A Physicalist Manifesto: Thoroughly Modern Materialism (Cambridge Studies in Philosophy) - Softcover

Melnyk, Andrew

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521038944 ISBN 13: 9780521038942

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2007

Synopsis

Provides the fullest formulation of a comprehensive physicalist view to date ^

Evaluates the empirical standing of physicalism in unprecedented detail

Self-contained and thesis-driven discussions, accessible to graduate and advanced undergraduate students, make it an ideal seminar text A Physicalist Manifesto is the fullest yet of the comprehensive physicalist view that, in some important sense, everything is physical. Andrew Melnyk argues that the view is best formulated by appeal to carefully worked-out notion of realization, rather than supervenience; that, so forumlated, physicalism must be importantly reductionist; that it need not repudiate causal and explanatory claims framed in non-physical language; and that it has the a posterior epistemic status of a broad-scope scientific hypothesis. Two concluding chapters argue in inprecedented detail that contemporary science provides no significant empirical evidence against physicalism and some considerable evidence for it. Written in brisk, candid and exceptionally clear style, this book should appeal to professionals and students in philosophy of mind, metaphysics, and philosophy of science.

About this title

Book Description:

A Physicalist Manifesto is the fullest and most comprehensive defense of a defense of a view of physicalism called "realization physicalism" in which everything either is or is realized by something physical. Written in a brisk and exceptionally clear style, this book should appeal to students and professionals in philosophy of mind, metaphysics and philosophy of science.

About the Author:

Andrew Melnyk is a professor of philosophy at the University of Missouri.  He served as department chair for six years.  He is interested in many aspects of the philosophy of science, and in all aspects of the philosophy of mind.  His work has appeared in such journals as the Journal of Philosophy, Noûs, Mind, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, Philosophical Studies, Synthese, and the Australasian Journal of Philosophy.  He is best known for his work on physicalism.  He was educated at St. Paul's School, London, and Oxford University.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0521038944
• ISBN 13: 9780521038942
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 344