PHIL407. PHILOSOPHY OF MIND I

Lecturer: Majid D. Beni

Email: mbeni@metu.edu.tr

Office hours:

Time and venue: Wednesdays 10.40-13.40 (hybrid)

Course description:

The course introduces and explores the main issues of the philosophy of mind including the following ones: what is the mind, and how it is related to the body and the world? Can there be mindfulness independently of bodily modes? Can computers think? How does the mind represent the external world? Can connectionist networks embed representations? What is consciousness? The course considers some of the significant philosophical replies to those questions. It is organized into three main parts. The first part is concerned with the nature of mind and its relationship with the body. The second part focuses on the questions of how to model mind and how to account for its representational capacities (if any). The third part overviews discussions of intentionality, consciousness, and selfhood.

Upon successful completion of the course, the students will acquire the requisite skills to understand some of the main discussions of the field and articulate arguments for and against different positions and examine them critically.

The course outcome:

To develop the skill to read and write about topics presented in the course and similar topics. To understand and critically discuss the basic metaphysical and epistemological views on the nature of the mind and its relationship with the body. To be able to see the relation between epistemological and metaphysical views on the one hand and some fundamental theories of the cognitive sciences and computer science on the other. To be able to reconstruct and critically evaluate the main replies to the questions about the nature of the mind and its relationship with the world.

Sources:

The mandatory text for each session is marked by “*”. The students need to read mandatory texts ahead of each session so as to be prepared for well-informed participations. There are also further readings.

Coursework and distribution of grades:

Reading reports: Each student must submit (via email to mbeni@metu.edu.tr) three reading reports. The reports could be based on any of the core texts that will be studied during the semester, but the students must submit their report before Monday of the week during which the respective text will be discussed in the classroom. The reading reports are supposed to be around 300 words, identifying the main thesis and extracting the basic structure of the argument of the author. Reading reports amount to 15% of the grade. Participation: participations mainly consist of oral discussions during sessions. They are supposed to be well-informed and thoughtful and are highly valued in this course. They include 15% of the grade, group presentations included. For group presentations, students could form groups of up to 5 people. Intermediate exams: there are two intermediate exams, closed book, during the fifth and ninth weeks of the semester. It constitutes 30% of the student’s grade. Final exam: it is opened-book, the students could use their laptops and have access to the internet, they are required to choose one topic amongst three suggested ones and write one short essay between 2000-3000 words about the topic. 40% of the grade is for the final exam.

Attendance policy:

Attendance is important. When unable to attend for an important reason such as illness or family emergency, the student may discuss the situation with me as soon as possible (preferably through email, before the session). Medical certificates and so on need to be sent to me through student affairs or registrar office.

Plaigarism: 

When using material that is not their own, students must make sure that they cite the author or appropriately refer to them. The students are free to choose any of the standard citation styles when needed, but they need to remain consistent with the style that they choose (see https://pitt.libguides.com/citationhelp for more information.

Civility: The course encourages a critical approach in discussions and participations. At the same time, students are expected to treat the instructors and each other as well as the authors and opinions that will be discussed in the course cordially.

Changes to the program: The syllabus is provisional and it may be revised at any stage during the semester. It is the students’ responsibility to keep updated about the syllabus.

Sessions:

Part I: The nature of mind and its relationship with the body

Week 1: dualism and the problem of mental causation

Chapters one and two of Kim’s Philosophy of Mind*

“Mental Causation” from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

Week 2: behaviourism

Chapter three of Kim’s book*

Gilbert Ryle Descartes’s Myth in Chalmers’s Philosophy of Mind

Week 3: identity theory and anti-reductionism

Chapter two of Crane’s Elements of Mind*

“The Mind/Brain Identity Theory” from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy*

Week 4: Functionalism

Chapter six of Kim’s book*

Chapter four of Ravenscroft’s Philosophy of Mind

Week five: intermediate exam

Part II: Representationalism

Week 6: computationalism

Chapter five of Kim’s book*

“The computational theory of mind” from the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy

Week 7: Can computers think?

Chapter five of Kim’s book*

John Searle “Can computers think?” in Chalmers’s book

Week 8: second mid-term exam

Week 9: connectionism

Chapter seven of Ravenscraft’s Philosophy of Mind: A beginner’s guide*

“Connectionism” in the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy

Week 10: Embodied cognition and extended cognition

“Embodied Cognition” from Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy*

Andy Clark and David Chalmers’s “The extended Mind”, In Chalmers’s book

Part III: Intentionality, consciousness, and selfhood

Week 11: Intentionality, consciousness, and the self

Chapter three of Crane’s book*

“Intentionality” in the Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy

Week 12: third mid-term exam

Week 13: consciousness and its subjective character

Chapter 9 in Kim’s book*

Thomas Nagel’s “What is it like to be a bat?” in Chalmers’s book

Week 14: Self and consciousness: minimal phenomenal selfhood

Watching the movie, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus”

Week 15: group presentations