The Biological Mind: A Philosophical Introduction uses the philosophy of biology to introduce and assess the nature of the mind. It will also be an excellent resource for those in related fields such as biology.

Introduction 1. Altruism and Egoism 2. Designed for Altruism 3. Evolution and Psychology 4. Nature and Nurture 5. Consciousness, Reduction, and the Brain 6. The Neuroscience of Free Will 7. How the Mind Makes Meaning 8. Psychiatry and the Mismatched Mind. Index

"In this introductory volume, Garson offers a concise summary of several debates surrounding the interface between philosophy of biology and philosophy of mind. … Written with admirable clarity and wit, this book would make a great secondary text in an upper-level philosophy of biology or philosophy of mind course. Summing Up: Recommended." - Philip Jenkins, CHOICE"In this accessible and interesting book, Justin Garson shows why philosophy matters to understanding the biology of the mind. Scientists have made great progress on questions about altruism, free will, consciousness, and the impact of genes on mental activity, but it takes a philosopher to provide the needed clarification, connection, and caution. Garson is that philosopher." - Elliott Sober, University of Wisconsin - Madison, USA"Garson’s book is long overdue. Philosophers of mind need to be reminded that there is no mind without the brain, and the brain’s behavior is a matter of biology, not philosophy. At the same time naive biological reductionists must acknowledge that the complexity of mental life has no simple-minded explanation in terms of genes and natural selection. This book serves both tasks with admirable sophistication." - Sahotra Sarkar, University of Texas at Austin, USA"A wide-ranging, well-informed, and highly readable introduction to current debates in the philosophy of mind and psychology, presented through the lens of philosophy of biology and general philosophy of science. Garson's biologically oriented approach to the issues makes so much sense, one can't help but wonder why it's not more standard in the literature; by rights, it should be." - Philip Robbins, University of Missouri, USA"A wonderful, clear, lively, informative, and extremely accessible book. It is a terrific introduction to the philosophy of mind for those who want to explore the relation between our biological and psychological natures." - Karen Neander, Duke University, USA