Philosophy of Mind
PHIL/PNP 315
Fall 2015
General business
Course time, location:Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:00-2:30,@ Mallinckrodt 303
Course website: on Blackboard
Instructor, contact: Elizabeth (Lizzie) Schechter,
Office hours, location: Tues 9:45-11:45,@ Wilson 108
T.A., contact: NazimKeven,
Office hours, location: Tues 2:30-3:00 and Thurs 2:30-4:00@ Wilson 114
Course description
An introduction to contemporary debates in the philosophy of mind, focusing on questions such as the following: What is it to have mental states, or a mind? Is the mind just the brain? Or is the mentality something produced by the activity of brains—as respiration is produced by the activity of the lungs? Do you need a brain to have a mind at all, or could a robot or computer, in principle, have a mind? Could an angel?
No prior familiarity with the subject matter is assumed, but the coursematerial is challenging, and our pace will assume prior courses in philosophy.
Texts and Readings
There is just one required text for the course:
1. Heil, J. 2013. Philosophy of Mind: A Contemporary Introduction, 3rd Edition. Routledge.
ISBN-10: 0415891752
*Additional required readings will be posted on Blackboard.*
A strongly recommended text is:
2.Feinberg, J. 2014. Doing Philosophy. Cengage.
ISBN-10: 1285055012
This text will be helpful to you in writing essays for this class and, I hope, for all your philosophy classes at Washington University in St. Louis.
Note: prior editions of either text will work. Earlier editions of the Heil book have the chapters in somewhat different orders, so be sure you check assigned chapter and section names, and not just numbers.
Evaluation
Sources of points: There will be three exams in this class, one paper, and a number of pop quizzes. Here is how you will earn the 100 points that make up your final grade in the course:
Exams: 25 each (75total)
Paper: 20
Quizzes: 5
Exam structure and content: Short-answer questions, short essays, and exercises may all be included in the in-class exams. The exams will also include take-home components.
The exams are designed for the following purposes: to encourage you to reflect upon what you’ve learned; to give you practice analyzing arguments; and to push you to synthesize familiar ideas in novel ways.
I’ll say it again later but warn you in advance now: please do not use cursive to write your exams. Please use a pen, not a pencil. Please do not press so hard into the paper that marks are readily visible on the other side. (If you can’t help doing this, then please don’t write on both sides.) Please make your writing large and legible. You may use multiple exam booklets. If your writing is sufficiently difficult to read you will need to schedule an appointment with me or with Nazim in order to come read your exam to us out loud.
Paper: You will be required to write a short (2000 word) essay in this class, due after the last day of classes, on Tuesday December 8th. This is not a research paper but an argumentative essay. You are free to submit the essay as early as you like. You will need to submit a hard copy of the essay.
Quizzes: On many days there will be an unannounced quiz covering either the assigned reading for that day, or the content of the previous day’s lecture.
The quizzes have several purposes, one of which is to provide you ongoing feedback about what you have and haven’t understood, and another of which is simply to motivate you: to attend class regularly, to review your notes before the start of class, and to complete the assigned readings on time.
Quiz questions on readings are designed to be answerable so long as you have read and made an attempt to understand the required reading, even if your understanding is as yet incomplete or inadequate.
Deadlines and attendance
No make-up quizzes. Repeat:quizzes cannot be made up. This policy isn’t meant to be punitive, but practical. We will keep your five best graded scores.
Exam dates: For perhaps only a short while longer, being a student is your job. Completing exams is a necessary and important part of that job. Other events in your lifeshould be arranged to accommodate your exam schedule, rather than vice versa. If a conflict is unavoidable, contact the instructor as early as possible.
Attendance: Attendance will not be directly factored into your grade. (Obviously it can be expected to make a great difference to your grade indirectly!)
Promptness: Arrive at 1:00 so that you have time to ready your materials and review your notes from previous classes.
Other classroom policies
Phones:Take out your phone. Put it in airplane mode. Now put it at the very bottom of your bag. Now close your bag. Now put your bag under your chair.
