Download or read book The Enigma of Reason written by Hugo Mercier and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2017-04-17 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Brilliant...Timely and necessary.” —Financial Times “Especially timely as we struggle to make sense of how it is that individuals and communities persist in holding beliefs that have been thoroughly discredited.” —Darren Frey, Science If reason is what makes us human, why do we behave so irrationally? And if it is so useful, why didn’t it evolve in other animals? This groundbreaking account of the evolution of reason by two renowned cognitive scientists seeks to solve this double enigma. Reason, they argue, helps us justify our beliefs, convince others, and evaluate arguments. It makes it easier to cooperate and communicate and to live together in groups. Provocative, entertaining, and undeniably relevant, The Enigma of Reason will make many reasonable people rethink their beliefs. “Reasonable-seeming people are often totally irrational. Rarely has this insight seemed more relevant...Still, an essential puzzle remains: How did we come to be this way?...Cognitive scientists Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber [argue that] reason developed not to enable us to solve abstract, logical problems...[but] to resolve the problems posed by living in collaborative groups.” —Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker “Turns reason’s weaknesses into strengths, arguing that its supposed flaws are actually design features that work remarkably well.” —Financial Times “The best thing I have read about human reasoning. It is extremely well written, interesting, and very enjoyable to read.” —Gilbert Harman, Princeton University

Download or read book The Territories of Human Reason written by Alister E. McGrath and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-03 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our understanding of human rationality has changed significantly since the beginning of the century, with growing emphasis being placed on multiple rationalities, each adapted to the specific tasks of communities of practice. We may think of the world as an ontological unity-but we use a plurality of methods to investigate and represent this world. This development has called into question both the appeal to a universal rationality, characteristic of the Enlightenment, and also the simple 'modern-postmodern' binary. The Territories of Human Reason is the first major study to explore the emergence of multiple situated rationalities. It focuses on the relation of the natural sciences and Christian theology, but its approach can easily be extended to other disciplines. It provides a robust intellectual framework for discussion of transdisciplinarity, which has become a major theme in many parts of the academic world. Alister E. McGrath offers a major reappraisal of what it means to be 'rational' which will have significant impact on older discussions of this theme. He sets out to explore the consequences of the seemingly inexorable move away from the notion of a single universal rationality towards a plurality of cultural and domain-specific methodologies and rationalities. What does this mean for the natural sciences? For the philosophy of science? For Christian theology? And for the interdisciplinary field of science and religion? How can a single individual hold together scientific and religious ideas, when these arise from quite different rational approaches? This groundbreaking volume sets out to engage these questions and will provoke intense discussion and debate.

Download or read book Language and Human Understanding written by David Braine and published by CUA Press. This book was released on 2014-02-03 with total page 817 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Philosopher, psychologist and linguist are all concerned with natural language. Accordingly, in seeking a unified view, Braine draws on insights from all these fields, sifting through the discordant schools of linguists. He concludes that one extended logic or integrated semantic syntax shapes grammar, but without constricting languages to being of one grammatical type.

Download or read book Human Reasoning and Cognitive Science written by Keith Stenning and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2012-01-13 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new proposal for integrating the employment of formal and empirical methods in the study of human reasoning. In Human Reasoning and Cognitive Science, Keith Stenning and Michiel van Lambalgen—a cognitive scientist and a logician—argue for the indispensability of modern mathematical logic to the study of human reasoning. Logic and cognition were once closely connected, they write, but were “divorced” in the past century; the psychology of deduction went from being central to the cognitive revolution to being the subject of widespread skepticism about whether human reasoning really happens outside the academy. Stenning and van Lambalgen argue that logic and reasoning have been separated because of a series of unwarranted assumptions about logic. Stenning and van Lambalgen contend that psychology cannot ignore processes of interpretation in which people, wittingly or unwittingly, frame problems for subsequent reasoning. The authors employ a neurally implementable defeasible logic for modeling part of this framing process, and show how it can be used to guide the design of experiments and interpret results.

