By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the basic concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. We've come a long way from "I think, therefore I am." If only things were that simple; as we see in Philosophy and the Neurosciences: A Reader , the interplay between our thoughts about ourselves and our body of scientific knowledge is becoming increasingly complex and arcane. Edited by Washington University's William Bechtel and several of his former graduate students, the book uses classic and contemporary selections to thoroughly cover several areas of mutual interest to neuroscientists and philosophers. Vision, language, and representation are the hottest topics, and heavy hitters like Broca and the Churchlands dissect them as precisely as their considerable knowledge and skill permit. Each broad section is bookended between a brief introduction and an intriguing question list; the readings are best suited for sparking classroom-style discussion and further research. Still, the individual reader will profit from the clarity and force of the book's arguments regarding the intersection between these two profoundly interesting fields. --Rob Lightner "William Bechtel and his colleagues have set about creating a genuine teaching aid." Journal of Consciousness Studies "The first of its kind, Philosophy and the Neurosciences is sure to find an eager audience in neuroscience and philosophy. Under the encyclopedic and judicious guidance of Bill Bechtel, the editors have assembled a genuinely useful collection, provided insightful introductions to each section, and included a sample of groundbreaking papers from the history of neuroscience." Patricia Smith Churchland, University of California, San Diego "The philosophy of neuroscience finally has a good teaching text. This nicely edited collection is a collage of classic and contemporary papers by neuroscientists and some solid, yet innovative philosophy." Peter Machamer, University of Pittsburgh Philosophy and the Neurosciences is the first systematic integration of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science with neuroscience research. As philosophers have come to focus more and more on the relationship between mind and brain, they have had to take greater account of theory and research in the neurosciences. Likewise, as neuroscientists have learned more about cognitive structures and functions, their investigations have expanded and merged with traditional questions from the philosophy of mind. By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the fundamental concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Study questions, figures, and references to further reading are provided in each chapter to enhance the reader's understanding of how philosophy and the neurosciences are related in their exploration of the human mind. Philosophy and the Neurosciences is the first systematic integration of philosophy of mind and philosophy of science with neuroscience research. As philosophers have come to focus more and more on the relationship between mind and brain, they have had to take greater account of theory and research in the neurosciences. Likewise, as neuroscientists have learned more about cognitive structures and functions, their investigations have expanded and merged with traditional questions from the philosophy of mind. By introducing key themes in philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and the fundamental concepts of neuroscience, this text provides philosophers with the necessary background to engage the neurosciences and offers neuroscientists an introduction to the relevant tools of philosophical analysis. Study questions, figures, and references to further reading are provided in each chapter to enhance the reader's understanding of how philosophy and the neurosciences are related in their exploration of the human mind. William Bechtel is Professor and Chair of Philosophy and Director of the Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program at Washington University in St. Louis. He is editor of the international journal Philosophical Psychology and his publications include A Companion to Cognitive Science (co-edited, Blackwell, 1998), Connectionism and the Mind (co-authored, second edition, Blackwell, 2002) and Discovering Complexity (1993). Pete Mandik is Assistant Professor and Associate Director fo the Cognitive Science Laboratory at William Patterson University of New Jersey Jennifer Mundale is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Central Florida University. Robert S. Stufflebeam is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University