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The Whole Person
Toward a Naturalism of Minds and Persons
- 1st Edition - November 27, 2024
- Author: Mark H. Bickhard
- Language: English
- Paperback ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 3 0 5 0 - 6
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 3 3 0 5 1 - 3
The Whole Person explores the realms of theory and philosophy concerning minds and persons. This book presents models of the emergent realization of multiple mental proces… Read more
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Request a sales quoteThe Whole Person explores the realms of theory and philosophy concerning minds and persons. This book presents models of the emergent realization of multiple mental processes, and of the constitution of social realities and social persons. Each chapter explores prevalent theoretical and philosophical assumptions that obstruct the acceptance of models depicting emergent realization, offering analyses of these barriers, and demonstrating ways to overcome them. Rooted in the framework of process metaphysics, this book models metaphysically genuine emergence, paving the way for a comprehensive model of multifarious normative emergences. These normative emergences include phenomena such as function-dysfunction, representational truth and falsity, rational-irrational, ethical-unethical, and others that shape our mental and social landscapes. The discussion extends to the macro-evolutionary culmination of mental processes in a model of reflective consciousness. The book then extends its exploration to the foundational role of mental processes in the emergence of social realities and persons, with language acting as a core element in these emergences. Addressing evolutionary aspects, brain processes, developmental processes, moral normativities, and self-consistency considerations, The Whole Person presents a holistic integration of decades of constructive work.
Endorsements:
"This ambitious, yet unpretentious, carefully constructed and argued book is a must read for anyone with serious interest in the nature of persons and the psychology of personhood. Mark Bickhard’s The Whole Person is a sustained and convincing narrative about our individual and collective evolution and emergence as the unique beings that we are. Of particular interest is his account of the emergence of persons as homo-socius. Here, Professor Bickhard captures key, but often overlooked, historical, sociocultural, and socio-developmental dynamics and processes that make us who we are—a species constantly interacting with each other and the world in a never-ending process of mutual co-constitution. By theorizing a process metaphysics replete with emergent normativity that does not clash with a naturalistic ontological psychology, Bickhard takes a giant step toward seeing ourselves as we are and as we might become." -- Jack Martin, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University
"A typical psychological theory offers narrow generalizations about data sets obtained by semi-proprietary empirical methods. The basic empirical research on which such theories have depended is in crisis: tremendous effort has gone into ill-motivated studies, applying statistics inappropriately to inadequate samples, too often generating irreproducible results. The kind of theory that psychology needs is broad and deep, pays no respect to boundaries between specialties, makes falsifiable predictions, and answers to arguments in principle. The Whole Person presents just such a theory; psychologists, whether their aim is to extend it and support it or to challenge it and refute it, will benefit from studying it closely." -- Robert L. Campbell, Professor (Emeritus), Psychology, Clemson University
"There are three challenges that the discipline of psychology faces. One is to grapple with contemporary movements in evolution and science that challenge the way psychologists tend to do their research. Another is the challenge that comes from global interconnectedness, which is that we have to take into account how culture and cultural variance entwine with psychological phenomena. The third is that psychology is not really a discipline per se and it is fractured into many different silos, which means that it is rare to see much-needed work that is broad in scope. The brilliance of Mark's book: "The Whole Person" is that it engages with very sophisticated and cutting edge science to offer a broad account of human psychology that is exactly what we need in current psychological theorizing. The book generatively weaves together important ideas from evolutionary and biological thought with a sophisticated understanding of human sociocultural life. The result is a work of tremendous scope that will inspire researchers to revise their research programs and generate new lines of inquiry." -- Jim Cresswell, Professor at Ambrose University and Editor of the Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (APA).
"Mark Bickhard’s magnum opus, The Whole Person, is an exhilarating, comprehensive re-orientation of our methods, models and understanding of human being, behaviour and agency. His key question may be posed: How is any (re)presenting at all physiologically possible? Bickhard’s ‘Interactivism’ develops a sophisticated thermodynamic model of how (inter alia) biological organisms are at all possible, including how organisms can sense, perceive and behave effectively within their environs. Interactivism centrally addresses issues of physiological and psychological processes to understand (inter alia) how our physiology and psychology can subserve normative issues of validity, including reference, ascription, accuracy, truth and (cognitive) justification. The Whole Person is lucid, fascinating, penetrating and justifiedly heterodox; this landmark work should be widely and deeply read across the disciplines engaged in cognitive sciences, cognitive psychology and philosophy of knowledge." – Kenneth R. Westphal, M.A.E., Professor of Philosophy (ret.).