Download or read book The Enquiry for Human Understanding written by Michael O'Sullivan and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 86 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Hume’s 1748 Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is a modern philosophical classic that helped reshape epistemology – the philosophy of knowledge. It is also a classic of the critical thinking skills of analysis and reasoning. Analysis is all about understanding how arguments work and fit together. Having strong analytical skills helps to break down arguments, pull out the evidence on which they rely, and understand the kinds of implicit assumptions and reasons on which they work. Reasoning, meanwhile, means building and presenting arguments, forming well-structured, evidenced, and organised cases for a particular point of view. Hume applied his analytical skills to arguments about how humans know and understand the world, and how our minds work. At base, he was trying to analyse human reason itself – to show the workings and limitations of the human mind, and show the origins of our beliefs. Hume went on to apply his reasoning skills, creating an enduring argument about the nature of human knowledge. The result was one of the most striking and famous works in the history of philosophy.

Download or read book Hume s Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by Alan Bailey and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2006-12-24 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Provides introductions to classic works of philosophy. This book guides the reader to an understanding of the text as a whole, exploring the reception and influence of this philosophical work.

Download or read book Phenomenology of Human Understanding written by Brian Cronin and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2018-01-01 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The problem of human knowing has been foundational for the enterprise of philosophy since the time of Descartes. The great philosophers have offered different accounts of the power and limits of human knowing but no generally acceptable system has emerged. Contemporary writers have almost given up on this most intractable issue. In this book, Brian Cronin suggests using the method of introspective description to identify the characteristics of the act of human understanding and knowing. Introspection--far from being private and unverifiable--can be public, communal, and verifiable. If we can describe our dreams and our feelings, then, we can describe our acts of understanding. Using concrete examples, one can identify the activities involved--namely, questioning, researching, getting an idea, expressing a concept, reflecting on the evidence and inferring a conclusion. Each of these activities can be described clearly and in great detail. If we perform these activities well, we can understand and know both truth and value. The text invites readers to verify each and every statement in their own experience of understanding. This is a detailed and verifiable account of human knowing: an extremely valuable contribution to philosophy and a solution to the foundational problem of knowing.

Download or read book An Essay Concerning Human Understanding written by John Locke and published by . This book was released on 1828 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by David Hume L. A. Selby-Bigge and published by Namaskar Book. This book was released on 2024-02-02 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Embark on a philosophical journey of inquiry with "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: David Hume's Philosophical Exploration" by David Hume, edited by L. A. Selby-Bigge. This seminal work delves into the complexities of human cognition and the nature of knowledge, challenging readers to question their fundamental assumptions about the world. As you delve into Hume's insightful exploration, prepare to confront age-old philosophical questions with fresh perspective. Hume's rigorous analysis and compelling arguments shed light on the nature of belief, causality, and the limits of human understanding. But here's the intriguing question that lingers: What if Hume's inquiries into human understanding hold relevance not only for his time but also for our modern era? Could his ideas provide valuable insights into contemporary debates surrounding knowledge, skepticism, and scientific inquiry? Engage with Hume's thought-provoking treatise as he challenges conventional wisdom and invites readers to embrace a spirit of intellectual inquiry. Through his lucid prose and incisive reasoning, Hume encourages us to think critically and skeptically about the foundations of our beliefs. Are you prepared to embark on a philosophical journey that will challenge your assumptions and expand your understanding of the human mind? Immerse yourself in Hume's profound reflections on the nature of knowledge and belief, as he navigates the complexities of human cognition with clarity and insight. Let his words provoke contemplation and inspire a deeper appreciation for the mysteries of human understanding. Here's your opportunity to explore the depths of human thought with David Hume's "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding." Will you seize the chance to engage with one of the most influential works in Western philosophy? Don't miss out on the chance to enrich your intellectual journey. Purchase your copy of "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding: David Hume's Philosophical Exploration" now, and embark on a quest for knowledge and understanding that transcends time and space.

