Philosophy of Mind Commons^™

Extended Minds: The Externalization And Expansion Of Human Minds Beyond The Body, Dmitri Wolfe

Penn Journal of Philosophy, Politics & Economics

Despite the commonly accepted notion that the mind is inseparable from the body, the extended mind hypothesis claims human minds can become linked with the world around us. Through various avenues such as spoken and written language, humans may use non-biological means to allow the mind to store, access, and communicate information in extended capacities not otherwise possible. Though the extended minds hypothesis may be viewed as a result of advancing technology, it makes up only a small part of the way in which externalization may occur. Everyday life is full of examples of extended minds, from computers and phones ...

Vindicating Evans: A Defence Of Evans' Theory Of Singular Thought, Dylan A. Hurry

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A singular thought can intuitively be understood as a thought that is directly about a particular thing, e.g., a non-conceptual thought about B.B. King, Mont Blanc, or your most beloved pet. The consensus within the singular thought literature has been that Gareth Evans (1982) develops a theory of singular thought throughout his posthumously published work The Varieties of Reference. However, Evans never claims to be developing a theory of singular thought, nor does the locution ‘singular thought’ appear more than a handful of times throughout the work. The singular thought literature lacks any substantial exegetical engagement with the ...

Russell Sbriglia And Slavoj Žižek, Editors. Subject Lessons: Hegel, Lacan, And The Future Of Materialism. Northwestern Up, 2020., Vanessa Loh

Studies in 20th & 21st Century Literature

Review of Russell Sbriglia and Slavoj Žižek, editors. Subject Lessons: Hegel, Lacan, and the Future of Materialism. Northwestern UP, 2020. 270 pp.

The Meaning Of “Phenomenology”: Qualitative And Philosophical Phenomenological Research Methods, Heath Williams

The Qualitative Report

I show some problems with recent discussions within qualitative research that centre around the “authenticity” of phenomenological research methods. I argue that attempts to restrict the scope of the term “phenomenology” via reference to the phenomenological philosophy of Husserl are misguided, because the meaning of the term “phenomenology” is only broadly restricted by etymology. My argument has two prongs: first, via a discussion of Husserl, I show that the canonical phenomenological tradition gives rise to many traits of contemporary qualitative phenomenological theory that are purportedly insufficiently genuine (such as characterisations of phenomenology as “what-its-likeness” and presuppositionless description). Second, I argue ...

The Illusion Of Self Revisited: Replies To Critics, Karsten J. Struhl

Comparative Philosophy

Anand Vaidya, Sean Smith, and Mark Siderits have presented thoughtful comments and provocative challenges to my article “What Kind of an Illusion is the Illusion of Self?” Their challenges raise significant questions about the nature of illusion, whether Buddhism is denying the self in all senses of the term, whether there could be a self that exists for some limited duration of time and has at least some measure of control, whether there is a phenomenal illusion of self, whether the neuropsychological assumptions embedded in Thomas Metzinger’s Phenomenal Self Model is consistent with Buddhist metaphysics, the usefulness of evolutionary ...

Is The Self Really That Kind Of Illusion?, Anand J. Vaidya

Comparative Philosophy

Karsten Struhl has offered an intriguing account of what kind of illusion the self is. His account is based on Buddhist philosophy, neuropsychology, and neuroscience. This critical notice examines his arguments, and aims to question whether or not the self is the kind of illusion Struhl argues it to be.

Buddhist Modernism, Scientific Explanation, And The Self, Sean Smith

Comparative Philosophy

No abstract provided.

Born Believer?, Mark Siderits

Comparative Philosophy

No abstract provided.

Afro-Brazilian Cosmology As Praxis For Student Affairs, Catarina E. Campbell

The Vermont Connection

In this article, one will find a friendly introduction to several orixás, the archetypal forces of nature in Yoruban and Afro-Brazilian cosmology, in order to explore the applicability of their teachings within the realm of student affairs. With each orixá comes a teaching story, series of reflection questions, and a tangible pedagogical practice. When employed with reverence to their origin and context, these tools can catalyze self-development, sense of purpose, and breadth of perspective for both for our students and ourselves.

Letting The Body Lead, Amanda Boggs

Masters Theses

Letting the Body Lead is an exhibition and workshop series that focuses on embodiment in social context and invites attendees to engage with the work, both as viewers and active participants. Embodiment in social context refers to the understanding of lived experiences in the body. Within my creative practice, I explore the body's creativity, knowledge, and agency while bridging and brining together the fields of fine arts, movement-based and socially just art making. I believe in the transformative potential of how movement and contemplative practices can support a more liberated way of being both within an individual and, by ...

السعادة في مساعدة الغير, Ruba Chaarani

Al Jinan الجنان

إن هذه الدراسة لم تكن لتبحث في دلالات السعادة كلها، فهي شاملة والغوص فيها يتطلب مناقشة مواضيع واسعة، حار فيها كبار الفلاسفة والعلماء، فاقتصرت فقط على تناول مؤشر أرشد إليه الله عزّ وجلّ وفقه سرّه كبار الرجال عبر التاريخ، هو فن المساعدة وخدمة الغير.

هدف البحث إلى إلقاء الضوء على فنون السعادة ولاسيّما فن مساعدة الغير بأبعاده المتمثلة في العطاء، المساعدة والعفو.

وقد استخدم المنهج التحليلي حيث تمّ التنقيب عن دلالات السعادة والوقوف عند أشهرها في مجال مساعدة الغير وتحليل المعطيات وبناء هيكلية عملية تضمن سعادة المساعد لغيره.

