To Understand a Cat Methodology and Philosophy 1st Edition by Sam Rakover ISBN 978-9027252067 9027252068

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Product details: 

ISBN 10:  9027252068

ISBN 13: 978-9027252067

Author: Sam S. Rakover 

To understand a cat: methodology and philosophy rests on the realization that the everyday behavior of a cat (but other animals too) should be understood through a new approach, namely methodological dualism. It appeals to mechanistic explanation models and to mentalistic explanation models. It puts up the methodological idea that these models have to be combined in one theoretical structure according to the scientific game-rules. This approach shows that specific mentalistic explanations are generated from explanation models or schemes, which meet the demands of the scientific games-rules; and it proposes a new theoretical structure called the multi-explanation theory to generate particular theories, which provide us with efficient explanations for behavioral phenomena. The book delves deep into anthropomorphism, and the complex question of whether a cat has consciousness and free will, and examines the intricate relations of the mental, the computational, and the neurophysiological.(Series A)

Table of contents: 

Chapter 1. ‘Scientification’: Placing Anecdotes and Anthropomorphism Under the Umbrella of Science as the First Step

• An Ambush for a Night Moth

• Some Methodological Thoughts: Anthropomorphism and Anecdotes

• Scientific Observation and Anecdotes

• Scientific Explanation and Anthropomorphism

• A Methodological Proposal: ‘Equal Hypotheses Testing’

• Mechanistic Explanations and Mentalistic Explanations

Chapter 2. Anecdotes and the Methodology of Testing Hypotheses

• The Living Space of Max the Cat

• Pros and Cons of Observations of Max the Cat

• Construction and Testing of Hypotheses from Anecdotes

• Test of the Hypothesis that Max Ambushed the Night Moth for His Amusement

• Matching a Mentalistic Explanation to Behavior: The “Principle of New Application”

Chapter 3. Free Will, Consciousness, and Explanation

• The Methodological Status of Indicators of Private Behavior

• Indicators of Free Will in Max the Cat

• Discussion of Indicators of Free Will

• Indicators of Free Will, Consciousness, and Explanation

Chapter 4. The Structure of Mentalistic Theory and the Reasons for Its Use

• The Structure of a Theory

• Why Should One Use a Mentalistic Explanation?

Chapter 5. Three-Stage Interpretation

• Three-Stage Interpretation and the Principle of New Application

• Comparison with Other Approaches to Explaining Complex Behavior

• Can Max’s Behavior Ultimately Be Explained Mechanistically, as Simple Learning?

• Examples of Behavioral Episodes Explained as Simple Learning Processes

• Are Learning Processes Mechanistic or Mentalistic?

• Proposing Mechanistic Explanations for Mentalistic Behavioral Episodes

Chapter 6. Multi-Explanation Theory

• An Explanation Model, Empirical Test, and Multi-Explanation Theory

• Examples from Max’s Behavior and from Psychology

• Three Methodological Problems: Ad Hoc Explanation, Inconsistency, Incomparability

• Guidelines for Solving the Three Problems

• Matching Explanation Models to Phenomena

• Organizing Explanatory Units

• Does the Theory Solve the Problems?

• Multi-Explanation Theory and the H-D Method

• Comparison with Natural Science Explanations

Chapter 7. Establishing Multi-Explanation Theory (A): The Mentalistic Explanation Scheme

• A Model and Explanation Scheme

• Teleological Explanation Model and Folk Psychology

• Teleological Explanation and Refutation

• What is a Suitable Explanation Scheme?

• Mentalistic Explanation Model and Scientific Laws

• Intentional Stance

• Functional Analysis and Empirical Generalizations in Psychology

Chapter 8. Establishing Multi-Explanation Theory (B): Methodological Dualism

• Mental Causality

• Functionalism and Multiple Realizability

• The Computer and the Process of Decomposition

• Reduction

• Methodological Note on Multiple Realizability

• Consciousness

Chapter 9. Methodological Dualism and Multi-Explanation Theory in the Broad Philosophical Context

• Methodological Dualism, Scientification, Explanatory Dualism, Functionalism, and Levels of Explanation

• Multi-Explanation Theory and Other Theory-Building Approaches

• Multi-Explanation Theory, Understanding, Explanation, and Emergent Properties

• Two Kinds of Explanation and the Mosaic Example

• Emergent Properties and the Mosaic Example

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