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D**N
Attack on the Golems
I Am Not A Brain, by philosopher Markus Gabriel, goes after, hammer and tongs, and with wit and humor, reductionist accounts of mind and concludes, as I concluded a long time ago, that such "fields" as neuro-philosophy, which reduce all mental states to brain states (really, brain chemistry), are what he calls, following Thomas E. Schmidt, "terrifying theory-golems." In an age in which our spirits are being sucked out of us by consumerism, commercialism, materialism, determinism (i.e., the view that holds that free will is an illusion), physicalism, and "nothing-but-isms" of various kinds (including in politics) this book is more than a breath of fresh air. It is a counter-offensive against all reductionisms at a time in which the natural sciences, prematurely, arrogantly, and perniciously, are claiming for themselves the ur-vocabulary that explains all, even consciousness itself, and are asserting that all reality is within their domain. This view is as deadly (and deadening) as it is false. It is the new positivism of our time, and its attraction has led to the deadening of philosophy as a field of study, although that is not its worst offense. Yet, it is no wonder that philosophy departments struggle. Indeed, on the door of many departments the sign "No Wonder" should be hung, with the tag line "Abandon All Soul, All Ye Who Enter Here." The "terrifying theory-golems" were also attacked by other philosophers over the years, among them William James, Henry Bugbee, Edward F. Mooney, and Bruce Wilshire.Gabriel holds the chair in epistemology at the University of Bonn. The book is very accessible to non-philosophers, however.
E**L
Brilliant analyses of brain/mind issues
What sometimes seems amazing in contemporary philosophy is the ability of a philosopher to write in readable and comprehensible ways. Gabriel does this. One does not have to accept all his conclusions to deeply appreciate his stiletto treatment of common arguments that attempt to reduce mind to brain, divide mind and brain into two separate entities, and so on. Whatever one's position is on the subject, this is a valuable discussion.
L**E
Persuasive and positive defense of non-reductive theory of the self
Gabriel responds to the contemporary scientistic worldview that would reduce our minds to mere brains and our wills to mere chains.
L**E
Five Stars
Itโ a good and pleasant experience for me to buy this book from you!
R**S
Could have been amazing
I felt that if this author really wanted to spread his word he would have written this book with that intention. Instead this book is written for fellow philosophers. I have read many books on the brain ranging from Ramachandran to Pinker. This book was not worth the work to complete.
C**E
Don't expect too much, you won't be disappointed
I am an admirer of the Anglophone tradition in philosophy: a tradition that gets underway with Francis Bacon, that includes Brits, Americans, Australians, and post-Raj Indian philosophy. I think this tradition has been of unprecedented clarity and creativity (in that order of importance).That said, I am aware that there are other traditions. And that one of these, one with which the Anglophone tradition has a very contentious relationship, is loosely called the "continental [European] tradition.] " It dates to the Cartesian rebellion against late scholasticism. And it certainly includes this book.I bought this book as one of my periodic attempts to get a glimpse of what is going on with the continentals. It served that purpose. I didn't have any higher expectation for it than that, so I was not disappointed.The gist of the book is that a human being is not a brain, not a hunk of matter deterministically following physical law. Nor does the author see a Self as a transcendent soul, briefly attached to an earthly body. What is a third possibility? Apparently that language and self-awareness allows rare material/biological creatures to attain freedom. An interesting hypothesis for an argument but our author doesn't seem to get far beyond mere statements and restatements.
K**A
Thought provoking and enriching
First let me say I have not read a philosophy book in many years. But I was ready for some reading that challenged my mind more than the novels I had gravitated to of late. I am glad I chose to read Gabriel's book. It is a creative and convincing look at the concept that we are more than a bunch of well evolved neurons. That we have minds that can not be explained by neuroscientists. That our minds are not things trapped within our skull. Statements in the book like "Brains have no goals, only people do, who are much more than their brains and much more even than their present, past and future bodies" really got me thinking about how discounted the human experience becomes if we are all reduced to organisms responding to the environment outside and outside our bodies.If you are interested in a look at the human experience that is not constrained by what can be located, measured and mapped. If you want to ponder a bit on consciousness and what it implies. This is a good book. Gabriel does a fine job of exploring a complex topic and develping ideas in a way that is accessable to the masses.