Laptops: Download the required readings before class so that you do not need to go online in class. Either print them off and leave your laptop in your bag, or, if you must use your laptop, use a self-control app so that you don’t have to use up any precious metacognitive resources bycontinually inhibiting the urge to go online.
Anyone caught browsingin class will be asked to stay away during the next class period. Tough love, people!
Cheating is beneath you
Plagiarism: When you cheat or plagiarize, you lie to me, you gain an unfair advantage over other students, and you take something really personal and important from someone: their labor and ideas.
Students suspected of academic dishonesty will beswiftly reported to the Academic Integrity Office. I follow their recommendation at that point. At a minimum, they will recommend a zero on the plagiarized assignment, with no possibility of a make-up or revision.
From a self-interested perspective, you’re much better off writing the worst paper or exam in the world and getting a “gentleman’s 50%.”
Office hours
I enjoy meeting with students, so feel free to stop by even without a particular problem or question, just to talk about how the course is going for you.
I will sometimes leave a few minutes early on a slow day when I don’t expect anyone to come, so if you’re planning to come by in last ten minutes or so, you might send me a note to say so in advance. In rare instances office hours will have to be canceled altogether; I will send an email to the class in such cases.
For grading questions or concerns about quizzes, please meet with me directly. For grading questions or concerns about papers and exams, please meet first with the teaching assistant (NazimKeven) who did the actual grading. Your T.A. can explain to you why you received the grade that you did based upon the grading guidelines that I provided to him. If, after this explanation, you have further questions or concerns about the grading guidelines themselves, please meet with me.
Please do not hesitate to meet with me or with the T.A. if you are having difficulty with the course material, or if you simply have clarificatory or follow-up questions about the material, or if you would like to talk about reading or study tips or about writing philosophical essays.
Other resources
The Writing Center
The Writing Center offers one-on-one writing tutoring and reviewing services. These services are free of charge to all WUSTL students. (You have already paid for it as part of your tuition!) They are located in Olin Library. Book a tutoring session on their website.
Cornerstone
Cornerstone is WUSTL’S Center for Advanced Learning. They offer both one-off workshops and intensive courses as well as one-on-one tutoring on core academic skills, such as note taking, studying, and time management. They also offer help with (some) specific courses, such as Organic Chemistry. The Center for Advanced Learning is open to all WUSTL students.
One division of Cornerstone is Disability Resources. Washington University is committed to providing services and/or accommodations to students with documented disabilities. Students who are seeking support for a disability or a suspected disability should contact Disability Resources at 935-4153.
Accommodations based upon sexual assault:
The University is committed to offering reasonable academic accommodations to students who are victims of sexual assault. Students are eligible for accommodation regardless of whether they seek criminal or disciplinary action. Depending on the specific nature of the allegation, such measures may include but are not limited to: implementation of a no-contact order, course/classroom assignment changes, and other academic support services and accommodations. If you need to request such accommodations, please direct your request to Kim Webb (), Director of the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center. Ms. Webb is a confidential resource; however, requests for accommodations will be shared with the appropriate University administration and faculty. The University will maintain as confidential any accommodations or protective measures provided to an individual student so long as it does not impair the ability to provide such measures.
You can also speak confidentially and learn more about available resources at the Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center by calling(314) 935-8761or visiting the 4thfloor of Seigle Hall.
Mosaic Project
The recently completed Mosaic Project was undertaken to support the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
One product of the Mosaic Project was the creation of a Bias Report and Support System (BRSS). The University now has a process through which students, faculty, staff and community members who have experienced or witnessed incidents of bias, prejudice or discrimination against a student can report their experiences:
You may report an incident that targeted someone other than yourself. (Once you click on the link to the report form you can read the confidentiality policies.)
Mental Health
WUSTL’s Health and Wellness Center, which provides advice on everything from sex and alcohol to sleep and sun safety.
One division of the Health and Wellness Center is Mental Health Services. Their staff works with students to resolve personal and interpersonal difficulties—anything from diagnosed mental illness to a fight with a friend!
Anything that troubles you is important, whether it negatively impacts your academic performance or not.
