Postgraduate Course: The Computational Mind MSc (PHIL11115)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Computation appears to be our best hope for explaining how the mind works. Over the past forty years, computational models have scored numerous successes in explaining various mental phenomena. Today, computation dominates cognitive science. This course introduces the computational approach to the mind and explores some foundational questions and challenges that it faces.
Topics covered by this course include:
- What is a computation?
- If the mind is a computer, what kind is it?
- Is computation a real feature of brain, or a projection of our
interests?
- Can consciousness be explained by computation?
- Are cognitive computations in the brain or do they spill into the
environment?
The Computational Mind MSc is also shared with the undergraduate version The Computational Mind (PHIL10134).
Formative feedback includes:
- Opportunity to submit a formative essay on Learn by week 6 deadline (Monday 24th February 2014 by 12 noon)
- Weekly forum discussion posts on the set readings
- MSc reading group
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| Course description |
Not entered
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2014/15, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 10 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 21,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
173 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One essay of 2500 words.
Assignment deadline: Monday 20th April 2015 by 12 noon
Word limit: 2500 maximum
Return deadline: Tuesday 12th May 2015 |
| Feedback |
Not entered |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
To develop further the philosophical skills, and to extend as well as deepen the philosophical knowledge, acquired in previous courses.
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Additional Information
| Course URL |
Please see Learn page |
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
An ability to approach and characterise problems in a rigorous and systematic way. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Taught by Dr Mark Sprevak |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Mark Sprevak
Tel:
Email: msprevak@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynsey Buchanan
Tel: (0131 6)51 5002
Email: Lynsey.Buchanan@ed.ac.uk |
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