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Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy A Scientific Re-Examination of the Mind-Body Problem David Låg Tomasi Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy “A ‘scientific re-examination of the mind-body problem’ is certainly a ‘difficult task’ and Tomasi seems to navigate the rough water with a safe methodological approach. The book provides the reader with a comprehensive overview, which exhibits a remarkable balance in the presentation of disputed topics. In addition, the author provides the necessary tools to have both people with science or phi- losophy backgrounds acquainted to the topic. Neuro-lovers will appreciate and learn from the presentation of the numerous neuroscience ‘sub-branches,’ together with details on the methodological approaches used in the neuroscience research. Philosophers will enjoy the freedom and degree of theoretical abstraction, unusual in neurobiology books. Tomasi does in fact analyse the ‘mind-body problem’ with a critical appraisal that combines the rigidness of the scientific method with the speculative insight and thoroughness of the philosophy. The combination of the two sources of knowledge makes this book a fundamental tool for those who share the need to bridge the (apparent) gap between science and philosophy. Another key adjective for describing the book is multidisciplinary. The author spans from logic to quantum mechanics, from medicine to informatics, from reli- gion to ethics, from theory to practice. In all the cases the rigor in defining critical words makes even a lay reader feel like taken by the hand during the journey.” —Francesco Orzi, Professor of Neurology, Sapienza University of Rome (retired), and member of the Accademia dei Fisiocritici, Siena, Italy “Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy is impressive in many ways—from the scope and variety of information analyzed to the inspiration that scientists, philosophers, and the wider public will find in it. Bringing together and setting apart mind and body, self and world provokes thought and evokes emotion. I read it without stop- ping for breath. Razor sharp till the last detail in such a difficult field as neurosci- ence in its relationship to existential problems.” — Aneta Karageorgieva, Professor, former Chair of the Department of Philosophy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski” Bulgaria, and member of the Bulgarian Society for Analytic Philosophy “Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy really resonated with me because every day at OVR I work at the intersection of the mind and body. I find myself in a feedback loop while pursuing a deeper understanding of their connection as well as how to manipulate both of them simultaneously to produce positive human outcomes. This involves looking for links between science and philosophy, emotion and rea- son, data and intuition. Tomasi’s book detailing how all of these elements are inextricably linked to one another, from a neurophysical standpoint is poignant. It is especially relevant today, not only to my work, but to how we collectively think about human factors across all fields, markets, and disciplines.” —Aaron Wisniewski, CEO, OVR Technology LLC, USA “David Tomasi has written simply the book we were waiting for, the book that the current fields in medicine and psychology badly need. Human beings are an amaz- ing paradox between mind and body. The author has written really a remarkable book about the correlation between mind and body, from a neuroscientific stand- point. Soul and matter seen by a comprehensive and critical perspective of results in neuroscientific research and epistemological issues. Particularly notable is the choice to critically discuss also the applicability of these results and concepts in clinical medical and philosophical-existential situations. This outstanding volume offers a complete overview of theoretical information about brain, psyche, culture, bringing an ideal combination of scientific and clini- cal perspectives to the topic. The author had the courage to say that philosophy is a basic approach toward neuroscience and more and more to speak about subjec- tivity in science, in terms of the unique truth we can reach and of the unique solu- tion we have actually available to the mind-body problem. This book offers a paradigm shifting approach, scientifically based, empirically researched, for all professionals in search of more refined ways to conceptualize connection between mind and body, up to reach the Triple-S Model: Self, Soul, Spirit as a solving review of the fascinating mystery of our double nature, spiritual and embodied at the same time. A book that will change the way you think, a must read that I can’t recommend more highly.” —Erica F. Poli, Psychiatrist-Psychotherapist, IEDTA, ISTDP Institute, EFP Group, Milan, Italy “In Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy - A Scientific Re-Examination of the Mind-Body Problem, David Tomasi takes on a substantial task in this work on ‘Critical Neuroscience.’ He presents, in an entertaining, taxonomic style, the most important areas of scientific inquiry to ‘determine the theories, methods, tech- niques, and technologies used in recent times to investigate the connection between neural activation and multiple aspects of human nature’ (p.16). His work covers a vast and complex range of topics, starting from the purely biological physicalist viewpoint, discussing the most common subfields of neuroscience that deal with the neural underpinnings of psychological processes, with special atten- tion to the central nervous system, particularly the brain. In the same way that Michel Foucault produced an archaeology of the human sciences in his book The Order of Things, Tomasi aims to achieve something similar in this book of sifting about neuroscience. His work is critical in the epistemological sense of ‘providing a critique and criticism of the assumptions, methods, methodologies, theories, techniques, and technologies, and observation/interpretation of results in neuroscientific research,’ but is also critical in the sense of ‘applied and applicable to critical clinical-medical and philosophical-existential situations’ (p.13). But a central and consistent plank of his position to keeping in mind the principle that it is ‘impossible to completely avoid the subjective element in any scientific field dealing with human nature’ (p11), and challenges throughout the prevailing ‘Cartesian “dualistic” model of the primacy (“supremacy”) of human thought’ (p.41). And a significant conclu- sion on his part is his view that there is adequate ‘evidence of the existence of states, of multiple modalities of perceiving, understanding, and being, and of a non-physically-based-matter-based form of mind, soul, spirit’ (292). What I appreciated about the work is that he achieves his aim of promoting the idea of Philosophy as a basic approach toward Neuroscience and consistently attempts to be flexible in ‘moving the focus back and forth from the smallest detail to the bigger picture’ (p.261). He also retains a certain pragmatism in the work and never claims to have found a final solution (to the mind-body problem) because ‘we do not think that there could be such thing as something “final” given’ (p.291). I like the way that he consistently maintains, as a clinician, a view of another essential aspect of this study, i.e. the promotion of appropriate ideas for the amelio- ration of care for our patients’ (269). And, again in the same clinical vein, he looks for a balanced outcome in the subjectivity/scientific objectivity debate saying that ‘we should not try to eliminate (our) subjectivity in reaching a more objective understanding, and in the the same way we should not try to eliminate the place effect in reaching a more universal (statistically intended) healing method’ (292). This work is very helpful to me as a practicing psychotherapist. Whilst I have a basic understanding of neuroscience and the mind-body debate, this work has substantially widened and deepened my understanding of the critical issues and debates in this area. A knowledge of neuroscience is essential in my clinical practice and David Tomasi’s taxonomic approach provides a valuable and concise insight into a vast area of clinical knowledge usually only accessible by experts in the neu- roscience field.” —Tom Conlon, Clinical Director, Tri-Factor Health, Ireland David Låg Tomasi Critical Neuroscience and Philosophy A Scientific Re-Examination of the Mind-Body Problem David Låg Tomasi University of Vermont Integrative Health University of Vermont Medical Center, Department of Inpatient Psychiatry Burlington, VT, USA ISBN 978-3-030-35353-7 ISBN 978-3-030-35354-4 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35354-4 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free
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