R Ross

The beginning intuition for this work is that our minds are fundamentally under our control, and that some parts of our mind are directed by other parts of our mind. From the seemingly obvious fact of our control over our own minds it is necessary to find out what would be needed by such controlling elements of the mind in order for us to direct our cognitive processes, think about things external to us, and use the devices of language successfully. This fact of control seems to demand Descriptionist views of language and Internalist views of meaning and mental contents. Other views would seem to deny the fact of cognitive control and should be rejected. ;The individuation of mental states can be considered as either metaphysical individuation or as conceptual individuation . Conceptual individuation of a mental state requires that we consider their contents as "narrow," and narrow contents include the way that the person is thinking about the subject of their thought, or a "mode of conception." The mode of conception can be employed for completing many linguistic tasks, such as referring to objects by use of a term or phrase. The facts about our language use tell us that semantic reference by the use of terms is a plastic act, and the referent of a term can be altered virtually at will. This fact, the semantic plasticity of our minds, cannot be explained by views of the mind that discount our having internal resources that are fundamentally accessible, assessible, and under our control.

In his bestselling book Dancing with a Ghost, Rupert Ross began his exploration of Aboriginal approaches to justice and the visions of life that shape them. Returning to the Teachings takes this exploration further still. During a three-year secondment with Justice Canada, Ross travelled from the Yukon to Cape Breton Island, examining--and experiencing--the widespread Aboriginal preference for "peacemaker justice." In this remarkable book, he invites us to accompany him as he moves past the pain and suffering that grip so many communities and into the exceptional promise of individual, family and community healing that traditional teachings are now restoring to Aboriginal Canada. He shares his confusion, frustrations and delights as Elders and other teachers guide him, in their unique and often puzzling ways, into ancient visions of Creation and our role with it. Returning to the Teachings is about Aboriginal justice and much more, speaking not only to our minds, but also to our hearts and spirits. Above all, it stands as a search for the values and visions that give life its significance and that any justice system, Aboriginal or otherwise, must serve and respect.