Download or read book Reading Hume on Human Understanding Essays on the First Enquiry written by Peter Millican and published by Clarendon Press. This book was released on 2002-03-14 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reading Hume on Human Understanding is a companion to the study of one of the great works of Western philosophy. David Hume's Enquiry concerning Human Understanding (1748) has long been recognized as one of the best 'classics' for introducing students to the subject; these essays, most of them specially written for this volume, show how much more than this it is. The aims of the volume are: to provide a general overview of the Enquiry, especially for those approaching it for the first time; to set it in the context of Hume's philosophical work as a whole and establish its importance in that context: to elucidate, analyse, and assess the philosophy of the Enquiry, and clarify its interpretation; and to discuss recent developments in Hume scholarship that are relevant to the Enquiry. The eminent contributors to this volume cover a broad range of topics: meaning, induction, scepticism, belief, personal identity, causation, freedom, miracles, probability, and religious belief. These topics remain at the centre of philosophical debate today, and Hume's treatment of them in the Enquiry continues to demand attention and attract controversy.

Download or read book Law s Evolution and Human Understanding written by Laurence Claus and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-09-10 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When should we follow the law? How can we know what law's words mean? What is law? Law's Evolution and Human Understanding presents fresh and surprising answers to these questions. In an account alive with the stories of our shared human history, Laurence Claus explains why we should discard the old idea that legal rules tell us what to do, and instead see law as a system of sayings that evolves among humans to help us better understand each other. When driving on public roads, when buying and selling, and in countless other aspects of our work and play, we depend on law to let us know what other people are likely to do and to expect of us. Through fast-paced pages of anecdote and argument, Law's Evolution and Human Understanding explains the revolutionary consequences of seeing law as truly what Oliver Wendell Holmes called it: systematized prediction. The book reveals how this vision of law can transform our thinking about the way we make moral decisions, about the way we read law, and about many other ways that law affects our lives.

Download or read book An Analysis of David Hume s An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by Michael O'Sullivan and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 68 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Hume’s 1748 Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding is a modern philosophical classic that helped reshape epistemology – the philosophy of knowledge. It is also a classic of the critical thinking skills of analysis and reasoning. Analysis is all about understanding how arguments work and fit together. Having strong analytical skills helps to break down arguments, pull out the evidence on which they rely, and understand the kinds of implicit assumptions and reasons on which they work. Reasoning, meanwhile, means building and presenting arguments, forming well-structured, evidenced, and organised cases for a particular point of view. Hume applied his analytical skills to arguments about how humans know and understand the world, and how our minds work. At base, he was trying to analyse human reason itself – to show the workings and limitations of the human mind, and show the origins of our beliefs. Hume went on to apply his reasoning skills, creating an enduring argument about the nature of human knowledge. The result was one of the most striking and famous works in the history of philosophy.

Download or read book An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by David Hume and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 1977-01-01 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enquiry first published under title: Philosophical essays concerning human understanding.Includes index. Bibliography: 16th-17th prelim. pages.

Download or read book Bayesian Rationality written by Mike Oaksford and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2007-02-22 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For almost 2,500 years, the Western concept of what is to be human has been dominated by the idea that the mind is the seat of reason - humans are, almost by definition, the rational animal. In this text a more radical suggestion for explaining these puzzling aspects of human reasoning is put forward.

Download or read book An essay concerning human understanding To which are now first added i an analysis of mr Locke s doctrine of ideas c incl some extr from the author s works written by John Locke and published by . This book was released on 1828 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Hume An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by Stephen Buckle and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2007-02-15 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: David Hume's An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding, first published in 1748, is a concise statement of Hume's central philosophical positions. It develops an account of human mental functioning which emphasizes the limits of human knowledge and the extent of our reliance on (non-rational) mental habits. It then applies that account to questions of free will and religious knowledge before closing with a defence of moderate scepticism. This volume, which presents a modified version of the definitive 1772 edition of the work, offers helpful annotation for the student reader, together with an introduction that sets this profoundly influential work in its philosophical and historical contexts. The volume also includes a selection of other works by Hume that throw light on both the circumstances of the work's genesis and its key themes and arguments.

Download or read book An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding written by David Hume and published by . This book was released on 1861 with total page 130 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: