Body and Mind

For over a century, William McDougall’s “Body and Mind” has stood as a landmark in the debate over the nature of human consciousness. In this modern English edition, the original text is rendered into clear, present-day prose—preserving the full force of McDougall’s arguments while removing the stylistic barriers of Edwardian academic writing. The book traces the mind-body problem from primitive soul-concepts through Greek philosophy, Cartesian dualism, materialist reactions, and the rise of psychophysical parallelism, before building a powerful case for animism: the view that mind is a real, causal agent in the world, not a mere by-product of brain activity. Along the way, McDougall addresses arguments from evolution, physiology, and even psychical research, making his case with honesty and intellectual daring. Whether you are a student of psychology, a lover of classic philosophy, or simply someone curious about the deepest questions of selfhood, this edition offers a welcoming entry into a foundational work. Part of The Modern Wisdom Library.