A year ago we met an alien species (Part I) that lacked subjective conscious states but were virtuoso scientists. They developed a detailed understanding of cat brains at every level of organization, but still did not realize that cats were conscious. This was parlayed into an argument for dualism (Part …
In visual experience, the way things look is dependent on where you are looking at them from. (A plate, for example, will appear differently depending on whether you are viewing it straight on or at an angle.) But how should we account for this incontestable fact? Many philosophers have held that …
Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice is a new, cross-disciplinary journal that encompasses neuroscience, social, cognitive, experimental, and clinical psychology. It publishes articles on theory, research, methodology, and clinical applications related to the psychology of consciousness. The journal devotes substantial coverage to topics that traditionally fall under the rubric of …
When I first heard about the extended-mind thesis (EMT), some time in the mid-2000s, I was instantly intrigued—mainly because it feels so intuitively right. Driving my car, I often feel that I am my car, or that my car is me. Driving a rental car, especially as I pull it …
A workshop on Experimentation in Neuroscience will take place at the Pittsburgh University Center for Philosophy of Science on November 22-23. The workshop will showcase the exciting advances in this field while also providing a forum for discussion about the criteria for progress in the development of experimental methods. It will …
[Update 7:10pm: A link to Butterfill and Apperly’s paper has been added below.] In the next few weeks, Brains will be host to two philosophers who’ve recently published books on interestingly parallel topics: First, as I announced previously, Doug Robinson of Hong Kong Baptist University will begin blogging next week …
Here is the full story; here is an excerpt: The Institute of Philosophy, a member institute of the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, has been awarded a major research grant of £1,950,000 from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The research grant will support a three-year project based …
