Plant Minds

A Philosophical Defense

Chauncey Maher, Jim Sias

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English

Routledge
05 March 2019

Philosophy of mind; Cognition & cognitive psychology; Botany & plant sciences

Series: Routledge Focus on Philosophy

The idea that plants have minds can sound improbable, but some widely respected contemporary scientists and philosophers find it plausible. It turns out to be rather tricky to vindicate the presumption that plants do not have minds, for doing so requires getting clear about what plants can do and what exactly a mind is.

By connecting the most compelling empirical work on plant behavior with philosophical reflection on the concept of minds, Plant Minds aims to help non-experts begin to think clearly about whether plants have minds. Relying on current consensus ideas about minds and plants, Chauncey Maher first presents the best case for thinking that plants do not have minds. Along the way, however, he unearths an idea at the root of that case, the idea that having a mind requires the capacity to represent the world. In the last chapter, he defends a relatively new and insightful theory of mind that rejects that assumption, making room for the possibility that plants do have minds, primarily because they are alive.

By: Chauncey Maher
Illustrated by: Jim Sias
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm,
Weight: 185g
ISBN: 9780367258467
ISBN 10: 0367258463
Series: Routledge Focus on Philosophy
Pages: 144
Publication Date: 05 March 2019
Audience: College/higher education , Primary , A / AS level
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

1. Do Plants Have Minds? 2. Perceiving 3. Feeling 4. Remembering 5. Acting 6. Mind in Life

Chauncey Maher is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Dickinson College, USA. He is the author of The Pittsburgh School of Philosophy (Routledge, 2012).

Reviews for Plant Minds: A Philosophical Defense

"""Maher is an admirably clear and engaging writer ...the chapters are just the right length, the text is beautifully illustrated, and the overviews of plant physiology and biochemistry are fascinating. In short: Plant Minds is a lovely and accessible text for the uninitiated."" – Bob Fischer in Metapsychology ""Chauncey Maher's book provides a compact primer on the growing scientific appreciation for the range and sophistication of plant behavior … His enthusiasm for the marvels of plant physiology and the complexity of their responses to environmental stimuli is conveyed in a conversational tone."" – Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews"