This work by a philosopher well versed in current psychological movements is clearly the best contemporary introduction to the quest for a science of mind.... Showing the requisite respect for each of the major thinkers or movements that he examines—Descartes, James, Freud, Skinner, Piaget, Kohlberg, cognitive scientists, Proponents of artificial intelligence, sociobiologists—[Flanagan] exposes in each case the presuppositions and the limitations, raises penetrating questions about the coherence and adequacy of the theories.
To survey the contemporary scene as intelligently and judiciously as Flanagan does here is no mean accomplishment. As an unpolemical guide to current issues in the philosophy of psychology, it is an important contribution to the literature.
Gerald E. Myers, Graduate Center, CUNY
Teaching Philosophy