Neurophilosophy with Patricia Churchland (BSP 55)

Episode 55 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with highly respected philosopher Patricia Churchland. Churchland is the author of Neurophilosophy and Brain?. She is currently on the faculty of the University of California at San Diego and she was a featured speaker at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in 2008.

In this interview we talked about neurophilosophy, which is an approach to philosophy of mind that gives high priority to incorporating the empiric findings of neuroscience. We also talk about the evolving relationship between philosophy and neuroscience. Churchland shares her enthusiasm for how the discoveries of neuroscience are changing the way we see ourselves as human beings. We also talked a little about the issues of reductionism that I first brought up in Episode 53.

Listen to Episode 55

Episode Transcript (Download PDF)

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SHOW NOTES

Recommended Reading:

• Brain-Wise: Studies in Neurophilosophy by Patricia Smith Churchland


• Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain by Patricia Smith Churchland


• Supersizing the Mind: Embodiment, Action, and Cognitive Extension by Andy Clark


• Liars, Lovers, and Heroes: What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are by Steven R. Quartz andTerrence J. Sejnowski


• The Really Hard Problem: Meaning in a Material World by Owen J. Flanagan


• Freedom Evolves by Daniel C. Dennett

Related Episodes of the Brain Science Podcast:

• Episode 5: Introduction to philosophy of mind and the question of consciousnes


• Episode 22: Interview with Christof Koch about Consciousness


• Episode 53: Discussion of Did My Neurons Make Me Do it? a defense of free will

Note: These show notes are preliminary. Check back in the next few days for added links.

Comments

[Brad Dowden]

Program #55 with Churchland was wonderful at explaining the interaction between neuroscience and philosophy of mind. Her discussion of free will was especially interesting to me. Thank you for inviting such an articulate person onto your show.