Universität Wien

180106 VO Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind (2015S)

Consciousness, Cognition and the Brain-Mind Problem

3.00 ECTS (2.00 SWS), SPL 18 - Philosophie

Details

Language: English

Examination dates

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

  • Tuesday 10.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 17.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 24.03. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 14.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 21.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 28.04. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 05.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 12.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 19.05. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 02.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 09.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 16.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 23.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien
  • Tuesday 30.06. 13:15 - 14:45 Hörsaal 3D, NIG Universitätsstraße 7/Stg. III/3. Stock, 1010 Wien

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

Thorough introduction to the contemporary consciousness, brain, and cognition debate. Since the issues discussed are no longer confined to one or two single core disciplines, not only philosophical, but also recent psychological and neuroscientific approaches to the problem of consciousness will be discussed.
Structure: In the first part, a brief introduction to the core issues of the mind-brain problem will be offered to those who are new to the field. We’ll look at what appear to be three closely related problems of consciousness: (1) conscious experience, (2) mental causation, and (3) free will. In the second part, a number of recent experimental findings relevant to these issues will be discussed, among them the general mind-brain-dependency problem, research with split brain (forebrain commissurotomy) patients, and Libet’s experiment on conscious and/or unconscious causation of volitional behaviour. We’ll probe the philosophical relevance of these findings and investigate what they might (or might not) tell us about consciousness and the mind. In the third and last part, we’ll discuss some recent attempts to solve the mind-brain problem for good, such as Elitzur’s bafflement argument. And if time allows for it, we’ll also have a careful and critical look at some of the more extravagant theories of consciousness proposed during the past few years, such as Penrose’s and Hameroff’s OrchOR-Model and Deikman’s epistemological interactionism.

Assessment and permitted materials

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

Examination topics

Reading list

Association in the course directory

BA M 14, M11

Last modified: Mo 07.09.2020 15:36