F**L
Reluctant Skepticism
Reading this book you'll easily get acquainted with all the moden trends of Philosophy, all very well presented and debated by the author.Mr.Gabriel avoids "taking sides"and rather prefers to point the debilities of each and all the theories but meanwhile still leaving the hope that we are not condemned to existencialism or even worse to skepicism.
G**R
็งใฏ่ณใงใฏใชใ
ใใฎใฟใคใใซใงใ่่ ใฎ็ซๅ ดใๆฌใฎใใผใใๅฏใใใคใใ ใใใไปใพใงใฎๆฌใใไบๆณใงใใๆนๅใซ่ตใๅใฃใฆใใใจใใใใชใใจใใใใใปใฃใจใใๆฐๆใกใใใไธๆนใ่ซใๆนใฏใกใใฃใจใใใฆใใ๏ผใใใใใใๅฑๆงใใ็ฏ็๏ผใใจใใๆใใ ใใใใๆๆใฏใใใใๆ่ญใฎๅฒๅญฆใงใใใกใใๆ่ญใใใใฏๅฟใ่ณๅ ้็จใซ้ๅ ใใ็ซๅ ดใๅฆๅฎใใใใใ ใใใคใ่ฆณๅฟต่ซใใฉใใฎใใใฎใใใใใใใฏใใใใใฆ็พใซใใๅฒๅญฆใฎๅ้กใซใพใฃใใๅใใฃใฆใๅฝ็ถใใใใในใ็ต่ซใซ่ณใใใจใฏๅใฐใใใใใ ใใชใไธ็ใฏๅญๅจใใชใใฎใใจใใๆฌใงใๅญๅจ่ซใ่ชใๅๅใฏ้ข็ฝใใใ็งๅญฆใซใจใใใใชใใใจใฎไบบๅซ็ไพกๅคใใใใซ้ๅญฆ่ ่ญใใถใกไธใใๅพๅใฏใใไธใคใใชใจๆใๅใใๅคใใฃใใฏใใงใใใใใพใๅคใชใจใใใซ่ชฌๅพๅใใใ ใญใฆใใใ่่ ใใใ่ฟฐในใฆใใไพใงใฏใชใใใใใจใใฐใ ใไบบใๆญปใจใใ็ตถๆใซใจใใใใชใใใใซ่ผชๅปป่ปข็ใฏๅญๅจใใใใใใใฏๆใใฎ็ฅใไฟกใใในใใงใใใใชใใชใใใฎๆนใ่ฑใใชไบบ้ๆงใๅใๆปใใใใใงใใใใจ่ชฌๅพๅใใฃใทใใซ่ซใใใใฆใใฏใใใใงใใญใใใใใใจใซใใพใใใใใจใฏใชใใชใใจๆใใใใใงๆธใใชใๅฒๅญฆๆธใซใฏๅใใใชใใ่่ ใฎใขใณใๅฏ็ฉ่ซใใใใฏใขใณใ็งๅญฆ่ณไธไธป็พฉใซใฏใใชใใจใชใใใใใไธญ้ๅ็ซฏใใใใใฏใใชใใใ่่ ใซใจใฃใฆใฏ็งๅญฆๅค้จใฎใใจใฎๆญฃใใใๅฝใใๅใจใใใใๅๆใใฎใใฎใซใชใฃใฆใใใฎใงใใใฎ้จๅใฎๆญฃๅฝๆงใ็ดๅพใใใๅฟ ่ฆๆงใใใพใๆใใฆใใชใใฎใใใใใชใใใงใใๅฒๅญฆใฃใฆ็ดๅพใใใๆ็ถใใฎใใจใ ใใญใ้ๅธธใซใใใใใฎๆ่ฆใใใใฃใจๆฑใใใฆใใใฎใงใไธใคไธใคใซใคใใฆ่ฟฝๅใ็ฉ่ถณใใชใใจใใใใ้ใ่ใใฎไบบใๅผใ่พผใๅใใใใงใฏๅบใฆใใชใใ ใใใชใฃใฆๆใใใใไธใคใ่ช็ถ็งๅญฆใฎๅคๅดใฎไพกๅคใ้กๆใใๅฒๅญฆใฎใปใจใใฉใซ่จใใใใจใ ใใ็งๅญฆใธใฎๆ ๅบฆใซ่ ฐใๆฎใใฃใฆใใชใใจๆใใใใใกใใๅผทๅคงใใใ็ธๆใงใใใๆฌๆใๆใในใใงใใใซใใฆใใ็งใๅฅฝๆใๆใฃใฆ่ชญใใงใใใใใฎใณใใใผใฒใซใฏๆใใใใจใชใ็งๅญฆใฎไธ่ถณ้จๅใๅ ๅดใใ่ซ้ฃใใฆใใใใใใๆๆ ฎใๆต ใ้จๅใใใใๅฝ็ถๆนๅคใๅคใใใ้ใใฆใฏใใชใใใใฎ็นใงใฌใใชใจใซใฏใใใพใใ ใ็งๅณใกไธป่ฆณใจใใฆใฎๆ่ญใฏ่ณ็งๅญฆใซๅๅใใใใชใใจใใใใจใ่จผๆ ็ซใฆใๅฝผใฎ่ซๆณใฏใไธป่ฆณใใฎใใฎใฏๆ่ญใฎๅฏพ่ฑกใใใฏใฟๅบใใจใใใใใฎๅ้ใงใฏๆใใ่ชใใใฆใใๅฝขใใใฆใใใ็งใฏใใฎ่ซๆณใซๆฅใใใใณใใฉใใปใซใฎใใฉใใใฏในใ้ฃๆณใใฆใใพใใฎใ ใๆญฃใใใฎใใใใใชใใใใใพใ้จใใใฆใใใใใงใใใใใใใใฏๅใชใ็ฅ็ใชใใบใซใงใใฃใฆใ็พๅฎใจใฎใใใใๅใใฏๆ็ญใงใฏใชใใใใใใๆฐใใใใฎใงใใใๅฎ้ใใใง็งๅญฆไธป็พฉ่ ใ่ซฆใใใใฏใใชใใฃใใใจใใ็งใใกใฏ็ฅใฃใฆใใใ่ณ็งๅญฆใงๆ่ญใๅๅ จใซ่ชใใใชใใจใใฆใใๅฎๅฎใ่ชใๅใซใฏๅทฎใๆฏใใชใใจไบบใ ใฏ่ใใใใฒใผใใซใฎๅฎ็ใๆฐๅญฆใฎๅ จไฝใๅฆๅฎใใใใฎใงใฏใชใใจใๆญฃใใใ่ใใใฎใงใใใฐใๅฝ็ถใใฎ็ต่ซใซ่ณใใใจใไธๆ่ญฐใจใฏใชใใชใใใใใใๆ่ฆใฏใใใ ใใใใๅฏ็ฉ่ซ๏ผไธป็พฉ๏ผ๏ผใ่ซ้งใใใใใซใฏใ้จๅ็ใงใฏใชใใใใฃใจๅ จ้ข็ใชๅฏพๆฑบใๅฟ ่ฆใงใใใๅฐใชใใจใ็ธๆใฏไธ็่ฆณใๆจๆฆใใฆใใใใใงใใฃใฆใใใใซๅฏพใใฆใไธ็ใชใใใฎใฏๅญๅจใใชใใใงใฏๆธใพใชใใฏใใ ใใใฎ็นใงๆฅๆฌใฎๅคงๆฃฎ่่ตใฏ็ธๅฏพๆง็่ซใฎๆฌบ็ใ็็ขบใซๆๆใใฆใใ๏ผใใใๆฎๅฟตใชใใๆก้ฒใใใชใใใๅฝผใฎๅผๅญใใกใ็ฉๆฅต็ใซ่งฆใใชใใฎใฏใ่ช ใซๆ ใใชใ็ก็ฅใถใใงใใ๏ผใใใค็งๅญฆ็ใชๆ็ฉบ้ๆฆๅฟตใฎไธๅๅใใใใพใ่ชฌๆใใฆใใใๅผๅญใใกใฏๅคงๆฃฎใฎใใฉใกใใใจใใใจไพกๅคใฎ่ใ้จๅใๅผใ็ถใใงใใใๆฐๅฎๅจ่ซใ ใ่ฑใผ่ถ ่ถ่ซใ ใใใใไฝ็จ่ชญใไพกๅคใใใใจๆใใฎใ ใใใใใฏ่ฑ็ทใใใใใใชๆ่ฆใ็ท่ฑ็ใซๆฑใฃใฆใใใฎใงใๆ่ญใฎๅฒๅญฆใซใคใใฆใฎๅ ฅ้ๆธใซใฏใชใใใใใใชใใใใๆฐๅๅนดใซใคใใฆใฎใใใ็จๅบฆใฎ่ฆ้ใใไธใใฆใใใใ่่ ใฏใพใใไฝใ ไธป็พฉใจๅไปใใใฎใใใพใ๏ผ็งใ็ฅใใชใใ ใใงๅ ฌๅผใฎๅ็งฐใใใใใชใใ๏ผใไธๆ่ญฐใจใใใ ใใง็่งฃใ้ฒใใ ๆฐใซใชใใๆ ็ปใใใฌใใใฉใใๅฐ่ชฌใฎ้กใๅผใใฆใใใใใใใใฆใใคใใใชใฎใฏๆ่ฟใฎๆต่กใชใฎใใๆฐใใๅฒๅญฆใๅค็จใใใใฎใใๆนใฏใใใใๆฌไฝใฎ็บๆณใๆฏๅฉใซใใใชใๅฒๅญฆใฎใใใใใ้ฒใใซใใฆใใใ ใใงใฏใชใใใจ็งใชใฉใฏๆใฃใฆใใพใใใใใฏใใคใในใ็งใฏใใใซๆใใใใๅคงๅใฎไฝๅใซใชใใฟใใชใใๅฏพใใฆใๆฑใฃใฆใใๅฒๅญฆๆธใฏใปใจใใฉ่ชญใใงใใใใตใใซใซใฎๅผ็จใ่ชฌใฎ็่งฃใๅฉใใใฎใงใฏใชใใ่ชฌใใตใใซใซไฝๅใฎๅ ๅฎนใๆจ้ใใใใจใใใๅคใชใใจใซใชใฃใฆใใใใ ใใ็งใใใใๅ ฅ้ๆธใใฆใใใใใใใจๆใฃใฆใใใใใใใใ่ชญใฟใซใใใจๆใใไบบใใใใ ใใใใจใใไธๅฟ่จใฃใฆใใใใๆๅพใซใ่่ ใๆจๆฆใใใคใใใงใใใใใๆฐๅฎๅญไธป็พฉใ ใใใใฎ่จ่ใฏใณใชใณใปใฆใฃใซใฝใณใ้ฃๆณใใใไฝใใใใใใชใใใฌใใชใจใซใๅฝผใฎใใใซใชใซใซใใซๅพๆใใฆใใใจใฏๆใใชใใใๅญฆ่ก็ใชๆญฃ็ขบใใๅคฑใใใฃใใใซใชใใใจใๆๆ ฎใใใใฌใใใซใฏ่ซไบใฎๆๆฎตใจใใฆ็ธๆใซ่ฒผใใใฎใงใใใ่ชใๅไนใใไธใใใใฎใงใฏใชใใใใฎไผใง่จใใฐใไปไธ็ดใฎๅฒๅญฆใฏใปใจใใฉใๅคฑๆ ผใฃใฆใใจใ ใญ
