Contents

Vol. 13, No. 3, March 2006

Refereed Papers

Harald Atmanspacher and Hans Primas  abstract
Pauli’s Ideas on Mind and Matter in the Context of Contemporary Science
Garry Young  abstract
Preserving the Role of Conscious Decision Making in the Initiation of Intentional Action
Sean A. Spence
The Cycle of Action: Commentary on Young
Vernon Pickles and Raya A. Jones  abstract
The Person Still Comes First: The Continuing Musical Self in Dementia
Anthony Freeman  full text
A Daniel Come to Judgement? Dennett and the Revisioning of Transpersonal Theory

Book Reviews  full text

John Dance
Ralph Pred, Onflow: Dynamics of Consciousness and Experience
Dimitris Platchias
David Woodruff Smith and Amie L. Thomasson, eds., Phenomenology and Philosophy of Mind
Roberta Tucker
Alan Palmer, Fictional Minds

ABSTRACTS

Harald Atmanspacher and Hans Primas

Pauli’s Ideas on Mind and Matter in the Context of Contemporary Science

In this contribution, we will give an overview of extraphysical interests of the distinguished physicist Wolfgang Pauli (1900–1958). He himself reviewed the main body of his corresponding views in three publications, the Kepler article (Pauli, 1952), the paper on Jung’s ideas of the unconscious (Pauli, 1954b), and the contribution to a conference at Mainz (Pauli, 1956b). But his extensive correspondence provides a much more comprehensive source of material in this respect. Pauli’s interest in Jung’s depth psychology was mainly focused on its structural, conceptual aspects. Therefore, we will not enter into the discussion of questions of psychological therapy as they may be recognized in parts of the Pauli–Jung dialogue. Pauli’s scientific work in the narrow sense and its impact on specific problems of contemporary theoretical physics will be addressed only insofar as they arise in the context of more general issues.

Correspondence: Dr. Harald Atmanspacher, IGPP, Department of Theory and Data Analysis, Wilhelmstrasse 3a, D 79098 Freiburg, Germany. Email: haa@igpp.de

Vernon Pickles and Raya A. Jones

The Person Still Comes First: The Continuing Musical Self In Dementia

Abstract: It is well known anecdotally that, for many people in dementia, the appreciation of music outlasts other faculties. Could the residual musicality constitute a ‘musical self’, an enduring fragment of the person that the sufferer used to be? The question, as far we know, has not been raised before. Towards formulating the hypothesis, this article examines some of the available research and theorizing concerning the self and the neurology of music and dementia. A unified neurocognitive ‘musical self’ system seems plausible, though at present the evidence is sketchy. Social-relational aspects of both selfhood and musical experience are also considered, and a case history is presented so as to highlight their importance for understanding the complex relationship between music, dementia, and selfhood.

Correspondence: Dr. R. A. Jones, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University, Glamorgan Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3WT, UK.
Email: JonesRA9@cardiff.ac.uk

Garry Young

Preserving the Role of Conscious Decision Making in the Initiation of Intentional Action

The aim of this paper is to challenge the claim that the neural activity commonly referred to as ‘readiness potential’ constitutes evidence for the unconscious initiation of action. Although I accept that such neural activity seriously challenges the commonly held view that one’s sense of volition is causally efficacious, I nevertheless contend that much of our everyday engagement with the world is consciously initiated. Thus, a distinction is made between awareness and what the awareness is of: the latter constituting the conscious decision to act in accordance with one’s goal, or what I have termed intentional project. Initiation of an action in accordance with one’s intentional project grounds the action in meaning, something that would be lacking in an exclusively unconscious decision to act.

Correspondence:
Dr Garry Young, Institute of Psychological Sciences,University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK. Email: G.M.Young@leeds.ac.uk

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