Science and Mind

Over the past sixty years, many scientists have disregarded the study of philosophy and labeled the conscious mind as indefinable. But the truth is that ever since the Reformation, science and philosophy have enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship. Philosophy provides science with both its creative spark and ethical guidelines, while advances in science continuously redefine the boundaries of philosophical thought.

Both disciplines have the same goal: uncovering the secrets of the universe and our place within it. In "Science and Mind," physicist and cryptologist John Bart Wilburn explores the historical connections between science and philosophy, starting with Descartes's radical description of rationalism in "Meditations on First Philosophy," a treatise that signaled the beginning of rational, modern thought.

Carefully paced and eminently readable, "Science and Mind "describes significant scientific and philosophical advancements in terms that can be easily understood by those outside the two disciplines, firmly establishing the impact modern, rationalist thinking has on our culture, our daily lives, and our very notion of self.