PHIL4333

Philosophy of Mind

2013-2014 | Second Term
Philosophy Major
H 9–10
ERB 712
Lau Chong-fuk

PHI 4333: Philosophy of Mind
Lau Chong-Fuk

2013 – 14 2nd Term ‧ H09-10 ‧ ERB 103

I. Course Overview

This course investigates the principal issues and theories in contemporary philosophy of mind. Topics addressed may include the mind-body problem, consciousness, self-knowledge, knowledge of other minds, personal identity, and artificial intelligence.

II. Course Outline

  1. Introduction
  2. Substance Dualism
  3. Physicalism & Neuroscience
  4. Behaviorism
  5. Identity Theory
  6. Functionalism
  7. Artificial Intelligence
  8. Qualia
  9. Knowledge Argument
  10. Anomalous Monism
  11. Emergentism
  12. Eliminative Materialism
  13. Instrumentalism
  14. New Mysterianism

III. Learning Activities

  1. Lecture: 2 hours each week
  2. Interactive Tutorial: five 2-hour sessions
  3. Reading: 3-4 hours each week

IV. Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate familiarity with a range of problems, concepts, and theories in contemporary philosophy of mind pertaining to topics such as the mind-body problem, consciousness, self-knowledge, knowledge of other minds, personal identity, and artificial intelligence.
  2. In their papers, students should also demonstrate the ability to identify a significant problem in the philosophy of mind and formulate and defend a thesis of their own concerning the problem.

V. Assessment Method

  1. Paper: 50%
  2. Tutorial: 25%
  3. Class Presentation: 20%
  4. Class Performance: 5%

 

VI. References

  • Introductions:

  1. Braddon-Mitchell, David / Jackson, Frank, Philosophy of Mind and Cognition: An Introduction, 2nd ed., Oxford: Blackwell, 2006.
  2. Brain Story (DVD), BBC, 2004.
  3. Copeland, Jack, Artificial Intelligence: A Philosophical Introduction, Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell, 1993.
  4. Heil, John, Philosophy of Mind: A Contemporary Introduction, 2nd ed., New York: Routledge, 2004.
  5. Kim, Jaegwon, Philosophy of Mind, 2nd ed., Boulder: Westview Press, 2005.

  • Anthologies:

  1. Chalmers, David J., ed., Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.
  2. Heil, John, ed., Philosophy of Mind: A Guide and Anthology, New York: Oxford University Press, 2004.
  3. Heil, John/Mele, Alfred, ed., Mental Causation, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993.
  4. Lycan, William, ed., Mind and Cognition: An Anthology, 2nd ed., Oxford: Blackwell, 1999.

VII. Academic Honesty and Plagiarism

Attention is drawn to University policy and regulations on honesty in academic work, and to the disciplinary guidelines and procedures applicable to breaches of such policy and regulations. Details may be found at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/policy/academichonesty/.

With each assignment, students will be required to submit a signed declaration that they are aware of these policies, regulations, guidelines and procedures. For group projects, all students of the same group should be asked to sign the declaration.

For assignments in the form of a computer-generated document that is principally text-based and submitted via VeriGuide, the statement, in the form of a receipt, will be issued by the system upon students” uploading of the soft copy of the assignment. Assignments without the receipt will not be graded by teachers. Only the final version of the assignment should be submitted via VeriGuide.