Students

PHL 262 – Body and Mind

2017 – S1 External

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Richard Heersmink
Credit points Credit points
3
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(12cp at 100 level or above) or admission to GDipArts
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
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? What is consciousness? Is a physical theory of consciousness possible? What is the role of the body in cognitive processes?

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Tutorial participation 15% No Throughout
Online quizzes 15% No Week 4, 8, 12
First essay 30% No Week 8
Final essay 40% No Week 13

Tutorial participation

Due: Throughout
Weighting: 15%

Each week, external students have to write a 200 words summary of the weekly readings. This is to replace the tutorials of the internal students, and is meant to ensure consistent engagement with the course material. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text

Online quizzes

Due: Week 4, 8, 12
Weighting: 15%

Three short online quizzes (10 multiple choice questions) in which you answer a number of questions. The quizzes are due in week 4, 8 and 12. 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text

First essay

Due: Week 8
Weighting: 30%

You will write a short 1500 word essay on one of the topics discussed during the first half of the course. These topics include Cartesian dualism, behaviorism, functionalism, identity theory, and nonreductive physicalism. In week 8, we'll discuss the outcome of the essays during class, providing elaborate feedback on your essay such that you can incorporate common mistakes in your second essay. Your essay should be submitted online via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Final essay

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 40%

You will write a 2000 word essay on one of the topics discussed during the second half of the course. These topics include consciousness, situated cognition, embodied cognition, extended and distributed cognition. Your essay should be submitted online via Turnitin.


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Delivery and Resources

John Heil. (2013). Philosophy of mind: A contemporary introduction (3rd edition). Routlegde. (Note that this is the 3rd edition!)

Additional resources will be uploaded on iLearn

Unit Schedule

Week

Topic

Readings

1

Course introduction

Heil ch 1

2

Cartesian dualism

Heil ch 2 & 3

3

Behaviorism

Heil ch 4

4

Identity theory

Heil ch 5

5

Functionalism

Heil ch 6

6

Nonreductive physicalism

Heil ch 11

7

Consciousness

Heil ch 10

8

Consciousness and the brain

Howhy, J. & Frith, C. (2004). Can Neuroscience Explain Consciousness? Journal of Consciousness Studies, 11(7–8),  180–198.

9

Representational theory of mind

Heil ch 7

10

Situated cognition

Clark, A. (2001). Cognitive Technology: Beyond the Naked Brain. In Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science. Oxford University Press.

 

11

Embodied cognition

M.L. Anderson. (2005). How to study the mind: An introduction to embodied cognition. In: F. Santoianni, C. Sabatano (Eds.), Brain Development in Learning Environments: Embodied and Perceptual Advancements. Cambridge University Press.

12

Extended and distributed cognition

Clark, A. & Chalmers, D. (1998). The extended mind. Analysis, 58, 10-23.

Hutchins, E. (2001) Cognition, Distributed. In R. A. Wilson & F. C. Keil (Eds.). The MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences. MIT Press.

 

 

 

Policies and Procedures

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_2016.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html​

Disruption to Studies Policy (in effect until Dec 4th, 2017): http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html

Special Consideration Policy (in effect from Dec 4th, 2017): https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policies/special-consideration

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

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.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Online quizzes
  • First essay
  • Final essay

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcome

  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Online quizzes

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • First essay
  • Final essay

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Online quizzes
  • First essay
  • Final essay

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn basic theories and approaches in philosophy of mind
  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Online quizzes
  • First essay
  • Final essay

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to close-read and evaluate a philosophical text
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • Online quizzes
  • First essay
  • Final essay

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

  • Learn to verbally express your opinion and interpretations of philosophical readings
  • Learn to write an argument and essay

Assessment tasks

  • Tutorial participation
  • First essay
  • Final essay