Endorsements:
"This ambitious, yet unpretentious, carefully constructed and argued book is a must read for anyone with serious interest in the nature of persons and the psychology of personhood. Mark Bickhard’s The Whole Person is a sustained and convincing narrative about our individual and collective evolution and emergence as the unique beings that we are. Of particular interest is his account of the emergence of persons as homo-socius. Here, Professor Bickhard captures key, but often overlooked, historical, sociocultural, and socio-developmental dynamics and processes that make us who we are—a species constantly interacting with each other and the world in a never-ending process of mutual co-constitution. By theorizing a process metaphysics replete with emergent normativity that does not clash with a naturalistic ontological psychology, Bickhard takes a giant step toward seeing ourselves as we are and as we might become." -- Jack Martin, Professor Emeritus, Simon Fraser University
"A typical psychological theory offers narrow generalizations about data sets obtained by semi-proprietary empirical methods. The basic empirical research on which such theories have depended is in crisis: tremendous effort has gone into ill-motivated studies, applying statistics inappropriately to inadequate samples, too often generating irreproducible results. The kind of theory that psychology needs is broad and deep, pays no respect to boundaries between specialties, makes falsifiable predictions, and answers to arguments in principle. The Whole Person presents just such a theory; psychologists, whether their aim is to extend it and support it or to challenge it and refute it, will benefit from studying it closely." -- Robert L. Campbell, Professor (Emeritus), Psychology, Clemson University
"There are three challenges that the discipline of psychology faces. One is to grapple with contemporary movements in evolution and science that challenge the way psychologists tend to do their research. Another is the challenge that comes from global interconnectedness, which is that we have to take into account how culture and cultural variance entwine with psychological phenomena. The third is that psychology is not really a discipline per se and it is fractured into many different silos, which means that it is rare to see much-needed work that is broad in scope. The brilliance of Mark's book: "The Whole Person" is that it engages with very sophisticated and cutting edge science to offer a broad account of human psychology that is exactly what we need in current psychological theorizing. The book generatively weaves together important ideas from evolutionary and biological thought with a sophisticated understanding of human sociocultural life. The result is a work of tremendous scope that will inspire researchers to revise their research programs and generate new lines of inquiry." -- Jim Cresswell, Professor at Ambrose University and Editor of the Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (APA).
"Mark Bickhard’s magnum opus, The Whole Person, is an exhilarating, comprehensive re-orientation of our methods, models and understanding of human being, behaviour and agency. His key question may be posed: How is any (re)presenting at all physiologically possible? Bickhard’s ‘Interactivism’ develops a sophisticated thermodynamic model of how (inter alia) biological organisms are at all possible, including how organisms can sense, perceive and behave effectively within their environs. Interactivism centrally addresses issues of physiological and psychological processes to understand (inter alia) how our physiology and psychology can subserve normative issues of validity, including reference, ascription, accuracy, truth and (cognitive) justification. The Whole Person is lucid, fascinating, penetrating and justifiedly heterodox; this landmark work should be widely and deeply read across the disciplines engaged in cognitive sciences, cognitive psychology and philosophy of knowledge." – Kenneth R. Westphal, M.A.E., Professor of Philosophy (ret.).
- Presents models of how multiple mental processes are emergently realized, and of how social persons are constituted
- Discusses the problems of representation and their implications
- Reviews naturalism and normativity within the early 20th century
Researchers and graduate students in psychology, philosophy and cognitive science
- The Whole Person
- Cover image
- Title page
- Table of Contents
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Short contents
- Preface
- Naturalism and emergence
- Introduction
- Are persons natural?
- Conceptual barriers
- Previews
- A high-level overview
- Thematic surview
- Some further preview notes
- References
- Naturalism
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Initial understandings
- Temporal explanation
- Substance integrations
- Naturalism as a presupposition of inquiry
- Naturalism and metaphysics
- Contemporary naturalisms
- References
- Background metaphysics and epistemology
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Metaphysics: From substance to process
- Substance presuppositions and their implications
- Process metaphysics
- Epistemology: From passive to active
- The problem of representation: Mental representation
- Representational issues: Toward a philosophy of science (for understanding the mind and persons)
- References
- Through the twentieth century and the contemporary scene
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Some preliminary notes on metaphysics, ontology, and epistemology
- The historical heritage
- Nature and norm: A metaphysical split
- Into the modern era
- The 19th century setting
- Analytic philosophy and logical positivism
- A note on extrusion
- Russell
- Anti-Kantianism
- Wittgenstein, logic, and positivism
- Philosophy and science
- Naturalism and normativity in the early 20th century
- Logical positivism and science
- Quine: Demolition from within
- Whence the philosophy of science?
