PHIL 224 - Philosophy of Mind

Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)

This course is a general introduction to contemporary philosophy of mind, appropriate for those new to philosophy. We start with fundamental ontological questions, such as: What makes something a mind? Are minds separate from bodies? Can computers have minds? The aim of the first part of the course is to give students general tools for use in philosophy, including training in the formulation of arguments, textual interpretation, and conceptual analysis. We then move into the issue of the nature of consciousness: can science account for what it feels like to be a sentient creature? How does the brain contribute to unified experiences? We then tie these questions in with issues in the philosophy of perception: Can we learn about the world through perception? Do our senses deceive us? We end with an investigation of animal minds and animal cognition: can other animals think about thinking? Could collections of creatures have minds? Lectures and readings in the course include exciting contemporary work in psychology, cognitive science, and neuroscience. Sofia Ortiz-Hinojosa.

Two 75-minute periods.

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