Theories of Mind (Level 11) (P00850)

? Credit Points : 10 ? SCQF Level : 11 ? Acronym : INF-P-TM

The goal of the course is to explore some of the conceptual issues basic to Artifical Intelligence and Cognitive Science as theoretical approaches to the mind. Two key features that are traditionally used to distinguish minds from non-mental systems are consciousness and representational content. These two features will be examined from the perspective of computational and physicalistic approaches to the mind. The general format will be to read and discuss selected influential papers in the field.

Entry Requirements

? Pre-requisites : For Informatics PG students only, or by special permission of the School.

? Prohibited combinations : Theories of Mind (Level 10)

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, (School of Informatics, Schedule O)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : Postgraduate

? Delivery Period : Semester 1 (Blocks 1-2)

? Contact Teaching Time : 2 hour(s) per week for 10 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
21/09/2006	15:00	15:50	Faculty Room North, David Hume Tower	Central

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Monday	15:00	15:50	Central
Lecture	Thursday	15:00	15:50	Central

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

It is anticipated that students who successfully complete the course will be able to:
-Discuss competing metaphysical frameworks such as dualism, idealism and physicalism.
-Discuss basic aspects of the computational paradigm and its ability to cope with central problems in the theory of mind.
-Discuss issues concerning the mind's place in the natural world, including reductionism, eliminativism, nonreductive materialism, and instrumentalism.
-Discuss connections between psychological states and natural language semantics, and the allied topics of wide versus narrow supervenience base.
-Demonstrate an understanding of these and related issues through written work that emphasizes conceptual analyis and the evaluation of arguments and abstract theoretical claims.
-Review appropriate literature in the field