The Mind Matters: Consciousness and Choice in a Quantum World(Clarendon Paperbacks)

In this book David Hodgson presents a clear and compelling case against today's orthodox mechanistic view of the brain and mind, and in favour of the view that `the mind matters'. Although written from a philosophical viewpoint, the book has important implications for the sciences concerned with the brain and mind problem. At the same time, it is largely non-technical, and thus accessible to the non-specialist reader.

Table of Contents:
Introduction; Part I. Preliminaries: General approach and assumptions; Mental events; The consensus; Part II. Against Mechanism: More and different information; Plausible reasoning; Consciousness selected by evolution; Folk psychology; Transcending the code; Part III. Quantum Mechanics: Historical outline; Some mechanics and mathematics; The quantum mechanical state; The development of the quantum state; Combined systems; The measurement problem; Quantum theory and reality; Part IV. Mind and the world: Outline of a theory of mind; The self; Time; Sketches for a world-view; References; Author index; Subject index.

About the Author :
David Hodgson is a judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. His previous publication with Oxford University Press is Consequences of Utilitarianism (1967).

Review :
`a worthwhile contribution to an important debate. It is well written, his philosophy sound, and the description of quantum physics one of the best ever offered for the non-specialist.' Danah Zohar, Independent on Sunday `In this large-scale and ambitious work Hodgson attacks a modern orthodoxy. Both its proponents and its opponents will find it compelling reading.' J. R. Lucas, Merton College, Oxford `a well argued and extremely important book ... insights of startling clarity' Sheena Meredith, New Scientist `magisterial work ... There is ... much to admire in this book. It is balanced, extraordinarily thorough and scrupulously fair-minded; and it is written in clear, straightforward prose.' Michael Lockwood, Times Literary Supplement `Full credit must go to him for mastering the concepts of the physics involved to make this account admirably fulfil its intended purpose of gently introducing the mathematical structure of quantum mechanics to the reader unfamiliar with such things.' Marcus Cavalier, Times Higher Education Supplement `the book provides an extremely welcome, serious, critical and thought-provoking new look at questions long overdue for independent and progressive investigation.' David Tompsett, Times Higher Education Supplement `Hodgson's book is the best I have seen for giving a clear and balanced account of the history of the mind-body problem.' The Australian Physicist `An impressive attempt to unite consciousness and rarefied theory has been offered by David Hodgson, a NSW Supreme Court judge. His scientific exposition is crisp but demanding, and his exploration of paradox and puzzle in the quantum realm resembles a cool judicial summing-up.' Damien Broderick, The Australian `Hodgson attacks the mechanistic view of science and finds profound significance in the fiendishly counter-intuitive tenets of quantum mechanics.' Jose Borghino in The Sydney Morning Herald `this book is well worth reading for anyone interested in the deep and important questions it attempts to address' John Laurent in Metascience `Hodgson's writing is mercifully accessible, precise, and unpretentious, and any student recognising the importance of a "bigger picture" should find it rewarding labour.' Charles Langley, University of Melbourne, Australian Journal of Psychology, Vol. 46, No. 1, 1994 `The best parts of the book are Hodgson's descriptions of what he learned from his reading. His reconstructions and explanations are always concise and clear.' The Philosophical Review