Z**S
Demands to be read and savoured
I enjoy Markus Gabriel's books, they are a excellent example of the revival of German philosophy in the 21st century, which is providing a refreshingly different take than the Anglo-Saxon one, obsessed as the latter has become over the last century with materialism/physicalism and the dogmatic obsession with the unassailable veracity of the scientific method.Gabriel, as he did in his previous book 'Why the World does Not Exist' gives short shrift to the ideology of materialism- in this specific case, that the brain itself and it alone through material processes alone produces consciousness- and demolishes it's dogma with precise, calculated expertise. We are clearly more than meat robots and he shows very well that these assumptions many people take for granted i.e. our consciousness is nothing but a by-product of material brain function are in fact, when thought through carefully with philosophical logic and insight, quite incoherent as well as having quite fundamental, often detrimental influences on how we view ourselves as thinking, acting human entities within society.Having established this in the first third or so of his book, where to then? Herein lies to a certain extent a weakness in the work- Gabriel seems unwilling to pin his speculations firmly to the mast, and one can't help but feel he is trying to have his cake and eat it by rejecting the physical nature of conscious human being, but not really willing to go too far into the territory of what the operative nature of our consciousness is, or from where, if anywhere, it originates.This is understandable in some ways because it is such a speculative field, and one consistently gets the feeling Gabriel is fond of speculating, but for me, he too often gets close offering us a glimpse of the result of his fine, well informed thinking on these areas, then seems to pull away, which is a shame.The author is of course part of the 'New Realist,' 'object-orientated' new wave of philosophical thinkers which is capturing the imagination of those in the world of philosophy in the 21st century, and perhaps for those more deeply versed in the thinking of that field are able to more fully grasp Gabriel's position than I at the present time, but I nonetheless felt a little unsatisfied at times reading the book. That aside, it did not affect my overall enjoyment of the work and the satisfaction felt at absorbing the clarity of thought and argument from the author. The chapters on Consciousness, Self Consciousness and Freedom are excellent, and stand alone as great work in their own right and although I have to admit I found his previous, much recommended book 'The World Does Not Exist' a more satisfyingly complete work, this one equally demands to be read and savoured.
ใซ**ใฎ
ไธปๅผตใซใฏ็ดๅพใงใใใใใใฎ่ซๆ ใใใใใใใชใ
ใ่ช็ถ็งๅญฆ็ใชๆณๅ/ๅไธใฎๅ็ใงใฏไบบ้็งๅญฆใในใใใจๅใใใจใฏใงใใชใใใจใใใใจใใฌใใชใจใซใฏ่จใใใใฎใ ใจๆใใใ่ชๅทฑๆๅฐฑ็ไบ่จใใฎไบ็จฎใฎไธปๅผตใใใฆใใใใจ่จใใใใใใใชใใๅฟ่ณๅไธ่ชฌใๅฆๅฎใใใฎใฏใใใใใฉใใๆ นๆ ใฏ๏ผใใจๆใใฆไปๆนใใชใใใฌใใชใจใซใฎ้ ญใฎไธญใซใฏใใใพใงใฎๅฒๅญฆใฎ่ญฐ่ซใๅ ฅใฃใฆใใใใใใใฎใใใใใชใใใใ่ณๆฎๅใงใฏๆ่ใ่ฆใใใจใฏใงใใชใใใญใ๏ผๅคงๆใฏ้้ใฃใฆใใชใใฏใ๏ผใจ่จใใใฆใใใๆ่กใ้ฒๆญฉใใใฐใใใฅใผใญใซ้ๅ ใงใใใฎใงใฏใชใใใใจใใๆใ่พผใฟใๆจใฆใใใใ็งใฟใใใชๅฎ็ดใชๆนๅคใ้ใใใใใซใใๆ ็ปใใใฉใใฎใใใชๅ่ฟใชไพใซ้ ผใใใซใใใๅฐใๅ ฅๅฟตใซใๅพๆฅใฎ่ญฐ่ซใๆด็ใใคใคใใชใชใธใใซใช่ซใๅฑ้ใใฆใปใใใฃใใ
Y**N
Challenging and worthwhile
The author blends ideas from the great philosophers with more popular sources, like Dr Who, to create a challenging and worthwhile book that promises to bring the reader up to date with contemporary philosophy of the mind.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
1 month ago
