The Physical Basis of Mind (ePub)

George Henry Lewes (1817-1878) was a distinguished British philosopher and critic, renowned for his interdisciplinary approach to the sciences and the humanities. Born in London, Lewes pursued a career that intertwined literature and science, a reflection of the intellectual ferment of the Victorian era. He is best known for his work, 'The Physical Basis of Mind' (1877), which exemplifies his commitment to understanding the interconnections between physiology and psychology. In this seminal text, Lewes explores the relationship between mental processes and physical phenomena, challenging traditional Cartesian dualism. His exploration of consciousness from a materialist standpoint was groundbreaking, as it bridged the gap between empirical research and philosophical inquiry, prefiguring later developments in psychology and neurology. Lewes was also recognized for his contributions to the field of literary criticism, and he penned biographical works on noteworthy figures such as Goethe. Despite his multifaceted expertise, Lewes's legacy is often overshadowed by his personal life, notably his unconventionally open relationship with the novelist Mary Ann Evans, who wrote under the pen name George Eliot. Nonetheless, his intellectual contributions, particularly his insights into the philosophy of mind, continue to be acknowledged by scholars interested in the 19th-century thought and the origins of contemporary cognitive science.