The Hand: A Philosophical Inquiry into Human Being

Raymond Tallis

Published by Edinburgh University Press 2003

The Hand

A Philosophical Inquiry into Human Being

Raymond Tallis

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781474473019

Overview
Contents

About this book

What are the origins of human difference? The Hand, which is the first part of a bold philosophical inquiry into the nature of the difference between human beings and other animals, argues that it is the result of a complex sequence of events which began several million years ago with the evolution of the human hand.

Possession of a fully developed hand profoundly transformed the relationship of the human being to its own body, thus altering the relationship between humans and the natural world. The interaction of the hand with the rest of the body brought about self-consciousness and laid the foundations for the unique sense of agency that is experienced by humans. Crucially, the hand inspired the tool-use that has come to dominate human life and which has led to the emergence of the complex symbolic systems - most importantly language - that underpin civilisation.

The book also celebrates the hand in human life: the almost miraculous complexity of its manipulative, exploratory and communicative functions. Raymond Tallis combines philosophical reflection with a light-hearted look at gestures, the role of each finger, the origins of numbers - and the case for and against what he names 'handkind'.

The Hand is the first of three volumes. The other titles are I Am: A Philosophical Inquiry into First-Person Being and The Knowing Animal: A Philosophical Inquiry into Truth and Knowledge.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
Overture Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	19
Part I Brachio-Chiral Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	45
Part II Chiro-Digital Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	155
Part III Towards Chiro-Philosophy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	261
Coda Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	313
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	353

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 368
Keywords: Philosophy

eBook

Published: March 14, 2022
ISBN: 9781474473019