Deconstructing the Mind [Paperback]

During the past two decades, debates over the viability of commonsense psychology have occupied center stage in both cognitive science and the philosophy of mind. A group of prominent philosophers known as eliminativists argue that advances in cognitive science and neuroscience will ultimately justify a rejection of our folk theory of mind because it gives a radically mistaken account of mental life. InDeconstructing the Mind, distinguished philosopher Stephen Stich, once a leading advocate of eliminativism, offers a bold and compelling reassessment of this view. The book opens with a groundbreaking multi-part essay in which Stich maintains that even if the sciences develop in the ways that eliminativists foresee, none of the arguments for ontological elimination are tenable. Succeeding essays explore folk psychology in more detail, develop a systematic critique of simulation theory, and counter widespread concern about naturalizing psychological properties.

1. Deconstructing the Mind
2. Connectionism, Eliminativism, and the Future of Folk Psychology,with William Ramsey and Joseph Garon
3. WhatIsFold Psychology?,with Ian Ravenscroft
4. How Do Minds Understand Minds? Mental Simulation versus Tacit Theory,with Shaun Nichols
5. Intentionality and Naturalism,with Stephen Laurence
6. Naturalism, Positivism, and Pluralism
References
Index

Stich's argument, presented in the first chapter, will surely become a classic essay in the study of mind....Surely ought not to be missed. --Choice

Deconstructing the Mindpromises to be one of the most fascinating and interesting books in the philosophy of mind in recent years. --John R. Searle,University of California-Berkeley

This book is a delight. Written with Stich's inimitable style and verve, it throws a great deal of light on burning issues about the mind. --Michael Devitt,University of Mlƒ*