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Overview

What is a mind? Can everything about the mind be explained in materialistic and mechanical terms, or do we need to appeal to an immaterial soul? Does the human mind operate like a computer program and if so could a suitably programmed machine think and even feel? What is it … For more content click the Read More button below.  

Aims

This topic aims to:

  • Introduce students to philosophical theories of mental states
  • Introduce students to current issues in the study of consciousness
  • Provide students with sufficient historical and theoretical background so that they can read and understand significant philosophical texts in the field for themselves
  • Improve students' critical thinking and communication skills

Learning outcomes

On completion of this topic you will be expected to be able to:
1.
Analyse key topics in the philosophy of mind such as dualism, behaviourism physicalism, functionalism, artificial intelligence, mental representation and processing, perception, emotions and consciousness
2.
Construct arguments addressing the issues described in TLO1
3.
Critique key concepts in the philosophical areas of cognition and consciousness

Requisites information

Anti-requisites: