Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind (Fall 2007)
Description
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the major theories and problems in the philosophy of mind. The course is focused on the mind-body problem—how to explain the relationship between the mental and the physical. We will explore several major solutions to the problem. In addition, we will pose several problems for the leading functionalist solutions. Questions to be explored include: What is the mark of the mental? What is consciousness? How can mental states cause actions? Students will gain an understanding of some of the major issues that occupy current debates in the philosophy of mind. The goal of this course is to prepare students for additional personal research into the subject and for more advanced work in the area.*
Assignments
*note: This is a lower-level course for non-majors.