Aims
This course aims to:
• provide a survey of the most important philosophical arguments on a given subject
• give participants a feel for what philosophical reflection involves
• challenge preconceptions of whatever kind
• encourage the formulation of one’s own views on a topic in the philosophy of mind or metaphysics
Content
In the first week you will examine the mainstream answers to the central question in the philosophy of mind which is ‘What is consciousness?’, in other words, what is the nature of the conscious experience going on inside your head: your perceptions, memories, hopes, emotions, sensations and decision making. You will be taken through an outline of substance dualism, property dualism, physicalist accounts such as identity theory and eliminative materialism, and finally behaviourism and functionalism. The main strengths and weaknesses will be assessed as part of the exposition. To this critical end, I shall play off rival accounts against each other through the course of the first five sessions. It is hoped that by the end of the first week you will have a clearer sense of your personal views on the nature of consciousness.
In the second week, you will then examine topics in metaphysics that relate to the philosophy of mind. These include whether computers can be said to think. Specifically, you will interrogate the notion of intentionality through the Minsky-Searle exchange illustrated by the famous Chinese room thought experiment. Further, you will consider whether human beings have free will or whether humans are determined and that any feeling of being free is really an illusion. You will also think about what we mean by calling an entity ‘a person’. Finally, whether we can be sure that other human beings are truly conscious. It is hoped that by the end of the second week you will have a clearer sense of your personal views on free will and personhood.
Presentation of the course
Each session will begin with a ‘stoke’ (rather than an ice breaker) to give you a feel for the problem. Then we shall examine together the main arguments for and against an account. I shall present most of the material from a handout given at the start of the first session. During this exposition, there will be plenty of opportunities to contribute to the debate as a whole group and in smaller groups.
Course sessions
1. The hard question of consciousness.
2. Cartesian dualism v property dualism.
3. Property dualism v identity theory.
4. Identity theory v eliminative materialism.
5. Philosophical behaviourism v functionalism.
6. Artificial intelligence.
7. Free will and determinism I.
8. Free will and determinism II.
9. Personal identity.
10. Other minds.
Learning outcomes
You are expected to gain from this series of classroom sessions a greater understanding of the subject and of the core issues and arguments central to the course.
The learning outcomes for this course are:
• to gain a greater understanding of the issues raised in philosophy of mind metaphysics
• to develop generic skills pertinent to formulating, defending and refining a philosophical argument (such as the precise articulation of a point)
• to develop an appreciation of being challenged to think about a familiar subject in a different way
Required reading
Descartes, R, Meditations II and VI, (Penguin, 2000)
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/jan/21/-sp-why-cant-worlds-greatest-minds-solvemystery-consciousness
