Book reviews
Reality+ by David Chalmers, in The Philosopher 2022
The Promise of Artificial Intelligence by Brian Cantwell Smith, TLS 2020. No paywall version: 'Computers don't give a damn': the AI fantasy
Thinking about Things by Mark Sainsbury, NDPR 2019
Seven Types of Atheism by John Gray, Wall Street Journal 2018
Being Human, by Rowan Williams, TLS 2018
'Aristotle Returns' critical notice of Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives in the Philosophy of Science, edited by Robert Koons, Nicholas Teh and William Simpson, First Things 2018
Sex and Secularism by Joan Wallach Scott, Tocqueville21, 2018. Scott's response, and my response to it, is here.
Portraits of Wittgenstein ed. Ian Ground and F.A. Flowers, TLS 2016
Frank Cioffi: The Philosopher in Shirtsleeves by David Ellis, NDPR 2016
A Dictionary of Untranslatables ed. Barbara Cassin, TLS 2015
Truth: Philosophy in Transit by John D Caputo, TLS 2014
The Reference Book by John Hawthorne and David Manley, TLS 2012
Soul Dust: the Magic of Consciousness by Nicholas Humphrey TLS 2011
I Drink therefore I am by Roger Scruton, Philosophy 2011
LOT2 by Jerry A. Fodor, TLS September 2009
Disjunctivism: Perception, Action, Knowledge, edited by Adrian Haddock and Fiona Macpherson, and Disjunctivism: Contemporary Readings, edited by Alex Byrne and Heather Logue, TLS July 2009
The Really Hard Problem by Owen Flanagan, TLS 5521 January 23 2009, 24
In the Space of Reasons: Selected Essays of Wilfrid Sellars, and Wilfrid Sellars: Fusing the Images by Jay Rosenberg, London Review of Books 30 no. 12, 19 June 2008: 33-35 [NB This is longer than the published version]
All the Power in the World, by Peter Unger, TLS May 2007
Mind Time by Benjamin Libet, TLS January 2005
Intentionality: Past and Future, edited by Gábor Forrai & George Kampis, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
The Mind’s Provisions by Vincent Descombes, European Journal of Philosophy 12: 2004, 399-424
Hume Variations by Jerry Fodor, TLS May 2004
In Defence of Pure Reason by Laurence BonJour, Mind 112: July 2003, 502-506
Purple Haze by Joseph Levine, Phenomenal Consciousness by Peter Carruthers, and The Nature of Consciousness by Mark Rowlands TLS No 5176, June 14 2002: 9-10
A Survey of Metaphysics by E.J. Lowe and Metaphysics edited by Michael J. Loux, THES May 2002
The Paradox of Self-Consciousness by José Luis Bermúdez, Philosophical Review 2001
Perception and Reason by Bill Brewer & The Nature of Perception by John Foster, THES December 2001
Knowledge and its Limits by Timothy Williamson, The Economist August 2001
Mind in a Natural World by Jaegwon Kim, TLS August 2000
Bertrand Russell 1921-1970: The Ghost of Madness by Ray Monk The Economist October 2000
‘How to Define your (Mental) Terms: a Critical Notice of Deconstructing the Mind by Stephen P. Stich’, Inquiry 41, 1998, 341-354
What Minds Can Do by Pierre Jacob, European Journal of Philosophy 1999
The Nature of Consciousness edited by N. Block et al, THES January 1999
Mental Reality by Galen Strawson, Ratio 10, April 1997, 82-90
The Mystery of Consciousness by John Searle, The Economist December 13 1997, 11-12
Causes and Coincidences by David Owens, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 1996, 146-148
Soul-Searching by Nicholas Humphrey, Nature 6567, March 1996, 685
Physicalism: the Philosophical Foundations by Jeffrey Poland TLS 4831 November 1995, 28
A Study of Concepts by Christopher Peacocke, European Journal of Philosophy 2, December 1994, 352-356
Representation, Meaning and Thought by Grant Gillett, Philosophical Books 35, 1994, 122-124
The Rediscovery of the Mind by John Searle, International Journal of Philosophical Studies 1, October 1993, 313-324
Sensory Qualities by Austen Clark, TLS 4714, July 1993, 28
The Imagery Debate by Michael Tye, Mind 102, July 1993, 535-538
Dretske & his Critics edited by Brian McLaughlin, International Journal of Philosophical Studies 1, October 1993, 379-381
The Promise of Artificial Intelligence by Brian Cantwell Smith, TLS 2020. No paywall version: 'Computers don't give a damn': the AI fantasy
Thinking about Things by Mark Sainsbury, NDPR 2019
Seven Types of Atheism by John Gray, Wall Street Journal 2018
Being Human, by Rowan Williams, TLS 2018
'Aristotle Returns' critical notice of Neo-Aristotelian Perspectives in the Philosophy of Science, edited by Robert Koons, Nicholas Teh and William Simpson, First Things 2018
Sex and Secularism by Joan Wallach Scott, Tocqueville21, 2018. Scott's response, and my response to it, is here.
