Neuropragmatism on the origins of conscious minding
pp. 273-287
in: Liz Swan (ed), Origins of mind, Berlin, Springer, 2013Abstrakt
The philosophy of pragmatism has much to offer mind and life scientists in their thinking about the origins and nature of experience. In this chapter, I provide an introduction to neurophilosophical pragmatism by reviewing how classical pragmatists, such as John Dewey, reconceived concepts like experience, mind, and consciousness in light of the advances ushered forth by Darwinism. I then elaborate on a recent debate in cognitive science and neurophilosophy over how to think about conscious mental activity. In doing so, I draw on and modify the pragmatist framework sketched in the first part of the chapter.
