Letter

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Dear Colin McGinn,

I have been following your work for many years with deep admiration and intellectual curiosity. Your profound contributions to philosophy—particularly in the areas of philosophy of mind, consciousness, and epistemology—have significantly shaped my own intellectual path. Not only your ideas, but also the clarity and precision of your writing style, have convinced me that your work deserves a broader readership in the Turkish-speaking world.

I have read all of your books and a wide selection of your articles. Among your many works, the following have had a lasting impact on my thinking:

• The Character of Mind
• Mind and Bodies
• The Mysterious Flame: Conscious Minds in a Material World
• Basic Structures of Reality
• Inborn Knowledge
• Prehension: The Hand and the Emergence of Humanity
• Knowledge and Reality
• Mental Content

These books—especially those focusing on innate knowledge, prehension, and the metaphysical structures underlying reality—have informed much of my current research interests.

I am an independent researcher and editor working across the fields of fine arts, philosophy, and neurophilosophy. My academic journey began with a degree in fine arts, and later evolved into deep engagements with aesthetics, embodied cognition, and the philosophy of mind. I have collaborated with publishers and academics on translating and editing major works into Turkish. Some of the authors I have previously worked on include:

• Raymond Tallis – The Hand: A Philosophical Inquiry into Human Being
• Tim Ingold – Making: Anthropology, Archaeology, Art and Architecture
• Steven Mithen – Creativity in Human Evolution and Prehistory

In this context, I would be honored to contribute to the Turkish translation of your works, particularly those that have not yet been made available in Turkish. I strongly believe that your writings would resonate with both academic and general readers in Turkey. I am fully committed to pursuing this process in accordance with ethical publishing principles and copyright requirements.

Furthermore, I would be deeply honored to conduct a long-form interview with you. This would explore your intellectual biography, philosophical development, and key ideas on mind, knowledge, and reality. My goal is to publish this conversation as a richly documented and accessible book that highlights the depth and evolution of your thought.

If this proposal is of interest to you, I would be most grateful for the opportunity to discuss it further. Thank you very much for your time and consideration.

Uğur Polat