PHIL 255Philosophy of Mind

Students will explore historical and contemporary issues in the philosophical analysis of minds and mental states. As students collectively interact with an ever-expanding and more diverse set of important readings in the philosophy of mind, they will hone critical reading, writing, argumentation, and communication skills to arrive at reasoned positions on debates about minds. Topics may include the nature of consciousness, whether minds and mental states are material or immaterial, how and why our embodiment affects our thought, whether collective or “hive” minds exist, the nature of mental causation, and how exactly it is that mental states can be about a world outside of the mind. This course will afford students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to various objects, from traditional philosophical essays to popular representations that explore metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical issues associated with the philosophy of mind.