Title
Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & its Challenge to Western Thought,Used
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What are human beings like? How is knowledge possible? What is truth? Where do moral values come from? Questions like these have stood at the center of Western philosophy for centuries. In addressing them, philosophers have made certain fundamental assumptionsthat we can know our own minds by introspection, that most of our thinking about the world is literal, and that reason is disembodied and universalthat are now called into question by wellestablished results of cognitive science. It has been shown empirically that: Most thought is unconscious. We have no direct conscious access to the mechanisms of thought and language. Our ideas go by too quickly and at too deep a level for us to observe them in any simple way. Abstract concepts are mostly metaphorical. Much of the subject matter of philosophy, such as the nature of time, morality, causation, the mind, and the self, relies heavily on basic metaphors derived from bodily experience. What is literal in our reasoning about such concepts is minimal and conceptually impoverished. All the richness comes from metaphor. For instance, we have two mutually incompatible metaphors for time, both of which represent it as movement through space: in one it is a flow past us and in the other a spatial dimension we move along. Mind is embodied. Thought requires a bodynot in the trivial sense that you need a physical brain to think with, but in the profound sense that the very structure of our thoughts comes from the nature of the body. Nearly all of our unconscious metaphors are based on common bodily experiences. Most of the central themes of the Western philosophical tradition are called into question by these findings. The Cartesian person, with a mind wholly separate from the body, does not exist. The Kantian person, capable of moral action according to the dictates of a universal reason, does not exist. The phenomenological person, capable of knowing his or her mind entirely through introspection alone, does not exist. The utilitarian person, the Chomskian person, the poststructuralist person, the computational person, and the person defined by analytic philosophy all do not exist. Then what does? Lakoff and Johnson show that a philosophy responsible to the science of mind offers radically new and detailed understandings of what a person is. After first describing the philosophical stance that must follow from taking cognitive science seriously, they reexamine the basic concepts of the mind, time, causation, morality, and the self: then they rethink a host of philosophical traditions, from the classical Greeks through Kantian morality through modern analytic philosophy. They reveal the metaphorical structure underlying each mode of thought and show how the metaphysics of each theory flows from its metaphors. Finally, they take on two major issues of twentiethcentury philosophy: how we conceive rationality, and how we conceive language.
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- Q: How many pages does this book have? A: This book has six hundred forty pages. It provides an in-depth exploration of philosophy and cognitive science.
- Q: What are the dimensions of this book? A: The book measures seven point thirty-eight inches in length, one point sixty-two inches in width, and nine point twenty-five inches in height. These dimensions make it a standard paperback size.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of this book is George Lakoff. He is a renowned cognitive scientist and philosopher.
- Q: Is this book suitable for beginners in philosophy? A: Yes, this book is suitable for beginners. It presents complex ideas in an accessible manner.
- Q: What themes are explored in this book? A: The book explores themes like the nature of the mind, morality, and the concept of time. It challenges traditional Western philosophical assumptions.
- Q: Can this book be used in academic settings? A: Yes, this book can be used in academic settings. It is well-researched and addresses significant philosophical questions.
- Q: How should I store this book? A: Store this book in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. This will help maintain its condition over time.
- Q: Is this book safe for young readers? A: No, this book is not specifically targeted for young readers. It covers complex philosophical concepts that may be more appropriate for adults.
- Q: Can I return this book if I don't like it? A: Yes, you can return this book if it does not meet your expectations. Check the return policy of the retailer for specific details.
- Q: What kind of binding does this book have? A: This book has a paperback binding. It is flexible and lightweight, making it easy to carry.
- Q: Does this book include references or a bibliography? A: Yes, this book includes references. It provides a thorough bibliography for further reading.
- Q: What philosophical traditions does this book address? A: The book addresses various philosophical traditions, including those from the classical Greeks to modern analytic philosophy. It re-examines these ideas in light of cognitive science.
- Q: How do I clean this book? A: To clean this book, gently wipe the cover with a dry cloth. Avoid using water or cleaning solutions that can damage the pages.
- Q: Is there an eBook version available? A: Yes, there is an eBook version available for this title. It can be purchased from various online retailers.
- Q: What is the main argument of this book? A: The main argument is that our understanding of the mind and concepts is deeply rooted in bodily experiences. This challenges many traditional philosophical views.
- Q: Are there any illustrations or diagrams in the book? A: No, this book does not contain illustrations or diagrams. It focuses primarily on text-based discussions.