I read this in 1974 and it has stood me in good stead all these years.

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Product Description

This epoch-making book cuts through confused thinking and forces us to re-examine many cherished ideas about knowledge, imagination, consciousness and the intellect. The result is a classic example of philosophy.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76311 in Books
• Published on: 2000-08-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

About the Author
Gilbert Ryle was Waynflete Professor of Metaphysical Philosophy at the University of Oxford between 1945 and 1968 and editor of 'Mind' from 1947 to 1971. He died in 1976. Eminent philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel C. Dennett is the authorof Darwin's Dangerous Idea.

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Customer Reviews

A Matter of Mind
"The Concept of Mind" is one of the essential works of philosophy and one of the great books of the twentieth century. Western thought took a horrendous wrong turn with Cartesian dualism and it was not until Ryle's book in 1949 that we got back on track. Or at least should have done, for the idea that we are two separate entities - mind and body - still pervades, and muddies, our thinking, whether philosophical, theological or everyday.

Some of Ryle's followers have extended his ideas to the point of distortion, and would have us believe that mind and consciousness actually do not exist. Don't let such behaviourist extremism put you off. Ryle's feet were always more firmly on the ground. He defines the concept of mind, not invalidates it.

He has a lively, readable style (of how many philosophers can you say that?) and although a lot of his ideas do not have the novelty that they would have had half a century ago, this is still the best book with which to begin an investigation of the nature of mind and consciousness.

Review
The Concept of Mind is more than its "on the cover" description. The writing gives much more than the core subject matter of a philosophy contradicting the "ghost in the machine" philosophy. Whilst the subject matter is very interesting it is embellished by glorious vocabulary with deep definitions allowing a reader to learn as much about the meaning of words as the subject matter of the book. One word becomes a plethora of senses and the author carefully distinguishes the senses which are being applied to the explanation and theory against those which are not. This is an enlightening text.

slightly confused
Interesting read, starts well with a good introduction and the first few chapters give a very interesting slant on ryle's ideas and some good criticism of certain past philosophies. Maybe it's a bit dated now but I felt the book loses its way as it goes on, maybe it was above me but he seems to lose focus in some confused rambling in the last few chapters. Interesting though