Mindware Introduction: "(Not) Like a Rock"

Theme of the reading
This chapter introduces the central idea of the book, that "Mindfulness is just matter, nicely orchestrated." That is, a scientific approach to cognition is committed to understanding thought as a process that proceeds by ordinary physical processes. It makes no appeal to spiritual agents or souls, or vital forces. But how is it that something as special as thought can result from physical processes in normal matter? That's the big question for cognitive science.

Getting ready to read
Definitions:
Meta-contemplation: Contemplation is thinking. Meta-contemplation is thinking about thinking. The ability to have thoughts about thoughts seems to be a special human ability. In fact, I can think it is strange that I can remember what I was thinking about how I felt yesterday. That is at least four levels of thinking about thinking. This is what Clark means by "spiraling meta-contemplation."

Law-like relations: The physical sciences seek the laws of nature. For example, in physics, the relation between force, mass, and acceleration given by the equation f = ma, is a physical law. It always holds. It is just the way the world is. Are there any law-like relations in cognitive science?

Posit: This is a philosophical term. It means to place an idea.

Looking where the light is: This is a reference to an old joke in science. A man comes upon a drunk on his hands and knees on the sidewalk. He asks the man what he is doing.
"Looking for my keys." says the drunk.
"Did you drop them here?" asks the man.
The drunk answers, "No, I dropped them over there in the bushes, but the light is better here."
Like a drunk looking for keys, when the things we really want to know are very difficult to see, scientists sometimes examine the phenomena that are easy to see, even if those phenomena are not exactly the ones we wish to understand.

Reading
Orienting questions and issues to keep in mind:
What is the difference between monism and dualism? What does this distinction have to do with the debate between vitalists and non-vitalists?

What does it mean for thought to have "reason-respecting flow?"

Is your pet (dog, cat, lizard) conscious? How could we know?