University of the West of England
MODULE SPECIFICATION
Code: UPZNR3-30-3 Title:Philosophy of Mind Version: 1
Level: 3 UWE credit rating: 30 ECTS credit rating: 15
Module type: Standard
Owning Faculty: Social Science and Humanities Field: Philosophy
Valid from: September 2010 Discontinued from: n/a
Contributes towards: Awards up to BA (Hons)
Pre-requisites: None
Co-requisites: None
Excluded combinations: None
Learning outcomes:
On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
1. Demonstrate a high level of knowledge of the principal philosophers, problems, and ideas within philosophy of mind (A and B).
2. Demonstrate a high level of ability to examine. critically, key issues in the philosophy of mind (A and B).
3. Demonstrate transferable skills in comprehension, problem solving, creative thinking, rational argumentation, critical analysis, written presentation, time management and working to deadlines (A and B)
Syllabus outline:
This module will offer students an opportunity to develop their understanding of key issues in the philosophy of mind.
This will include a number of problems and approaches traditionally studied within the philosophy of mind: dualism, monism, emergentism, panpsychism, functionalism, behaviourism, naturalism, physicalism, eliminativism, unconscious mind, the problem of intentionality, the problem of memory, and the role of language.
The module will also look at the philosophical implications of recent developments in neuroscience, neurophilosophy, artificial intelligence research, cognitive science, complex systems theory and theories of self organisation.
The module will develop student understanding in these areas by taking, where appropriate, a historical approach to the field. The module will examine the development of philosophical thought with respect to mind and related concepts such as soul, psyche, consciousness, experience, and thought. This will be traced by examining the shifting approaches to these concepts starting from ancient Greek philosophy, through medieval and early modern philosophy, to modern and contemporary approaches.
The natural accompaniment to the study of the mind is the examination of embodiment. This module will focus on the problem of the embodiment of mind.
Teaching and learning methods:
Teaching will be via lectures and seminars, with lectures used to introduce key philosophical texts and the problems they address, and seminars used to examine texts closely, discuss the arguments they contain, and consider their wider philosophical significance. Students will be expected to prepare a presentation on an agreed topic and so actively contribute to the teaching and learning process.
Reading strategy:
Essential reading will be provided electronically or as printed study packs. Students will be encouraged to read widely using the library catalogue, a variety of bibliographic and full text databases, and Internet resources. Guidance to some key authors and journal titles available through the Library will be given on UWEonline. It is expected that assignment bibliographies and reference lists will reflect the range of reading carried out.
It is important that students can identify and retrieve appropriate reading. This module offers an opportunity to further develop information skills introduced at Level One.
There are some excellent books published in this subject area. Students will be encouraged to buy at least one book. A list of recommended titles will be provided in the Module Handbook and updated annually.
Indicative reading list:
Bergson, Henri (1988) Matter and Memory. New York: Zone
Clark Andy (1997), Being There: Putting Brain, Body, and World Together Again, New York: MIT Press
Dennett, Daniel C (1993), Consciousness Explained. Penguin, London.
Edelman, Gerald (1994), Brilliant Air, Brilliant Fire: On the Matter of the Mind, Penguin, London
Freud, Sigmund (1985), On Metapsychology: The Theory of Psychoanalysis, Penguin, Harmondsworth.
Guttenplan, Samuel (1994), A Companion to the Philosophy of Mind, Blackwell, Oxford
James, William (1995), Selected Writings, Everyman, London
LeDoux Joseph (1998), The Emotional Brain, London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson
Russell, Bertrand (1961, 1921), The Analysis of Mind, Allen and Unwin, London.
Whitehead, Alfred North (1929), Process and Reality, Cambridge UP, Cambridge
Assessment
Weighting between components A and B (standard modules only) A: 50% B: 50%
ATTEMPT 1
First Assessment Opportunity
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Exam (3 hours) 50%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Essay (4000 words) 50%
Second Assessment Opportunity (further attendance at taught classes is not required)
Component A
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Exam (3 hours) 50%
Component B
Description of each element Element weighting
1 Essay (4000 words) 50%
SECOND (OR SUBSEQUENT) ATTEMPT: Attendance at taught classes is not required.
Specification confirmed by …………………………………………………Date ……………………………
(Associate Dean/Programme Director)