IMPORTANT DATES
The following information is contained in the detailed schedule below but has been consolidated here for your convenience:
**No class on Tuesday 24 or Thursday 26 November**
Exam 1 onThursday24 September
Exam 2on Thursday29 October
Exam 3 onThursday 3 December
Essay due Tuesday 8 December at 1 p.m. to Wilson Building (submission instructions to follow)
Schedule of Readings and Discussions
Important notes:
- All readings are to be completed before class on the date under which they are listed (unless instructor gives word to the contrary).
- Unless otherwise noted, all listed readings are required in their entirety. (Some exceptions are noted, though, so watch out for them.)
- References to chapters written by Heilcan be found in Heil’sPhilosophy of Mind: A Contemporary Introduction.All other readings can be found on the Blackboard page associated with this class.
- The list and schedule of readings given below will likely be revised multiple times to accommodate learning needs and interests. Changes to the schedule of readings or to the readings themselves will be announced in class or via email (or both). Please make sure you are receiving emails from me and that you check your account before you do the next reading.
- Exam dates will not be changed.
Tuesday 25 August
Day One: Introduction to the philosophy of mind
Heil Chapter 1: “Introduction”. Sections 1.1-1.4.
Thursday 27 August
Day Two: Introduction to the philosophy of mind
Tuesday 1 September
Day Three: Introduction to the philosophy of mind
Thursday 3 September
Day Four: Folk metaphysics and Cartesian dualism
Heil Chapter 2: “Cartesian dualism”
Descartes. Excerpt from the Meditations on First Philosophy
Tuesday 8 September
Day Five: Cartesian dualism
Thursday 10 September
Day Six: Cartesian dualism
Tuesday 15 September
Day Seven: Cartesian dualism
Thursday 17 September
Day Eight:Cartesian dualism
Tuesday 22 September
Day Nine: Catch-up/discussion
Thursday 24 September
Day Ten: FIRST EXAM (will not cover HeilChapter 3: “Descartes’ legacy”)
Tuesday 29 September
Day Eleven:TBD – either Heil Chapter 3: “Descartes’ legacy” or Heil Chapter 4: “Behaviorism”
Thursday 1 October
Day Twelve:Behaviorism
Hempel. “The logical analysis of psychology”
Tuesday 6 October
Day Thirteen: Behaviorism
Thursday 8 October
Day Fourteen:Identity theory
Heil Chapter 5: “The identity theory”
Place. “Is consciousness a brain process?”
Tuesday 13 October
Day Fifteen:Catch-up/discussion
Thursday 15 October
Day Sixteen: Functionalism
Heil Chapter 6: “Functionalism”
Fodor, “The mind-body problem”
Tuesday 20 October
Day Seventeen: Functionalism
Heil Chapter 7: “The representational theory of mind”: read only Sections 7.1-7.5.
Marcus. “Face it, your brain is a computer”
Thursday 22 October
Day Eighteen:Functionalism vs. identity theory
Heil Chapter 7: “The representational theory of mind”: read Sections 7.6-7.9.
Tuesday 27 October
Day Nineteen: Catch-up/discussion
Thursday 29 October
Day Twenty: SECOND EXAM
Tuesday 3 November
Day Twenty-one: Eliminative materialism
Heil, Chapter 9: “Eliminativism”
Churchland, “Eliminative materialism and the propositional attitudes.”
Thursday 5 November
Day Twenty-two: Interpretationalism and normativism
Heil Chapter 8: “The intentional stance”
McGeer. “The regulative dimension of folk psychology.”
Tuesday 10 November
Day Twenty-three: Catch-up/discussion
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Thursday 12 November
Day Twenty-four: Mind and science
Nagel. “What is it like to be a bat?”
Tuesday 17 November
Day Twenty-five:Mind and science
Tallis. “What neuroscience cannot tell us about ourselves.”
Thursday 19 November
Day Twenty-six:Catch-up/discussion
No class Tuesday 24 or Thursday 26 November
Tuesday 1 December
Day Twenty-seven:Discussion
Thursday 3 December
Day Twenty-eight: THIRD EXAM
Essays due by1 p.m. on Tuesday 8 December
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