- In the wreckage
- Psychology: Behaviorism and psychoanalysis
- Behaviorism and positivism
- Psychoanalysis
- Cognitive science
- The end of the century
- References
- Metaphysics and emergence
- Abstract
- Keywords
- A broader metaphysical landscape
- Barriers to modeling emergence
- The logical form of “no ‘ought’ from ‘is’”
- Kim’s argument: The causal efficacy of emergents
- Emergence in organizations of processes
- Some further notes on process metaphysics
- Conclusion: Process and emergence
- References
- Biological foundations
- Overview of biological foundations
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Biology as self-organizing emergent process
- Self-organization
- The emergence of primitive autonomy
- The emergence of biological evolution
- Evolution of nested and distributed autonomies
- The modulation of metabolism
- Multicellularity
- Ontogenetic development
- Sex
- Muscle, bone, nerve
- References
- The emergence of normativity
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Biological function
- Contrast: Etiological models of function
- Elaborating the dynamic model of function
- The function of control
- The emergence of representational normativity
- The emergence of truth value: Success in agency
- The emergence of truth value: Agentic predication
- The emergence of truth value: Content
- Two challenges: Object representation and sensory representations
- Analyses of alternative models of representation
- Encodingism
- Representation still resists naturalization
- Some properties of representation
- Desiderata for models of representation
- Is the interactivist model necessary as an account of representation?
- References
- A macroevolutionary ratchet: Basic species capacities for Homo Sapiens
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Interactive knowing
- Aspects and specializations
- Microgenesis
- Learning
- The dynamics of learning as variation and selective retention
- A step in the ratchet
- Microgenetic anticipatory success as the “engine” of learning
- Emotions: A functionally emergent perspective
- Increased adaptability of emotions
- Warrant for models of emotions
- Positive and negative emotions
- The ratchet again
- Reflective consciousness
- Warrant for identification as reflective consciousness
- References
- Minds and persons: Aspects, specializations, developments, and further emergents
- The mentality of Homo Sapiens
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Further elaborations of interactive knowing
- Some situation knowledge organizational principles
- Higher order motivation
- Themes
- Microgenesis: Some micro-scale and functional considerations
- The central nervous system as a dynamic system
- Minimal agency and action
- Thinking and conceptualizing
- Thought and action
- Knowing and other species capacities
- Further elaborations of interactive learning
- Beyond minimal learning
- Learning normativities
- Local interaction and local learning
- Memory
- Development: Historicities of learning
- Further elaborations of interactive emotions
- Emotions and learning
- Some first differentiations in the space of affectivity
- Emotion and directed attention
- CNS microgenetic uncertainty and emotion
- Further elaborations of interactive reflective consciousness
- Functions of reflection
- The evolution of reflective nervous systems
- Consciousness in a natural world
- Intentionality I
- References
- Persons: The emergence of Homo Socius
- Abstract
- Keywords
- The ontological emergence of sociality
- Conventions: Regularities versus normativities
- Situation conventions
- Proliferations of emergences of social normativities
- Persons
- Language
- Social processes, social relations, social structure
- Culture
- Developmental emergence beyond the species envelope
- Development
- Emergent normativities
- References☆
- Reflexive consistencies of the model
- Reflexive consistencies: Introduction
- Abstract
- Keywords
- Philosophy of science
- Consistency with respect to science
- Some further issues
- Phenomenology and the natural world
- Consistency with respect to experiencing
- A brief contrast: Pure idealism
- References
- Concluding discussion
- Naturalistic ontological psychology
- Abstract
- Keywords
- References
- References
- Index
- No. of pages: 514
- Language: English
- Edition: 1
- Published: November 27, 2024
- Imprint: Academic Press
- Paperback ISBN: 9780443330506
- eBook ISBN: 9780443330513
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Mark H. Bickhard
Mark Bickhard is the Henry R. Luce Professor in Cognitive Robotics and the Philosophy of Knowledge at Lehigh University, and is affiliated with the Departments of Philosophy and Psychology. His work ranges from process metaphysics and emergence to consciousness, cognition, language, and functional models of brain processes, to persons and social ontologies. Bickhard’s work on cognition features a model of cognition as emergent in agent processes for interacting with the world.
Affiliations and expertise
Lehigh University, Department of Psychology, Bethlehem, PA, USARead The Whole Person on ScienceDirect