Philosophy of the Mind

Catalog description

What is a mind? What does it mean to be conscious? Is it possible for machines to actually think? This course entertains these and other related questions by reviewing some of the most influential theories about the nature of mentality and consciousness, chosen from the history of philosophy to the most current scientific research. Special focus will be placed on the debate between dualism (the belief that the mind must be separate from the body) and monism (that the mind is part of the body); the role of language in the mind; the possibility of artificial minds; and problems of identity and free will.