How can meat think? Could a robot feel pain? Can computational complexity explain consciousness? Could you survive bodily death? Could a machine know your mind better than you yourself? What is free will and do you have it? What makes you the same person as the newborn squalling indignantly on expulsion from the warm protection of your mother’s womb? Is the one body-one mind rule anything more than a purely parochial insistence on the metaphysical equivalent of local parking regulations?

This module will introduce a selection of key philosophical questions concerning mind, freedom and identity, drawing on fictional and non-fictional narratives to illuminate discussion of formal academic texts. No previous knowledge of philosophy will be assumed.

Intellectual Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

• analyse the structure of an argument;
• critically evaluate an argument;
• compare and contrast different positions on an issue;
• adjudicate disputes.

Discipline Specific (including practical) Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

• critically read and analyse a philosophical text;
• use philosophical vocabulary appropriate to the subject matter of the specific course;
• formulate and defend a philosophical thesis;
• constructively discuss philosophical ideas with others.

Knowledge and Understanding:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will be able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of core elements of the course material;
• identify philosophical puzzles, theoretical perspectives and metaphysical commitments in a variety of source materials;
• appreciate the ways in which our experiences both reflect and shape theoretical understanding;
• evaluate philosophical claims in the context of historical and contemporary discussions;
• bring the insights of philosophy to bear on questions raised by individual and collective experiences, non-fictional accounts and fictional narratives concerning mind, volition and identity.

This course is taught in 9, two-hour sessions, delivered on a weekly basis.

There will be a mixture of lectures and seminars, the precise proportion to be determined by the needs of the students enrolled. The seminar element may include debate, discussion, group activities, presentations and readings. Additional reading material will be recommended and a reading list will be supplied. If appropriate, other materials such as documentaries may also be included. Course handouts will be provided as appropriate.

The seminars will encourage the development of knowledge and understanding of the ideas and concepts discussed in the course. Intellectual skills will be encouraged through participation in class discussion, reading and coursework.

Academic Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will have:

• found relevant resources in the library and online;
• assessed the reliability of different sources of information;
• demonstrated a critical approach to academic texts.

Transferable/employability Skills:

By the end of the period of learning, the typical student will have shown that s/he can:

• recognise, analyse and criticise arguments;
• explain and defend a view clearly and concisely whether orally or in writing;
• respond constructively to disagreement;
• evaluate claims in the context of historical and contemporary debates;
• identify theoretical tensions, paradoxical positions and problematic commitments in the context of philosophical theory, human experience and scientific discovery.

Type of assessment % Contribution Title Duration  (if applicable) Approx. date of Assessment

Exegesis of 300-400 words    20%  Glossary entry Agreed by week 3/4 and submitted in week 6/7

Essay of 1200-1500 words    80% Paper Set by week 4/5 and submitted shortly after end of course

Students who fail one or more assessment elements will be given the opportunity to re-submit coursework in response to different titles over the summer once the Exam Board has met.

The following list of sample topics indicates the kind of subject matter which may be discussed but the specific issues selected will vary:

• philosophy of mind:

1. the mind-body problem
2. the nature of minds/theories of mind
3. consciousness and qualia
4. artificial intelligence

• metaphysics:

1. free will
2. personal identity
3. the nature of the self

• related topics in epistemology, such as self-knowledge

The course will draw on stories from fiction and non-fiction to illustrate the theoretical positions discussed and students are encouraged to draw further examples from their own experience and wider reading.

Indicative Reading and Resource List:

Reading and resources will vary according to the specific topics covered in the module. Students considering the module may find the following resource helpful:

Hofstadter, Douglas R. and Daniel C. Dennett (eds), The Mind’s I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul (New York: Basic Books, 1981). This is an anthology which combines excerpts from fiction, science and philosophy with reflective discussion and analysis. It also includes a discursive list of further reading which is organised topically and corresponds to the conceptual structure of the anthology. Although this does not cover the current debate, it provides a highly accessible starting point for further exploration and introduces many questions which continue to lie at the heart of the philosophical discussion.

Students may also like to explore related resources available at http://cfrees.wordpress.com/teaching/