Brave New Mind: A Thoughtful Inquiry into the Nature and Meaning of Mental LifeHow was the standard model of the mind developed? Is it adequate? And is there a place in this model for the creative genius of artists, scientists, and mathematicians? This book looks at how scientists investigate the nature of the mind and the brain, providing answers to these important questions. It opens with a description of the historical roots of cognitive science and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of the standard model of the mind, including its inability to account for the many dramatic features of human achievement. The final chapter develops the notion that human creativity and the unfolding of human consciousness demand two things: that we acknowledge the central role that ideals play in human knowledge and conduct and that such ideals have no role in the standard model. Brave New Mind proposes a new image of humankind that accommodates the place of ideals and creativity in cognition and life, without abandoning the scientific ideals of empirical soundness and theoretical rigor. |
Contents
| 3 | |
2 The Psychological Underpinnings of Cognitive Science | 16 |
3 Other Paths in Cognitive Science | 32 |
4 The Science of Mind | 58 |
5 Brain and Mind a ManyLayered Enigma | 82 |
6 New Perspectives on Representation and Reality | 107 |
7 Mathematics and the Mind | 126 |
8 Explanation in Cognitive Science | 152 |
9 The Sacred River | 175 |
Notes | 201 |
| 219 | |
| 233 | |
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accepted activity algorithmic analysis answer argued argument attempt axioms basic behavior Bertrand Russell biological brain brain processes called certainly chapter claim cognitive psychology cognitive science cognitive scientists concept consciousness creativity cultural Dennett Descartes discovery discussion distinction Dodwell Eccles empirical epistemology example experimental explanation fact field folk psychology function geometry Gestalt Gibson human ideals ideas important insight investigation knowledge language linguistic logical machine machine vision mathematical proof mathematicians mathematics matter means memory mental mentation metaphysical mind modern nature neural neurons neuroscience odd numbers organization particular Penrose perception Peters principle phenomena philosophers physical physiological Piaget Popper prediction principle problem properties psychophysics question reason relation relevant representation role scientific sense sensory simple simulation sort stance standard model straight line strong AI substrate theoretical theory things thinking thought tion tradition true understanding visual visual perception words