. The authors' views have already caused heated debate in academic journals; Descartes' Dualism adds even greater depth and scholarship to those views.

Spis treści

Preface. Acknowledgements. Abreviations and shortened titles. 1 Visions - the programme, the strategy. 2. Cartesian Dualism - The Two wrold View, Consciousness and Clockwork, Catesian Introspection and Cartesian Observation, Cartesian Interaction. 3. A Shadow of a doubt - the two worlds view, Consciousness and Clockwork, Cartesian Introspection and Cartesian Observation, Cartesian Interaction. 4. Descartes' Dualism, The two-substances view, rational souls and sentient machines, self-knowledge, God and 'Our Nature as Union of Mind and Body', summary. 5. Revisions Descartes' Dualilsm: Neglected Aspects, Assesments of Descartes' Dualism, Metaphysics and concept formation, Conceptual Changes, Swapping New for Old, Division of Labour, Philosophical Imagination. Bibliography. Index of citations from Descartes. Name Index . Subject Index.

O autorze

Baker, Gordon; Morris, Katherine