Plant Minds A Philosophical Defense
“Plant Minds: A Philosophical Defense” by Chauncey Maher, published by Routledge on March 5, 2019, explores the intriguing proposition that plants may possess minds. This 144-page book delves into the complexities surrounding the notion of plant cognition, challenging the traditional view that plants lack mental capacities. By examining contemporary scientific and philosophical perspectives, Maher encourages readers to reconsider what it means to have a mind, particularly in relation to living organisms like plants.
In “Plant Minds,” Maher connects empirical research on plant behavior with philosophical inquiries into the nature of minds. He presents a compelling argument against the presumption that plants do not have minds, highlighting the need to clarify both the capabilities of plants and the definition of a mind. The book culminates in a defense of a novel theory that suggests the possibility of plant cognition, primarily based on their status as living entities. This edition serves as an accessible introduction for non-experts interested in the intersections of philosophy, science, and botany.
Official synopsis Publisher
The idea that plants have minds can sound improbable, but some widely respected contemporary scientists and philosophers find it plausible. It turns out to be rather tricky to vindicate the presumption that plants do not have minds, for doing so requires getting clear about what plants can do and what exactly a mind is.
By connecting the most compelling empirical work on plant behavior with philosophical reflection on the concept of minds, Plant Minds aims to help non-experts begin to think clearly about whether plants have minds. Relying on current consensus ideas about minds and plants, Chauncey Maher first presents the best case for thinking that plants do not have minds. Along the way, however, he unearths an idea at the root of that case, the idea that having a mind requires the capacity to represent the world. In the last chapter, he defends a relatively new and insightful theory of mind that rejects that assumption, making room for the possibility that plants do have minds, primarily because they are alive.
plants do have minds, primarily because they are alive.
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