How do minds make societies, and how do societies change? Paul Thagard systematically connects neural and psychological explanations of mind with major social sciences (social psychology, sociology, politics, economics, anthropology, and history) and professions (medicine, law, education, engineering, and business). Social change emerges from interacting social and mental mechanisms.

Preface Acknowledgments Part I. Mechanisms 1. Explaining Social Change Social Change Explanatory Styles Mental, Neural, and Social Mechanisms Emergence The Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Applications Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 1: Social Change 2. Mental Mechanisms Cognition and Emotion Brains and Semantic Pointers Images Concepts Beliefs Rules Analogies Emotions Mapping Values Inference and Coherence Emotion-Driven Inferences Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 2: Mental Mechanisms 3. Social Mechanisms Social Mechanisms and Communication What are Social Mechanisms? Structural Connections Social Interactions Verbal Communication Inter-Agent Inference Social Mechanisms for Spreading Emotions Multilevel Explanations Change and Emergence Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 3: Social Mechanisms Part II. Social Sciences 4. Social Psychology: Romantic Relationships Relationships Matter Social Cognition and Microsociology Mechanisms in Relationships Murray and Holmes on Interdependent Minds Romantic Relationships: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Trust and Commitment Love Romantic Interactions Contrast with Gottman Relationship Success and Failure Does the Heart Want What It Wants? Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 4: Social Psychology 5. Sociology: Prejudice and Discrimination Discrimination and Prejudice Stereotypes Women: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Jews: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Social Norms and Institutions Overcoming Prejudice Conceptual Change Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 5: Sociology 6. Politics: Ideology Political Change Political Mechanisms Ideology: 3-Analysis Ideology: Value Maps Ideological Change The Islamic State: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Nazi Ideology Anarchism Extreme Right-Wing Political Movements Explaining Rwanda Atrocities Power Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 6: Politics 7. Economics: Bubbles and Crashes Beyond Animal Spirits Economic Decisions Booms and Bubbles: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Panics and Crashes: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Mindful Economics Reflexivity Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 7: Economics 8. Anthropology: Religion Cultures Religion The Latter-Day Saint Religion: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Why is the LDS Church Successful? Why is Religion Generally So Successful? Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 8: Anthropology 9. History and International Relations: War Explaining War History International Relations Nationalism Origins of the First World War: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Minds and Groups Historical Explanation Social Cognitivism as a Theory of International Relations Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 9: History Part III. Professions 10. Medicine: Mental Illness Mind, Society, and the Professions Medicine Mental Illness Depression: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Depression: Multilevel Mechanisms Treating Depression Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 10: Medicine 11. Law: Wrongful Conviction and Criminal Responsibility Legal Mechanisms Legal Coherence Wrongful Conviction: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Explaining Wrongful Convictions The Brain and Legal Responsibility Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 11: Law 12. Education: Teaching and Conceptual Change Learning and Teaching Vaccination: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Conceptual Change Teaching Better Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 12: Education 13. Engineering: Creative Design Creative Engineering Steve Jobs and Apple: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Engineering Creativity Teaching Creativity Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 13: Engineering 14. Business: Leadership and Marketing Vision Emotional Intelligence Charisma Leadership of Ed Catmull: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Marketing and Emotional Coherence Apple's Marketing: Social Cognitive-Emotional Workup Enhancing Collective Emotional Intelligence Professions and Social Change Summary and Discussion Notes to Chapter 14: Business References Index

"Provides a unified, mechanistic theory for the "Disciplines" and "Professions" that make up the social sciencesâ Interdisciplinary scholars in philosophy or the social sciences will find this book challenging but ultimately worthwhile" -- Choice "In this book, Thagard offers a tour de force that traverses the expanse from the level of molecules and neurons, through mental processing, to societal forces of stability and change. He then applies this multi-level framework to explain earthly domains such as economics, religion and warfare, and to examine a variety of professions such as medicine, education and law. Mind-Society is at once accessible, insightful, and instructive. This compelling text makes cognitive science feel exceptionally clear, spanning and relevant." -- Dan Simon, Professor of Law & Psychology, University of Southern California "Mind-Society by Paul Thagard is an intriguing book-broadly scoped, erudite, and framed by a unique perspective. It addresses both cognitive-emotional processes and social phenomena, moves fluidly between them, and weaves them together. It is the kind of book that I wish I could have written." -- Ron Sun, Professor of Cognitive Sciences, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute "Provides a unified, mechanistic theory for the "Disciplines" and "Professions" that make up the social sciences... Interdisciplinary scholars in philosophy or the social sciences will find this book challenging but ultimately worthwhile." -- Choice

Selling point: Clearly written; no previous background in neuroscience, psychology, or social science needed Selling point: Draws on exciting new ideas in theoretical neuroscience Selling point: Comprehensive application of brain mechanisms across the social sciences and professions

Paul Thagard is a distinguished philosopher and cognitive scientist who has written many books, including The Brain and the Meaning of Life (Princeton University Press, 2010) and The Cognitive Science of Science (MIT Press, 2012). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Cognitive Science Society, and the Association for Psychological Science.

Selling point: Clearly written; no previous background in neuroscience, psychology, or social science needed Selling point: Draws on exciting new ideas in theoretical neuroscience Selling point: Comprehensive application of brain mechanisms across the social sciences and professions