وخلص البحث إلى نتائج عدة أولاها:

تحددت أوجه السعادة في ...

Existence In The Absence Of Personal Identity, Linda N. Ready

The Macksey Journal

This paper analyzes the philosophical concept of personal identity. I detail a metaphysics that explains what we are and who we are by virtue of being human. I argue that, by looking at the persistence question from the perspective of science and human intuition, there is no one thing that remains the same throughout a human life i.e. there is no such thing as personal identity (as it is traditionally defined). We should instead view our lives as a collection of selves or ‘temporal parts of animals’ as put by David Lewis. I offer an account of the self ...

Two Unusual Mind Diagrams In A Late Fifteenth-Century Manuscript (Upenn Schoenberg Collection, Ljs 429), Mary J. Carruthers

Manuscript Studies

University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Lawrence J. Schoenberg Collection, MS LJS 429, is a small booklet containing materials of natural philosophy, chiefly related to the effects of cosmic forces on human biology. Two of its diagrams illustrate the mentalizing process of the Aristotelian-Thomist psychology anima sensitiva, or the process through which sensory experience is formed as a mental perception. This essay points out the ways in which these diagrams differ from a standard (Thomist) medieval model of Mind. During the very late Middle Ages, the analysis of Mind as anima sensitiva and mens appears to shift from being action-based (analysed in ...

What Prevents Us From Achieving Freedom?: A Freudian And Nietzschean View Of Freedom, Dipin Subedi

The Macksey Journal

Freedom, an ubiquitous word in Western Civilization, can be interpreted as the entitlement of a citizen to speak, act, or think without repression from certain authorities. It is true that as a member of a democratic country, a citizen is free to participate in political deliberations that pertain to their right to debate and vote. This definition, however, applies to citizens of a state, not the individuals who are a part of the broader civilization. As soon as a citizen transforms into an individual residing in society, they are still haunted by the fetters that strip their freedom away from ...

What Is Man, That You Are Mindful Of Him? The Harmony Of Substance Dualism And Mbti, Reilly Larose

Philosophy: Student Scholarship

The substance dualist philosophy of mind and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator share many philosophical commitments which harmonize together. I make the argument in this work that when taken together, both theories aid each other in making their claims meaningful. With such a union, both theories have new directions to explore for mutual gain and open themselves up to consistency of thought in the face of critique.

Ethical Implications Of The Legal Definition Of Brain Death In Light Of Modern Technological Advancements, Jordyn E. Fullaway

The Macksey Journal

Modern medical advancements in resuscitation and life support shifted the idea of death from a cardio-respiratory view to that of a neurocentric view. As a result, the definition of brain death (BD) emerged, which is the irreversible loss of brain function in both the brainstem and cerebral cortex. Consequentially, guidelines for determining BD were defined under law, and it is now legal to remove a patient from life support if they are diagnosed as brain dead. According to policy, one is considered brain dead if they have no brainstem reflexes, a lack of cerebral blood flow, and an absence of ...

The Distinction Problem Of Self-Deception, Chi Yin Chan

Lingnan Theses and Dissertations

The essential task of the investigation of self-deception is nothing more than establishing the boundary of it, herein known as the distinction problem of self-deception. Such a boundary is necessary for distinguishing the phenomenon of self-deception from other similar phenomena, especially wishful thinking, and sheds light on the future research of other theoretical questions posed by the phenomenon. Although philosophers have reached a vague consensus on certain necessary elements involved in the phenomenon of self-deception, there is no general agreement on their details, leading to a lack of canonical literature regarding the question of what makes self-deception a unique phenomenon ...

The Dialectic Of Naturgeist In Hegel’S Anthropology: Soul, World, And Bodiliness, Jiho Oh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The primary concern of the “Anthropology” section in Hegel’s Encyclopedia of 1830 is the relationship between soul and body: how the soul gains an immediate, bodily existence through embodiment, why and how this immediate mode of the soul’s bodily existence is precarious, and how the soul becomes second nature by overcoming the immediate, bodily existence through habit, more precisely. Importantly, the “Anthropology” is the place in Hegel’s Encyclopedia system where the Philosophy of Nature ends, and the Philosophy of Spirit begins. The thematization of the soul-body relationship in the “Anthropology” is thus essentially framed by a broader ...

Leadership After Covid-19 [Spoiler: There Is Something Beyond Recovery And Resilience For Individuals And Organizations], Thomas Payne

Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Capstone Projects

Throughout history, humans have found ways to recycle energy in ways that benefit them and would otherwise be wasted. Examples of this processing include learning to use fire for warmth, light, and cooking or identifying how to redirect the wind to navigate a ship in a preferred direction as opposed to a undetermined random route. Today, leaders can learn how to harvest uncertainty and randomness into tasks that utilize their strengths, as well as those on the team, to fuel optimal business outcomes and well-being for their employees. The author provides two workshop outlines. The first will help leaders correct ...

Consider The Agent In The Arthropod, Nicolas Delon, Peter Cook, Gordon Bauer, Heidi Harley

Animal Sentience

Whether or not arthropods are sentient, they can have moral standing. Appeals to sentience are not necessary and retard progress in human treatment of other species, including invertebrates. Other increasingly well-documented aspects of invertebrate minds are pertinent to their welfare. Even if arthropods are not sentient, they can be agents whose goals—and therefore interests—can be frustrated. This kind of agency is sufficient for moral status and requires that we consider their welfare.