Issue #0

How to Solve the Mind-body Problem (Journal of Consciousness Studies)

Plot

The mind is the brain. Each mental state -- each hope, fear, thought -- can be identified with a particular physical state of the brain, without remainder. So argues Nicholas Humphrey in this highly readable yet scholarly essay. He offers strong support for his "identity theory" from evolution. His controversial claim is discussed and challenged in commentaries by authors such as Andy Clark (Being There, 1997), Daniel Dennett (Consciousness Explained, 1991; Darwin's Dangerous Idea, 1995) and Ralph Ellis (Questioning Consciousness, 1995). Humphrey rounds off the book with a response to his critics. An excellent short introduction to the mind-body problem and the study of consciousness.