Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Lecturer
Melanie Rosen
W6A730
On request
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Credit points |
Credit points
3
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
12cp or admission to GDipArts
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit explores the relationship between the body and the mind. It introduces students to the central issues in contemporary philosophy of mind, focusing on the issue of whether the mind can be incorporated into the scientific picture of the world. The first part of the unit consists of a survey of competing philosophical theories of the mind: dualism, behaviourism, the identity theory, and functionalism. The second half consists of a discussion of some topical issues in contemporary philosophy of mind and cognitive science. What is the nature of phenomenal (subjective) experience? Is a physical theory of consciousness possible? Is there a language of thought? If so, what is its nature? How do mental states represent the world? Does neurophysiology show us that common sense psychology is scientifically dispensable?
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Name | Weighting | Due |
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Online quizzes | 20% | Weeks 2-11 |
Essay exam | 25% | 22/4/15 |
Final Essay | 35% | 5/6/15 |
Participation | 20% | Weeks 1-12 |
Due: Weeks 2-11
Weighting: 20%
There will be a quiz on the assigned reading/previous due each week before 2pm Monday. Each quiz will consist of one short answer question. The quiz will be accessible on iLearn from the preceding Friday. You will have 10 minutes to answer the quiz once you begin; after 10 minutes, your answer will be saved. You get graded /10 for the number of quizzes you complete (all quizzes get 10, -1 mark for each quiz missed), and then 10 marks from 5 randomly graded answers. These quizzes will be graded either 0 (did not complete), 1 (adequate), or 2 (exceptional).
Due: 22/4/15
Weighting: 25%
The first essay exam will cover materials from week one to six. It will require answering three questions with short 500-word essays. The exam will be assigned on 1/4/15 and be due by 2pm on 22/4/15.
Essays will be submitted using "Turnitin" through the unit iLearn site.
Due: 5/6/15
Weighting: 35%
The final essay will will require answering one research question with a max of 2000 words. Due by 5pm on 5/6/15.
Essays will be submitted using "Turnitin" through the unit iLearn site
Due: Weeks 1-12
Weighting: 20%
Students should be active and participate online in message boards on iLearn. That means students need to study the weekly readings, ask questions about the readings and respond to other students' questions online during the relevant week. Online participation constitutes 20% of the overall grade. Students will be marked on the regularity and quality of their message posts.
CLASSES
External students will listen to 2 iLectures each week. They will be available through Echo recording on iLearn.
READING
There is a mandatory unit reader. You must also get a copy of Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy (The Hackett edition, ISBN 0872201929, is available at the co-op bookshop but similar versions are available online).
You may optionally purchase Pete Mandik's This is Philosophy of Mind, which will provide supplementary background reading for several weeks.
The week's readings are listed on this unit guide and will also be listed each week on iLearn. Readings should be done before the first lecture of the week. You should bring the weeks' reading material to both lecture and tutorial.
WEBSITE
The unit website is available through iLearn (http://ilearn.mq.edu.au). It contains essential resources for the unit, and you are expected to log in on a regular basis.
Week 1: Introduction | Descartes, Meditation 1 |
Week 2: Dualism & its Problems |
Descartes, Meditation 6 Mandik, Ch2 |
Week 3: Behaviorism |
Ryle, excerpt from The Concept of Mind Fodor, excerpt 1 from The Language of Thought Mandik Ch5 |
Week 4: Identity Theory |
Smart “Sensations and Brain Processes” Mandik Ch6 |
Week 5: Functionalism |
Putnam “The Nature of Mental States” Mandik Ch 8 |
Week 6: Cognitivism |
Pinker “Rules of Language” Simon “What is an ‘Explanation’ of Behavior?” |
Week 7: Computation & Mind |
Turing “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” Searle “Can Computers Think?” Mandik Ch7 |
Week 8: Nonreductive Physicalism |
Fodor, excerpt 2 from The Language of Thought Mandik Ch9 |
Week 9: Consciousness |
Jackson “Epiphenomenal Qualia” Chalmers “The Puzzle of Conscious Experience” Mandik Ch14 (to p206) |
Week 10: Consciousness and the Brain |
Nagel “Brain Bisection and the Unity of Consciousness” |
Week 11: Neuropsychology |
Parkin, excerpt from Explorations in Cognitive Neuropsychology Ramachandran “The Unbearable Likeness of Being” |
Week 12: Review |
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html
Assessment Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html
Grading Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html
Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html
Grievance Management Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grievance_management/policy.html
Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.
In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/
Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://informatics.mq.edu.au/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
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Date | Description |
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16/02/2015 | Changed lectures from 13 weeks to 12, and tutorials from 12 weeks to 10, as requested. Changed final assignment from "essay exam" to "research essay" |