Postgraduate Course: Theories of Mind (Philosophy MSc) (PHIL11021)
Course Outline
| School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines selected conceptual and theoretical issues in the Philosophy of Mind, particularly with respect to computationalism and physicalism. |
| Course description |
What is a mind, what are the essential characteristics distinguishing mental from non-mental systems? Two key features traditionally offered in response to this question are (1) representational content: mental states can be about external objects and states of affairs, they can represent and bear content or meaning; (2) conscious experience: only minds are consciously aware and have subjective, qualitative experiences, roughly, there is something it is like to be a mind. A central aim of the course will be to examine the extent to which these two features can be captured or explained by computational and/or physicalist methods, and to explore some of the conceptual issues basic to Cognitive Science and Artificial Intelligence as theoretical approaches to the mind.
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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 2019/20, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 9 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
174 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment will be by a 2500 word essay (100%).
The topic of the essay will be developed by the student in consultation with the course organiser. |
| Feedback |
Students have the opportunity to submit a formative essay. The essay cannot be draft of the summative essay but it can be on the same topic.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate core skills in philosophy, including the ability to interpret and engage with philosophical texts and evaluate arguments.
- understand and engage with key issues in the philosophy of mind, particularly with respect to computational theories of the mind
- exercise critical, analytic and communication skills developed via oral participation in seminars.
- deploy their skills in individual research through development of an essay topic and selection/exploration of a body of relevant academic literature.
- exercise written communication skills enhanced by developing and articulating their own critical ideas in response to research literature.
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Reading List
Core Syllabus Topics
- Turing and the Computational Paradigm
- Searle and the Chinese Room
- Dennett and Intentional Systems
- Fodor and the Language of Thought
- Putnam and Semantic Externalism
-The Boundaries of the Mind
- Physicalism and the Problem of Consciousness
- Non-classical Paradigms
Recommended references:
[1] Lycan, W. and J. Prinz, Mind and Cognition, Third Edition,
Blackwell Publishers.
[2] Chalmers, D., Philosophy of Mind, OUP.
[3] Haugeland, J., Mind Design II, MIT Press. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Ability to analyse philosophical arguments
Ability to articulate and defend positions in a philosophical debate
Reading, understanding and critically engaging with complex texts; critical thinking; constructive oral engagement; essay writing an enhanced verbal and written communication skills.
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| Keywords | Computational Paradigm,Mental Content,Physicalism,Problem of Consciousness |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Paul Schweizer
Tel: (0131 6)50 2704
Email: paul@inf.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Becky Verdon
Tel: (0131 6)50 3860
Email: Rebecca.Verdon@ed.ac.uk |
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