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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences : Philosophy

Undergraduate Course: Topics in Mind and Cognition (PHIL10174)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences CollegeCollege of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course is aimed at offering a selection of topics in contemporary philosophy of mind and cognition. Possible topics covered include: mental content and representation, consciousness, perception, social cognition, the nature of action, and emotion.
Course description The nature of the mind, consciousness and thought are among some of the oldest and most controversial questions in philosophy. On this course we will consider some central conceptual and theoretical issues that arise in contemporary philosophy of mind and philosophy of neuroscience and examine how these relate to overarching questions concerning the nature of the mind, the world, and our conscious experience of it. The exact selection of issues covered will vary from year to year, but may include one or more of the following:

- The nature of mental representation and content
- How to explain the qualitative character of conscious experience
- What is perception and how does it relate to action?
- To what extent do our thoughts depend on external objects and/or other thinkers?
- Do machines and non-human animals have comparable mental states to humans?
- What are emotions and how do they guide our thought and behaviour?
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Students MUST have passed: Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) AND Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014)
Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements Students who have not taken Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) and Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014) must gain permission from the Course Organiser before enrolling on this course.
Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their PT and the course organiser before enrolling.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesVisiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that 3rd year Philosophy courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  41
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 32, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 164 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Mid-term essay 35% 1500 words
Final essay 60% 2000 words
Participation 5%
Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Understand some influential views and problems in the philosophy of mind.
  2. Assess the strengths and weakness of different philosophical accounts of the mind and/or mental phenomena.
  3. Articulate and defend their own views regarding issues the module addresses.
  4. Demonstrate core skills in philosophy, including interpreting and critically engaging with philosophical texts, evaluating arguments and theories, and developing one's own ideas in response to the issues discussed.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills On this course, students will study texts from a range of academic subfields and learn to identify, reflect on and critically evaluate the philosophical assumptions and patterns of reasoning involved. This will involve forming, clarifying and articulating their own views on philosophical issues concerning mind, agency and value, and understanding how those views relate to the different positions of researchers in these fields. Students will engage with set readings, lecture recordings, and small and large group seminar room discussions to develop their views, and will practice expressing their views clearly, concisely and convincingly in written assessments for the course.

Core skills gained or developed on this course:
Adapting presentation or writing tone/style to audience; Being open to different perspectives; Challenging own perspectives and assumptions; Critical thinking; Critical analysis and evaluation; Formulating original arguments and justifying it; Independence; Oral communication (discussion, debating respectfully, influencing); Preparation, planning and organisation; Academic reading skills; Research skills; Time management; Understanding broader perspectives; Workload management; Written communication; Writing clearly and concisely.
KeywordsPhilosophy of mind,philosophy,cognition,perception,consciousness,representation
Contacts
Course organiserDr Dave Ward
Tel: (0131 6)50 3652
Email: dave.ward@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Joan MacKenzie
Tel:
Email: jmacken8@ed.ac.uk
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