Ernest gellner once observed that when priests lose their faith, they are unfrocked, but when philosophers lose theirs, they redefine their subject. Professor churchland and her husband have written several books arguing for the application of the neurophilosophical approach towards understanding how the brain works. My husband, paul churchland and i work closely together, which is fortunate because at first, most philosophers dismissed our work as not real philosophy. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. By which i mean, that they go from state to state as a result of antecedent conditions. The origins of moral intuition will be available for purchase. She is the author of many books, including neurophilosophy and brain. Churchland is not entirely free of the tendency to attack. She is uc presidents professor of philosophy emerita at the university of california, san diego ucsd, where she has taught since 1984.
Regarding the quality of the arguments offered, there are a couple of places that raise an eyebrow. I call this sort of interfacing neurophilosophy and my 2011 book braintrust links morality with the brain and its evolution. More nonfiction more nonfiction interview with patricia churchland. In touching a nerve, neurophilosopher churchland argues that all things that we have traditionally ascribed to a higher. Churchland, the distinguished founder of neurophilosophy, drew from scientific research on the brain to understand its philosophical and ethical implications for identity, consciousness, free will, and memory. Patricia churchland is a canadianamerican philosopher and author of touching a nerve. Touching a nerve offers a tour of this intersection, and churchland meanders through the brains fleshy folds with a welcoming enthusiasm.
In her brilliant work touching a nerve, patricia s. Patricia churchland, a neurophilosopher at the university of california at san diego, says our hopes, loves and very existence are just elaborate functions of a complicated mass of grey tissue. Patricia churchland has been promoting the central thesis of her latest book that we are our brains for several decades and now she is tired of arguing. For decades, patricia churchland has contributed to the fields of philosophy of neuroscience, philosophy of the mind and neuroethics. If this book has a flaw, it is not in its science, but rather in its approachand one can read it in the title touching a nerve. Churchland is about 25% interesting and 75% tedious. Churchland is available at in several formats for your ereader. Pioneering neurophilosopher patricia churchland talks with steve paulson about her book, touching a nerve. The field of neurophilosophy is the topic of this book by professor patricia s.
That is the nerve professor churchland touches and she does it well. Patricia smith churchland born 16 july 1943 is a canadianamerican analytical philosopher noted for her contributions to neurophilosophy and the philosophy of mind. The book falls somewhere between a trade book and a textbook, with a style well suited for the scientific american reader, as well as the active scientist, who may know something of either computer science or neuroscience but welcomes a crisp narrative that includes the necessary background from each discipline. San diego neurophilosopher and macarthur fellow, presents a tour of cuttingedge brain research that grounds consciousness, personality, thoughts and feelings in neural structures, electrochemical signaling, hormones, and unconscious information processing. Patricia smith churchland is a professor emerita of philosophy at the university of california, san diego, and an adjunct professor at the salk institute. Churchland, a philosopher, probes for the organs moral center, while sally satel and scott o. The origins of moral intuition and touching a nerve.
The book i actually listened to it as an audiobook while jogging and cleaning summarizes. Books and recommendations from scientific american mind. In conscience, she explores how moral systems arise from our physical selves in combination with environmental. We have to rule out souls, spirits, supernatural forces and other unmeasurable concepts as being in charge of the piece of meat.
Norton and company 20, 304 pages two recent books by prominent authors try to mix autobiographical reflec. To such readers, touching a nerve will not be helpful one iota. Conscience patricia churchland 97824000891 netgalley. Touching a nerve by patricia churchland free ebooks download. Her research focuses on the interface between neuroscience and philosophy, realizing that to understand the mind one must understand the brain. Buy this book that the human mind is an entirely material entity has implications both. Patricia churchland is the author of touching a nerve. Churchland is presidents professor of philosophy emerita at the university of california, san diego, and adjunct professor at the salk institute for biological sciences.
Raymond tallis finds patricia churchlands neurophilosophy to be more neuro than philosophy. In braintrust, patricia churchland argues that morality originates in the biology of the brain. In this fascinating work, churchland touching a nerve, a philosophy professor emerita at uc san diego, argues that human conscience is neurobiological in origin, rather than stemming, as co. Churchland s neurophilosophy is more neuro than philosophy. A trailblazing philosophers exploration of the latest brain scienceand its ethical and practical implications. Churchland is avowedly a big fan of the brainshe loves the brain as she never tires of reminding us. She describes the neurobiological platform of bonding that, modified by evolutionary pressures and cultural values, has led to human styles of moral behavior. Patricia churchland is the author of, most recently, conscience. She is not an accomplished wordsmith and her awkward phrasing and piling on of technical, scientific language. Churchland was a 1991 macarthur fellow and currently teaches at the university of. Churchland claims that the brain is responsible for the identity we call the self, not some soul stuff or any other stuff. Churchland, 9780393058321, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Churchland center for the neurobiology of learning and.
Churchland here is a quick description and cover image of book touching a nerve. Or was the eliminativist programme, which patricia churchland shared with her husband and fellow philosopher paul, a failure. Churchland, like dawkins and dennett, often waves the flag a bit too high and too wildly, being a bit too aggressive against unseen and probably nonexistent enemies of her theories. A trailblazing philosophers exploration of the latest brain scien. Churchland also does not write in a lively, downtoearth style. She is professor emerita of philosophy at the university of california, san diego, and the recipient of a macarthur fellowship. Touching a nerve by patricia churchland overdrive rakuten. Jul 09, 2019 touching a nerve by patricia churchland author. A short youtube clip provides introduction to her work and a uctv youtube clip presents discussion of the book touching a nerve. Churchland, 9780393349443, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The book claims we havent explained how that piece of meat does all the things we know it does, but it does all those things. On the interface between neuroscience and philosophy. Patricia smith churchland is a professor emerita of philosophy at the university of california, san diego, an adjunct professor at the salk institute and recipient of a macarthur fellowship for her work in neurophilosophy. Aug 14, 20 touching a nerve offers a tour of this intersection, and churchland meanders through the brains fleshy folds with a welcoming enthusiasm.
Exploring the implications of the self as brain by patricia churchland at indigo. Nov 23, 2015 patricia churchland is a canadianamerican philosopher and author of touching a nerve. Her research has centered on the interface between neuroscience and philosophy with a current focus on the association of morality and the social brain. Touching a nerve repeatedly slides away from the real philosophical problems of consciousness into aspects of neuroscience better expounded elsewhere. The self as brain by patricia churchland will blow your mindor brain, that is. Churchlands new book is a valuable addition to this peculiar genre. Churchland decided to write an account of how she came to believe that.
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