Undergraduate Course: Topics in Mind and Cognition (PHIL10174)
Course Outline
School | School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
Summary | This course is aimed at offering a selection of topics in contemporary philosophy of mind and cognition. Possible topics covered include: mental content and representation, consciousness, perception, social cognition, the nature of action, and emotion. |
Course description |
The nature of the mind, consciousness and thought are among some of the oldest and most controversial questions in philosophy. On this course we will consider some central conceptual and theoretical issues that arise in contemporary philosophy of mind and philosophy of neuroscience and examine how these relate to overarching questions concerning the nature of the mind, the world, and our conscious experience of it. The exact selection of issues covered will vary from year to year, but may include one or more of the following:
- The nature of mental representation and content
- How to explain the qualitative character of conscious experience
- What is perception and how does it relate to action?
- To what extent do our thoughts depend on external objects and/or other thinkers?
- Do machines and non-human animals have comparable mental states to humans?
- What are emotions and how do they guide our thought and behaviour?
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) AND
Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014)
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students who have not taken Knowledge and Reality (PHIL08017) and Mind, Matter and Language (PHIL08014) must gain permission from the Course Organiser before enrolling on this course.
Students studying on MA Cognitive Science (Humanities) are permitted to take this course without having met the pre-requisites of Mind, Matter and Language and Knowledge and Reality. However, it is advisable that students discuss the suitability of the course with their PT and the course organiser before enrolling. |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have completed at least 3 Philosophy courses at grade B or above. We will only consider University/College level courses. Applicants should note that, as with other popular courses, meeting the minimum does NOT guarantee admission. **Please note that 3rd year Philosophy courses are high-demand, meaning that they have a very high number of students wishing to enrol in a very limited number of spaces.** These enrolments are managed strictly by the Visiting Student Office, in line with the quotas allocated by the department, and all enquiries to enrol in these courses must be made through the CAHSS Visiting Student Office. It is not appropriate for students to contact the department directly to request additional spaces. |
High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Understand some influential views and problems in the philosophy of mind.
- Assess the strengths and weakness of different philosophical accounts of the mind and/or mental phenomena.
- Articulate and defend their own views regarding issues the module addresses.
- Demonstrate core skills in philosophy, including interpreting and critically engaging with philosophical texts, evaluating arguments and theories, and developing one's own ideas in response to the issues discussed.
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | Philosophy of mind,philosophy,cognition,perception,consciousness,representation |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Mark Sprevak
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Ms Veronica Vivi
Tel:
Email: |
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