An Introduction to the Philosophy of Psychology

An accessible exploration of the major philosophical issues in psychology, drawing upon detailed case studies and the latest empirical research.

Daniel Weiskopf (Author), Fred Adams (Author)

9780521740203, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 15 January 2015

328 pages, 3 b/w illus.
24.8 x 17.4 x 1.8 cm, 0.59 kg

Psychology aims to give us a scientific account of how the mind works. But what does it mean to have a science of the mental, and what sort of picture of the mind emerges from our best psychological theories? This book addresses these philosophical puzzles in a way that is accessible to readers with little or no background in psychology or neuroscience. Using clear and detailed case studies and drawing on up-to-date empirical research, it examines perception and action, the link between attention and consciousness, the modularity of mind, how we understand other minds, and the influence of language on thought, as well as the relationship between mind, brain, body, and world. The result is an integrated and comprehensive overview of much of the architecture of the mind, which will be valuable for both students and specialists in philosophy, psychology, and cognitive science.

1. What psychology is
2. Autonomy and reduction in psychology
3. Modularity and cognitive architecture
4. Nativism, development, and change
5. Beyond the brain and body
6. Perception and action
7. Attention and consciousness
8. The social mind
9. Thought and language.

Subject Areas: Psychology [JM], Philosophy of mind [HPM]