Description
This book is a clear and concise history of the soul in western philosophy, from Plato to cutting-edge contemporary work in philosophy of mind.
- Packed with arguments for and against a range of different, historically significant philosophies of the soul
- Addresses the essential issues, including mind-body interaction, the causal closure of the physical world, and the philosophical implications of the brain sciences for the soul's existence
- Includes coverage of theories from key figures, such as Plato, Aquinas, Locke, Hume, and Descartes
- Unique in combining the history of ideas and the development of a powerful case for a non-reductionist, non-materialist account of the soul
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1 The Soul in Greek Thought 6
2 The Soul in Medieval Christian Thought 30
3 The Soul in Continental Thought 65
4 The Soul in Locke, Butler, Reid, Hume, and Kant 105
5 The Problem of Soul–Body Causal Interaction 131
6 The Soul and Contemporary Science 152
7 Contemporary Challenges to the Soul 182
8 Thoughts on the Future of the Soul 202
Bibliography 216
Index 225
