Holism in Philosophy of Mind and Philosophy of Physics

ISBN-13: 9789048157112 / Angielski / Miękka / 2010 / 370 str.

M. Esfeld

Opis

The topic of this book is a comparison between holism in the philosophy and language and social holism on the one hand and holism about space-time and quantum systems on the other hand. The main claim is that holism in the humanities and holism in fundamental physics come under the same substantial, general conception of holism. That is to say: arguments to the effect that the holism of the mental is unscientific or that the mental is separated from the physical owing to holism are not sound. The holism of the mental fits into a world-view that bases itself on scientific realism. The addressees of this book are all those who care about our view of the world and ourselves in the spirit of an argumentative examination of different positions. No familiarity with physics is presupposed.

Spis treści

Acknowledgements. Introduction. 1. What is Holism? Proposal for a General Conception. 2. Arguments for Holism About Beliefs. 3. From Social Holism to Holism about Beliefs. 4. Holism as Revision of the Cartesian Tradition. 5. Holism and the Relation Between Mind and World. 6. Cartesianism in Physics and Holism about Space or Space-Time. 7. The Basis for Holism in Quantum Physics. 8. The Meaning of Quantum Holism. 9. The Extension of Quantum Holism and the Philosophy of Mind. 10. The Mutual Enrichment of Quantum Holism and Holism in Philosophy of Mind. References. Index of Names. Index of Subjects.