The phenomena of effortless attention and action and the challenges they pose to current cognitive models of attention and action.

A rigorous analysis of current empirical and theoretical work supporting the argument that consciousness and attention are largely dissociated. In this book, Carlos Montemayor and Harry Haladjian consider the relationship between consciousness and attention. The cognitive mechanism of attention has often been compared to consciousness, because attention and consciousness appear to share similar qualities. But, Montemayor and Haladjian point out, attention is defined functionally, whereas consciousness is generally defined in terms of its phenomenal character without a clear functional purpose. They offer new insights and proposals about how best to understand and study the relationship between consciousness and attention by examining their functional aspects. The book's ultimate conclusion is that consciousness and attention are largely dissociated. Undertaking a rigorous analysis of current empirical and theoretical work on attention and consciousness, Montemayor and Haladjian propose a spectrum of dissociation—a framework that identifies the levels of dissociation between consciousness and attention—ranging from identity to full dissociation. They argue that conscious attention, the focusing of attention on the contents of awareness, is constituted by overlapping but distinct processes of consciousness and attention. Conscious attention, they claim, evolved after the basic forms of attention, increasing access to the richest kinds of cognitive contents. Montemayor and Haladjian's goal is to help unify the study of consciousness and attention across the disciplines. A focused examination of conscious attention will, they believe, enable theoretical progress that will further our understanding of the human mind.

Ziran, an idea from ancient Daoism, defies easy translation into English but can almost be captured by the term "spontaneity." It means "self-causation," if "self" is understood as fundamentally plural, and "causation" is understood as sensitivity and responsiveness. Applying ziran to the fields of action theory, attention theory, and aesthetics, Brian Bruya uses easy-to-read, straightforward prose to show, step-by-step, how this philosophical concept from an ancient tradition can be used to advance theory today. Incorporated into contemporary philosophy of action, ziran opens us to the notion of movement and action as self-organizing. Incorporated into contemporary cognitive science, ziran opens us to the possibility of effortless attention, contrary to the reigning paradigm. Incorporated into contemporary aesthetics, ziran opens us to a new category of art—somatic art—and a new, refined understanding of improvisation.

Munro was more than an intellectual mentor. He has been an unfailing source of wisdom, inspiration, and support. Over five decades, Donald J. Munro has been one of the most important voices in sinological philosophy. His rapprochement with contemporary cognitive and evolutionary science helped bolster the insights of Chinese philosophers, and set the standard for similar explorations today. In this festschrift volume, students of Munro and scholars influenced by him celebrate Munro's body of work in essays that extend his legacy, exploring their topics as varied as the ethics of Zhuangzi's autotelicity, the teleology of nature in Zhu Xi, and family love in Confucianism and Christianity.

Health Neuroscience is a new interdisciplinary field encompassing research from cognitive, affective, and social neuroscience, health psychology, physical and mental health, and science of behavior change. This new field addresses the longstanding gap among neuroscience, health and behavior change within the context of health promotion. Fundamentals of Health Neuroscience explores key topics and research, including basic principles, psychological and neural processes, brain and body interaction, and gene x brain x environment interactions. This book will also cover prevention and intervention strategies for health decisions and promotion across the lifespan. Chapters will integrate the latest research findings and explore several key topics, such as: How does the brain serve both as a predictor and an outcome of health? How can people improve self-control and achieve physical and mental health? What does brain plasticity and resilience tell us about learning and development throughout our life? How is the sense of meaning in life affected by dopamine and reward systems in the brain?• Introduces a new interdisciplinary field of Health Neuroscience including its basic and translational research and applications• Reviews current research on biomarkers of brain health and aging• Discusses brain-body connection and health behavior change

This book presents thought-provoking and pioneering insights into key issues surrounding the mental health of children and adolescents. Its focus on this age group underscores the critical need to recognize and address signs and symptoms of mental distress during this pivotal and impressionable stage of life.