Consciousness and The Mind-Body Problem A Reader

Over the past three decades, the challenge that conscious experience poses to physicalism—the widely held view that the universe is a completely physical system—has provoked a growing debate in philosophy of mind studies and given rise to a great deal of literature on the subject. Ideal for courses in consciousness and the philosophy of mind, Consciousness and The Mind-Body Problem: A Reader presents thirty-three classic and contemporary readings, organized into five sections that cover the major issues in this debate: the challenge for physicalism, physicalist responses, alternative responses, the significance of ignorance, and mental causation. Edited by Torin Alter and Robert J. Howell, the volume features work from such leading figures as Karen Bennett, Ned Block, David J. Chalmers, Frank Jackson, Colin McGinn, David Papineau, and many others. It is enhanced by a thorough general introduction by the editors, which explains "the hard problem of consciousness"—the question of how any physical phenomenon could give rise to conscious experience. The introduction also provides historical and conceptual background and explains how the consciousness/mind-body problem is related to such theories as the identity theory, dualism, and functionalism. In addition, accessible introductions outline the themes and readings contained in each section.

Preface: ; Introduction; I. THE CHALLENGE FOR PHYSICALISM; 1. Saul Kripke, "Naming and Necessity" (excerpt); 2. Thomas Nagel, "What Is It Like to Be a Bat?"; 3. Frank Jackson, "Epiphenomenal Qualia"; and "Postscript"; 4. Brie Gertler, "In Defense of Mind-Body Dualism"; 5. David J. Chalmers, "Consciousness and Its Place in Nature" (revised version); II. PHYSICALIST RESPONSES; A. A priori Physicalism; 6. Terence Horgan, "Jackson on Physical Information and Qualia"; 7. David J. Chalmers, "Phenomenal Concepts and the Knowledge Argument" (excerpt); 8. David K. Lewis, "Postscript to 'Mad Pain and Martian Pain'"; 9. William G. Lycan, "Ten Arguments against Nemirow and Lewis"; 10. Daniel C. Dennett, "What RoboMary Knows"; 11. Torin Alter, "Phenomenal Knowledge without Experience"; B. posteriori Physicalism; 12. Brian Loar, "Phenomenal States" (revised version, excerpt); 13. David Papineau, "Phenomenal and Perceptual Concepts"; 14. David J. Chalmers, "Phenomenal Concepts and the Explanatory Gap" (revised version); 15. Christopher Hill and Brian McLaughlin, "There are Fewer Things in Reality than are Dreamt of in Chalmers' Philosophy"; 16. Robert J. Howell, "The Ontology of Subjective Physicalism"; C. Representationalism; 17. Michael Tye, "Pr'ecis of Ten Problems of Consciousness"; and "Response to Discussants" (excerpt); 18. Ned Block, "Is Experience just Representing?"; 19. Amy Kind, "What's so Transparent about Transparency?"; 20. Frank Jackson, "Mind and Illusion"; 21. Torin Alter, "Does Representationalism Undermine the Knowledge Argument?"; III. ALTERNATIVE RESPONSES; 22. Grover Maxwell, "Rigid Designators and Mind-Brain Identity" (excerpt); 23. Galen Strawson, "Realistic Monism: Why Physicalism Entails Panpsychism"; 24. Philip Goff, "Experiences Don't Sum"; IV. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IGNORANCE; 25. Colin McGinn, "Can We Solve The Mind-Body Problem?"; 26. Daniel Stoljar, "The Mysterian Version of The Epistemic View" (excerpt); and "Pr'ecis of Ignorance and Imagination"; 27. Derk Pereboom, "The Knowledge Argument and Introspective Inaccuracy"; 28. Barbara Montero, "Post-Physicalism"; 29. Robert J. Howell, "Physicalism, Old School"; V. MENTAL CAUSATION; 30. David Papineau, "The Case for Materialism" (excerpt); 31. Jaegwon Kim, "The Rejection of Immaterial Minds: A Causal Argument"; 32. David J. Chalmers, "The Paradox of Phenomenal Judgment" (excerpt); 33. Karen Bennett, "Exclusion Again" (excerpt)

Torin Alter is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Alabama. Robert J. Howell is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Southern Methodist University.