An introduction to the mind–body problem, covering all the proposed solutions and offering a powerful new one. Philosophers from Descartes to Kripke have struggled with the glittering prize of modern and contemporary philosophy: the mind-body problem. The brain is physical. If the mind is physical, we cannot see how. If we cannot see how the mind is physical, we cannot see how it can interact with the body. And if the mind is not physical, it cannot interact with the body. Or so it seems. In this book the philosopher Jonathan Westphal examines the mind-body problem in detail, laying out the reasoning behind the solutions that have been offered in the past and presenting his own proposal. The sharp focus on the mind-body problem, a problem that is not about the self, or consciousness, or the soul, or anything other than the mind and the body, helps clarify both problem and solutions. Westphal outlines the history of the mind-body problem, beginning with Descartes. He describes mind-body dualism, which claims that the mind and the body are two different and separate things, nonphysical and physical, and he also examines physicalist theories of mind; antimaterialism, which proposes limits to physicalism and introduces the idea of qualia; and scientific theories of consciousness. Finally, Westphal examines the largely forgotten neutral monist theories of mind and body, held by Ernst Mach, William James, and Bertrand Russell, which attempt neither to extract mind from matter nor to dissolve matter into mind. Westphal proposes his own version of neutral monism. This version is unique among neutral monist theories in offering an account of mind-body interaction.

Science journalist John Horgan presents a radical new perspective on the mind-body problem and related issues such as consciousness, free will, morality and the meaning of life. Horgan argues that science will never discover an objectively true solution to the mind-body problem because such a solution does not exist. Horgan explores his thesis by delving into the professional and personal lives of nine mind-body experts, including neuroscientist Christof Koch, cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter, child psychologist Alison Gopnik, complexologist Stuart Kauffman, legal scholar and psychoanalyst Elyn Saks, philosopher Owen Flanagan, novelist Rebecca Goldstein, evolutionary biologist Robert Trivers, and economist Deirdre McCloskey.

Foreword by Dr. Mehmet Oz A renowned personal trainer to Olympic athletes, movie stars, Broadway actors, and supermodels, draws on twenty years of experience to create a powerful three-step fitness approach—combining mindful techniques with effective workouts—to achieve stunning results in only fifteen minutes a day. With a foreword by Dr. Mehmet Oz. Cutting edge research in the fields of neuroscience and neuropsychology shows that negative thinking prevents people from improving bad health and shedding excess weight. As the research makes clear, your mindset is the crucial factor when it comes to slimming down, toning up, and boosting overall well being. Joel Harper’s Mind Your Body provides simple, effective ways to harness your brainpower to make lasting changes. Utilizing his powerful three-step approach, readers will learn how to quickly and simply access mindful techniques, combine them with effective fifteen minute workouts, and eat simply and deliciously to quickly, efficiently, and effortlessly yield successful weight loss, a leaner and firmer body, reduced stress, improved health, increased happiness, and enhanced energy. You’ll notice improved mood, impulse control, motivation, and energy in just one day. In one week, you will have established new ways of thinking, moving, and eating that will deliver effortless weight loss, energy surges, and more restful sleep. At the end of four weeks, you will have dropped a dress size, lost up to ten pounds or more, shed fat, toned up, doubled your energy levels, and have bulletproof motivation—all thanks to a positive new outlook and fifteen minutes a day. Mind Your Body shows you how.

A practical and playful guide to balancing and maintaining physical and mental harmony.

Harness your mind-body connection for lasting ease and well-being In our busy, get-it-done-now culture, stress has become the new normal—a normal that’s embedding itself into our minds and our bodies. If left unchecked, stress can dictate how we think, feel, and act. Overwhelm, anxiousness, malaise, and unease are a daily experience. And over time, these stress-reactions turn into habits, leaving us stuck in a mental and physical rut. So, how can you soothe stress before it becomes your go-to? In this practical and accessible guide, you’ll find powerful and effective tools for calming stress in both mind and body. Based on the innovative Mind-Body Reset (MBR) program, you’ll learn how to stop stress in its tracks with simple somatic exercises. You’ll also discover how you can “reset” your nervous system, alleviate stress flare-ups, and boost your overall health and happiness. If you’re ready to combat stress, cultivate calm, and live a more vital life, it’s time for a reset!

Finally, Dreher provides a critical overview of the social and political context of this research, from the presentations of leading popularizers such as Bernie Siegel and Deepak Chopra, to the experiences of practitioners and patients, to the resistance of mainstream medicine, to the many exciting possibilities suggested by a deeper understanding of how mind and body are inextricably bound.

Originally published by Viking Penguin, 2014.