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Philosophy of Mind: Brains, Consciousness, and Thinking Machines

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Philosophy of Mind: Brains, Consciousness, and Thinking Machines

By: Patrick Grim, The Great Courses
Narrated by: Patrick Grim
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About this listen

The quest to understand the mind has motivated some of history's most profound thinkers. But only in our own time are we beginning to see the true complexity of this quest, as today's philosophers draw on the latest evidence from neuroscience, psychology, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and other fields to probe deeply into the inner workings of the mind.

These 24 stimulating lectures from an award-winning teacher and honored scholar present a clear, systematic, and compelling introduction to the philosophy of mind, exploring all of the major theories, including: Dualism, which holds that body and mind are separate substances; Behaviorism and Functionalism, which stress behavior and interactions with the world as clues to the mind's inner workings;. Idealism, the view that the physical world is an illusion and that only the mental realm exists; and the "antitheories" of mind, which posit that subjective mental experiences are fundamentally inexplicable and will always remain a mystery.

Examining the most intriguing questions and influential theories in what can often be a complex and often controversial intellectual terrain, Professor Grim sorts out the different approaches to give you the pros and cons of each.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2008 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2008 The Great Courses
Philosophy Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
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At 1.5 speed listen I felt I learned a lot from this broad ranging journey through many different but connected disciplines. I’ve read a lot & completed 20+ courses and this is in top 5 for overall value.

Packs a lot of topics and good information into a well told journey

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in depth and comprehensive, yet understandable to layperson. thought provoking and enjoyable. worth a read

great book

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Clearly and engagingly explained, with lots of relatable examples which nonetheless point to deep questions

Fascinating and accessible

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Professor Grim does an incredible job of unpacking and presenting the beautiful and complex concepts of philosophy of mind. Each new chapter builds on the previous, leading one toward a sound grasp of the field up to the time of the recording. Listening in December 2023, the science of AI has leapt forward, some progress in neuroscience has since been made, and a touch more can be said on consciousness too, but overall, the field remains much the same, and certainly the history hasn't changed. Those comments aside, this series has much to offer anyone wanting a crash course in philosophy of mind. Excellent and worthwhile.

The Dream Expounded

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.