Mind: An Essay on Human Feeling, Volume I

Description

"Mind: An Essay on Human Feeling, Volume I" by Susanne K. Langer is a profound and ambitious exploration of human consciousness and feeling. In this first volume, Langer embarks on a philosophical journey to understand the nature of mind, shifting the traditional focus from intellect and cognition to the primacy of feeling as the basis of mental life. Langer argues that the essence of mind is not found in abstract thought or rational processes but in the dynamic, organic experiences of feeling, which are deeply rooted in our biological existence. She presents the mind as an emergent phenomenon that arises from the complex interactions of bodily processes, emphasizing the importance of emotions and sensations in shaping consciousness. Drawing from biology, psychology, anthropology, and the arts, Langer weaves an interdisciplinary framework to explain how feelings evolve into higher mental functions. She critiques the limitations of Cartesian dualism and mechanistic views of life, proposing instead a process philosophy where living forms exhibit self-directed, meaningful behavior that gives rise to subjective experience. Her concept of "feeling" is not merely emotional reaction but an intrinsic, organic awareness that underlies perception, thought, and imagination. Langer explores how symbolic forms—language, art, and ritual—emerge from these primal feelings, serving as vehicles for human self-expression and cultural development. Throughout this volume, Langer's writing underscores the continuity between life and mind, suggesting that the roots of consciousness can be traced back to the earliest forms of sentient life. She meticulously details how physiological processes like rhythm, growth, and adaptation contribute to the emergence of subjective life, positioning feeling as the core from which meaning and understanding flow. This groundbreaking work lays the foundation for Langer's larger philosophical system, one that connects the biological realities of life with the aesthetic and symbolic capacities that define human existence.