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Mind-Society Paul Thagard (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Waterloo)

Mind-Society By Paul Thagard (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Waterloo)

Summary

How do minds make societies, and how do societies change? Paul Thagard systematically connects neural and psychological explanations of mind with major social sciences (social psychology, sociology, politics, economics, anthropology, and history) and professions (medicine, law, education, engineering, and business). Social change emerges from interacting social and mental mechanisms.

Mind-Society Summary

Mind-Society: From Brains to Social Sciences and Professions by Paul Thagard (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Waterloo)

How do minds make societies, and how do societies change? Paul Thagard systematically connects neural and psychological explanations of mind with major social sciences (social psychology, sociology, politics, economics, anthropology, and history) and professions (medicine, law, education, engineering, and business). Social change emerges from interacting social and mental mechanisms. Many economists and political scientists assume that individuals make rational choices, despite the abundance of evidence that people frequently succumb to thinking errors such as motivated inference. Much of sociology and anthropology is taken over with postmodernist assumptions that everything is constructed on the basis of social relations such as power, with no inkling that these relations are mediated by how people think about each other. Mind-Society displays the interdependence of the cognitive and social sciences by describing the interconnections among mental and social mechanisms, which interact to generate social changes ranging from marriage patterns to wars. Validation comes from detailed studies of important social changes, from norms about romantic relationships to economic practices, political institutions, religious customs, and international relations. This book belongs to a trio that includes Brain-Mind: From Neurons to Consciousness and Creativity and Natural Philosophy: From Social Brains to Knowledge, Reality, Morality, and Beauty. They can be read independently, but together they make up a Treatise on Mind and Society that provides a unified and comprehensive treatment of the cognitive sciences, social sciences, professions, and humanities.

Mind-Society Reviews

Provides a unified, mechanistic theory for the "Disciplines" and "Professions" that make up the social sciences... Interdisciplinary scholars in philosophy or the social sciences will find this book challenging but ultimately worthwhile * Choice *
"In this book, Thagard offers a tour de force that traverses the expanse from the level of molecules and neurons, through mental processing, to societal forces of stability and change. He then applies this multi-level framework to explain earthly domains such as economics, religion and warfare, and to examine a variety of professions such as medicine, education and law. Mind-Society is at once accessible, insightful, and instructive. This compelling text makes cognitive science feel exceptionally clear, spanning and relevant." - Dan Simon, Professor of Law & Psychology, University of Southern California
"Mind-Society by Paul Thagard is an intriguing bookbroadly scoped, erudite, and framed by a unique perspective. It addresses both cognitive-emotional processes and social phenomena, moves fluidly between them, and weaves them together. It is the kind of book that I wish I could have written." - Ron Sun, Professor of Cognitive Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

About Paul Thagard (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Waterloo)

Paul Thagard is a distinguished philosopher and cognitive scientist who has written many books, including The Brain and the Meaning of Life (Princeton University Press, 2010) and The Cognitive Science of Science (MIT Press, 2012). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Cognitive Science Society, and the Association for Psychological Science.

Table of Contents

Preface Acknowledgments Part I. Mechanisms 1. Explaining Social Change Social Change Explanatory Styles Mental, Neural, and Social Mechanisms Emergence The Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Applications Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 1: Social Change 2. Mental Mechanisms Cognition and Emotion Brains and Semantic Pointers Images Concepts Beliefs Rules Analogies Emotions Mapping Values Inference and Coherence Emotion-Driven Inferences Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 2: Mental Mechanisms 3. Social Mechanisms Social Mechanisms and Communication What are Social Mechanisms? Structural Connections Social Interactions Verbal Communication Inter-Agent Inference Social Mechanisms for Spreading Emotions Multilevel Explanations Change and Emergence Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 3: Social Mechanisms Part II. Social Sciences 4. Social Psychology: Romantic Relationships Relationships Matter Social Cognition and Microsociology Mechanisms in Relationships Murray and Holmes on Interdependent Minds Romantic Relationships: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Trust and Commitment Love Romantic Interactions Contrast with Gottman Relationship Success and Failure Does the Heart Want What It Wants? Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 4: Social Psychology 5. Sociology: Prejudice and Discrimination Discrimination and Prejudice Stereotypes Women: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Jews: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Social Norms and Institutions Overcoming Prejudice Conceptual Change Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 5: Sociology 6. Politics: Ideology Political Change Political Mechanisms Ideology: 3-Analysis Ideology: Value Maps Ideological Change The Islamic State: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Nazi Ideology Anarchism Extreme Right-Wing Political Movements Explaining Rwanda Atrocities Power Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 6: Politics 7. Economics: Bubbles and Crashes Beyond Animal Spirits Economic Decisions Booms and Bubbles: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Panics and Crashes: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Mindful Economics Reflexivity Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 7: Economics 8. Anthropology: Religion Cultures Religion The Latter-Day Saint Religion: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Why is the LDS Church Successful? Why is Religion Generally So Successful? Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 8: Anthropology 9. History and International Relations: War Explaining War History International Relations Nationalism Origins of the First World War: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Minds and Groups Historical Explanation Social Cognitivism as a Theory of International Relations Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 9: History Part III. Professions 10. Medicine: Mental Illness Mind, Society, and the Professions Medicine Mental Illness Depression: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Depression: Multilevel Mechanisms Treating Depression Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 10: Medicine 11. Law: Wrongful Conviction and Criminal Responsibility Legal Mechanisms Legal Coherence Wrongful Conviction: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Explaining Wrongful Convictions The Brain and Legal Responsibility Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 11: Law 12. Education: Teaching and Conceptual Change Learning and Teaching Vaccination: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Conceptual Change Teaching Better Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 12: Education 13. Engineering: Creative Design Creative Engineering Steve Jobs and Apple: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Engineering Creativity Teaching Creativity Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 13: Engineering 14. Business: Leadership and Marketing Vision Emotional Intelligence Charisma Leadership of Ed Catmull: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Marketing and Emotional Coherence Apple's Marketing: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Enhancing Collective Emotional Intelligence Professions and Social Change Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 14: Business References Index

Additional information

GOR013134594
9780190678722
0190678720
Mind-Society: From Brains to Social Sciences and Professions by Paul Thagard (Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, University of Waterloo)
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Oxford University Press Inc
2019-03-21
488
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

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