Mind, Consciousness, and Free Will  

作　　者：Paul Thagard 

机构地区：[1]Department of Philosophy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G 1, Canada

出　　处：《Frontiers of Philosophy in China》2018年第3期377-393,共17页中国哲学前沿（英文版）

摘　　要：This commentary discusses how philosophy and science can collaborate to understand the human mind, considering dialogues involving three philosophers and three cognitive scientists. Their topics include the relation of philosophy and science, the nature of mind, the problem of consciousness, and the existence of free will. I argue that philosophy is more general and normative than science, but they are interdependent. Philosophy can build on the cognitive sciences to develop a theory of mind I call ＂multilevel materialism,＂ which integrates molecular, neural, mental, and social mechanisms. Consciousness is increasingly being understood as resulting from neural mechanisms. Scientific advances make the traditional concept of free will implausible, but ＂freeish＂ will is consistent with new theories of decision making and action resulting from brain processes. Philosophers should work closely with scientists to address profound problems about knowledge, reality, and values.This commentary discusses how philosophy and science can collaborate to understand the human mind, considering dialogues involving three philosophers and three cognitive scientists. Their topics include the relation of philosophy and science, the nature of mind, the problem of consciousness, and the existence of free will. I argue that philosophy is more general and normative than science, but they are interdependent. Philosophy can build on the cognitive sciences to develop a theory of mind I call ＂multilevel materialism,＂ which integrates molecular, neural, mental, and social mechanisms. Consciousness is increasingly being understood as resulting from neural mechanisms. Scientific advances make the traditional concept of free will implausible, but ＂freeish＂ will is consistent with new theories of decision making and action resulting from brain processes. Philosophers should work closely with scientists to address profound problems about knowledge, reality, and values.

关 键 词：cognitive science CONSCIOUSNESS free will INTUITION MATERIALISM MIND PHILOSOPHY SCIENCE 

分 类 号：N031[自然科学总论—科学技术哲学] Q983.5[生物学—人类学]