The problem of mind and matter lies at the intersection of physiology, physics, psychology, morals, law and religion. Not only is it a key issue in human knowledge, it could be argued that it is the key issue, since the conclusions one reaches here affect everything else. The vexing interpenetrating dualism of mind and body is apparent in almost every moment of our lives. The power of the body over the mind is obvious each time we have a headache, or take a glass too many of whisky. The detachment of the mind from the body is equally obvious whenever we wonder what another person is really thinking. A moment's intense introspection on re-reading one's own diary may show how difficult it is to express what we really think and feel in words, even should we want to. The question comes most sharply at the death of someone that one loves. Where is that person now? Has their consciousness gone off to another plane of existence? Is all that is left just a heap of ashes and some fading memories?
There is a vast literature in this field. Most of it is dominated by the attempt to understand the mind / body connection from the standpoint of science. This means detailed studies of the chemical and electrical workings of the brain , together with speculations that the brain works as a super computer, and that the final connection between consciousness and matter is to be found in the arcane mathematics of quantum physics. While being committed to science, SMN members will want to approach the problem from both sides, and will want the reality of the mind and its dimensions also to be taken into account. This brief bibliography has that bias.
As good an introduction as any is given by the Journal of Consciousness Studies ( Imprint Academic PO Box 1, Thorverton EX5 5YX, U.K. ) and its back numbers. The list of books below is highly selective and merely indicates possible starting points.
AUSTIN, J.H. Zen & the Brain, MIT Press, 1998
Most books on the relation between mind and brain take our everyday
experience as the paradigm of what consciousness is. Austin practises Zen
meditation and this gives him a new and fresh perspective on the problem.
The result is fascinating mixture of detailed neuro-physiology and
metaphysical speculation. Is the hippocampus the seat of spiritual
enlightenment? Read on from here.
CHALMERS D.J. The Conscious Mind, O.U.P 1996
Over and against the reductionists Chalmers argues for the irreducibility
of consciousness. He insists that the materialists have not solved the
"hard problem" of consciousness. The easy problem is showing that physical
events in the brain have a correlation in consciousness. The "hard"
problem is showing that consciousness is nothing but the physical event.
Chalmers argues that not only has this problem not been solved, but that
it is systematically incapable of solution,
DENNETT D.C, Kinds of Mind: Towards an Understanding of Consciousness,
Basic Books N.Y. 1996
Dennett is the high priest of systematic reductionism, and everyone
interested in the mind/ body problem ought to read this popular
introduction to his ideas, especially those who do not like it. Dennett is
a materialist and a behaviourist. Thought is just talking. Introspection
is talking privately. One must presume therefore on his grounds
consciousness in animals does not exist.
ECCLES J.C. Evolution of Brain: Creation of the Self, Routledge 1989
Eccles knowledge as a scientist and his honesty as a human being compelled
him to be a dualist. Mind could not be reduced to matter, and matter could
not be reduced to mind. This is his last book on the topic. Some may doubt
that he solves the problems that systematic dualism creates, but his
clarity of analysis prevents easy alternatives.
FREEMAN W.J. How Brains make up their Minds, Weidenfeld & Nicholson 1999
Within the spectrum of various sorts of materialism, Freeman interprets
consciousness as something which emerges from the neuronal structure of
the brain. Consciousness is an action. It is not a mere representation as
information theory suggests.
GRIFFIN D.R . Parapsychology, Philosophy and Spirituality, State university
of New York Press 1997,
This is a devastating critique of naive materialism. Griffins argues
persuasively that whatever consciousness is, it cannot be systematically
derived from the physical and electrical operations of the brain. The
validated evidence of parapsychological research demands that we view the
dimensions of mind in a wider light.
McCRONE, J. Going Inside: A Tour Round a Single Moment of Consciousness,
Faber & Faber 1999
On the assumption that consciousness is produced by the brain, this is a
lucid and full account of how it is supposed to do it.
PENROSE, R. The Emperor's New Mind, Vintage 1990 This connects together metaphysics and physics, physiology and mathematics and takes the question beyond any naive materialism. The discussion of fundamental issues is lucid. Penrose does not say that the brain is a computer or that thought is computer software but he points to a convergence of the two. He does not quite say that matter and mathematics are different sides of the same ulitmate reality but he suggests that the answer lies in that direction.
PENROSE, R., Shadows of the Mind, Vintage, 1995
This provides a good example of the approach which speculates that mind
and matter intersect at the level of quantum phenomena in the brain. In
Penroses's case he suggests that this happens through quantum coherence in
the microtubules. He also suggests an interesting cyclical triangular
relationship between the Mental World, the Physical World and the Platonic
World of eternal mathematical forms. in which each of which is derived
from a sub-set of the other.
PUDDEFOOT, J. God and the Mind Machine, SPCK 1996
This is a sophisticated attempt to show that religious belief can be
compatible with the analysis of the mind/brain relation in terms of modern
Artificial Intelligence theory. Puddefoot is a "dual aspect" monist. That
is that mind and matter are twin aspects of a deeper reality which cannot
be fully explained by either by itself. He makes a good case out for this
approach.
RADIN D.L. The Conscious Universe, Harper Edge, 1998
This is a cool persuasive survey of the evidence for telepathy and
telekinesis. Its importance for the mind /body problem is the
demonstration that the interaction between mind and matter can take place
outside the brain, and indeed at very long distances outside the body
where the brain is situated. At one stroke the whole body of
neurophysiological reductionism is taken by the flank.
SPERRY R. Beyond a World Divided, Shamballa 1991
Sperry was the originator of the right brain-left brain division of mental
life which has now become a cliché. He argues against any naive
determinism in the form of "this chemical reaction in this brain cell
causes that thought or action". Within the brain there are hierarchies of
causation, and human thought can only be explained by downward causation
by a hierarchy which can only be understood in terms of itself. This is
the case for a very sophisticated form of materialism.
CHARLES TART (ed) Body, Mind & Spirit, Hampton Roads, 1997
This is a collection of essays on the central questions of mind and body.
The fallacies of materialism, and the dimensions of consciousness are all
given a controversial airing. The contributors do not agree with each
other, and this makes it all the more stimulating to read.
VELMANS, M. (ed ) The Science of Consciousness, Routledge 1996 This collection of essays by distinguished experts in the field provides a lucid guide to the various controversies, and a mine of background references.