Portraits of Wittgenstein ed. Ian Ground and F.A. Flowers, TLS 2016
Frank Cioffi: The Philosopher in Shirtsleeves by David Ellis, NDPR 2016
A Dictionary of Untranslatables ed. Barbara Cassin, TLS 2015
Truth: Philosophy in Transit by John D Caputo, TLS 2014
The Reference Book by John Hawthorne and David Manley, TLS 2012
Soul Dust: the Magic of Consciousness by Nicholas Humphrey TLS 2011
I Drink therefore I am by Roger Scruton, Philosophy 2011
LOT2 by Jerry A. Fodor, TLS September 2009
Disjunctivism: Perception, Action, Knowledge, edited by Adrian Haddock and Fiona Macpherson, and Disjunctivism: Contemporary Readings, edited by Alex Byrne and Heather Logue, TLS July 2009
The Really Hard Problem by Owen Flanagan, TLS 5521 January 23 2009, 24
In the Space of Reasons: Selected Essays of Wilfrid Sellars, and Wilfrid Sellars: Fusing the Images by Jay Rosenberg, London Review of Books 30 no. 12, 19 June 2008: 33-35 [NB This is longer than the published version]
All the Power in the World, by Peter Unger, TLS May 2007
Mind Time by Benjamin Libet, TLS January 2005
Intentionality: Past and Future, edited by Gábor Forrai & George Kampis, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews
The Mind’s Provisions by Vincent Descombes, European Journal of Philosophy 12: 2004, 399-424
Hume Variations by Jerry Fodor, TLS May 2004
In Defence of Pure Reason by Laurence BonJour, Mind 112: July 2003, 502-506
Purple Haze by Joseph Levine, Phenomenal Consciousness by Peter Carruthers, and The Nature of Consciousness by Mark Rowlands TLS No 5176, June 14 2002: 9-10
A Survey of Metaphysics by E.J. Lowe and Metaphysics edited by Michael J. Loux, THES May 2002
The Paradox of Self-Consciousness by José Luis Bermúdez, Philosophical Review 2001
Perception and Reason by Bill Brewer & The Nature of Perception by John Foster, THES December 2001
Knowledge and its Limits by Timothy Williamson, The Economist August 2001
Mind in a Natural World by Jaegwon Kim, TLS August 2000
Bertrand Russell 1921-1970: The Ghost of Madness by Ray Monk The Economist October 2000
‘How to Define your (Mental) Terms: a Critical Notice of Deconstructing the Mind by Stephen P. Stich’, Inquiry 41, 1998, 341-354
What Minds Can Do by Pierre Jacob, European Journal of Philosophy 1999
The Nature of Consciousness edited by N. Block et al, THES January 1999
Mental Reality by Galen Strawson, Ratio 10, April 1997, 82-90
The Mystery of Consciousness by John Searle, The Economist December 13 1997, 11-12
Causes and Coincidences by David Owens, British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 1996, 146-148
Soul-Searching by Nicholas Humphrey, Nature 6567, March 1996, 685
Physicalism: the Philosophical Foundations by Jeffrey Poland TLS 4831 November 1995, 28
A Study of Concepts by Christopher Peacocke, European Journal of Philosophy 2, December 1994, 352-356
Representation, Meaning and Thought by Grant Gillett, Philosophical Books 35, 1994, 122-124
The Rediscovery of the Mind by John Searle, International Journal of Philosophical Studies 1, October 1993, 313-324
Sensory Qualities by Austen Clark, TLS 4714, July 1993, 28
The Imagery Debate by Michael Tye, Mind 102, July 1993, 535-538
Dretske & his Critics edited by Brian McLaughlin, International Journal of Philosophical Studies 1, October 1993, 379-381