Gilbert Ryle - The Concept of Mind: 60th Anniversary Edition

First published in 1949, Gilbert Ryles The Concept of Mind is one of the classics of twentieth-century philosophy. Described by Ryle as a sustained piece of analytical hatchet-work on Cartesian dualism, The Concept of Mind is a radical and controversial attempt to jettison once and for all what Ryle called the ghost in the machine: Descartes argument that mind and body are two separate entities.

As well as rejecting dualism about the mind, Ryle goes much further, arguing that more recent materialist or functionalist theories of mind do not solve the Cartesian puzzle either and even accept some of its fundamental, mistaken, propositions. It is because of these mistaken propositions that associated problems, such as mental causation and other minds, arise in the first place.

Ryle builds his case via an erudite and beautifully written account of the will, emotion, self-knowledge, sensation and observation, imagination and the intellect. Some of the problems he tackles, such as the distinction between knowing how and knowing that, challenged some of the bedrock assumptions of philosophy and continue to exert important influence on contemporary philosophy.

A classic work of philosophy, The Concept of Mind is essential reading for anyone interested in the nature of the mind and human behaviour. This sixtieth anniversary edition includes a substantial commentary by Julia Tanney. Together with the reissue of both volumes of Ryles Collected Papers, it provides essential reading for new readers interested not only in the history of analytic philosophy but in its power to challenge major currents in philosophy of mind and language today.

Gilbert Ryle (19001976) was a lecturer in philosophy at Christ Church College Oxford and in 1945 was elected to the Waynflete Chair of Metaphysical Philosophy; a position he held until his retirement in 1968. He was Editor of the journal Mind for almost twenty-five years.

Julia Tanney is Senior Lecturer of Philosophy at the University of Kent, and has held visiting positions at the Universities of Picardie and Paris-Sorbonne.

This new edition of Ryles classic work, with a substantial critical study by Julia Tanney, will make possible a re-assessment of Ryle and of the revolutionary potential ofThe Concept of Mind. Tanneys essay challenges every aspect of the familiar conception of Ryles thought, and shows that his ideas, properly understood, reveal fundamental problems within contemporary philosophy of mind and cognitive science. Ryles approach to philosophy of mind is, she claims, not even one which we have room for in our usual understanding of what the possible positions are in philosophy of mind. Tanneys treatment of Ryle is complex and subtle, and opens up important new ways of thinking in philosophy of mind and philosophy of language.

Cora Diamond, University of Virginia, USA

THE CONCEPT OF MIND

Gilbert Ryle

First published 1949 by Hutchinson

This edition published 2009 by Routledge
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This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2009.

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The Estate of Gilbert Ryle: Hertford College, University of Oxford
2009 Julia Tanney for Critical Commentary

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Ryle, Gilbert, 19001976
The concept of mind / by Gilbert Ryle.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Mind and body. I. Title.
BF161.R9 2009
128.2dc22
2008054171

ISBN 0-203-87585-0 Master e-book ISBN

ISBN10: 0-415-48547-9 (hbk)
ISBN10: 0-203-87585-0 (ebk)

ISBN13: 978-0-415-48547-0 (hbk)
ISBN13: 978-0-203-87585-8 (ebk)