Scientific Realism and the Plasticity of Mind

• Preface; 1. Introduction; 2. The plasticity of perception; 3. The plasticity of understanding; 4. Our self-conception and the mind/body problem; 5. Sentential epistemologies and the natural science of epistemic engines; Bibliography; Index.

'This is a very ambitious book. Beginning with the premise of scientific realism (explained clearly in the first six pages), Churchland aims at little less than a 'transvaluation of all values'. If some of Churchland's more glowing descriptions sound rather like The Tao of Science, that is probably all to the good; the consequences drawn are important, vivid, and much better calculated to give life to the philosophical issues than aridly abstract discussions … I recommend the reading of this book to scientific realists and to diehard empiricists alike.' Bas C. Van Fraassen, The Canadian Journal of Philosophy