Mind and Soul
Anthony Kenny
A New History of Western Philosophy May 26, 2005 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198752752.003.0007 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that philosophers of mind can be grouped into introvert and extrovert classes, with introverts focusing on introspective consciousness and extroverts on observable behavior and ascription criteria, citing Descartes, Hume, Aquinas, Wittgenstein, and Aristotle as examples. |
Abstract
Abstract Philosophers of mind, throughout history, can be grouped into two main classes: introvert and extrovert. Introvert philosophers believe that the way to understand the nature of the human mind is to look within oneself and to pay close attention to the phenomena of introspective consciousness. Extrovert philosophers start from the observable behaviour of human beings and inquire into the criteria by which we ascribe to others mental capacities, states, and activities. In the second millennium we could point to Descartes and Hume as paradigms of the introvert school, and Aquinas and Wittgenstein as illustrating, in diVerent degrees, the extrovert approach. Extroverts look, in the ancient world, to Aristotle as their champion; the