202115 VU Basic Questions in Contemporary Philosophy of Mind

summer semester 2020 | Last update: 11.02.2020 Place course on memo list
202115
VU Basic Questions in Contemporary Philosophy of Mind
VU 2
3,5
weekly
every 2nd year
German

Overview of current positions in the Philosophy of Mind.

Critical and systematic discussion of fundamental questions in the Philosophy of Mind. E.g.:

  • What is the nature of mental states, and how do they relate to ourselves and to the external world?
    • Do we have a privileged access to our minds or mental states? (Self-knowledge and First-person-authority)
    • How can mental states represent the external world? (Mental content, mental representation)
    • How can mental states have effects on the external world? (Agency and mental causation)
  • What do we mean by «mental» and «physical»?
  • Is it possible to reduce physical properties to mental properties?
  • What speaks for and against a reductionist worldview?
  • What’s the difference between physicalism and (psycho-physical) reductionism?
  • Which are the strengths and limits of behaviorism with regard to the mind-body problem? (Mind as behavior)
  • What speaks in favor of, and what against dualism?

Short presentation (20-30 min.), analysis of texts, discussion.

Short presentation (40%), oral exam (60%).

Auswahl:
Beckermann, A. (2011): Analytische Einführung in die Philosophie des Geistes. De Gruyter.
Kim, J. (1998): Philosophy of Mind. Westview Press.
Jaworski, W. (2011): Philosophy of Mind. A Comprehensive Introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.

Further literature will be discussed in the first session.

For BA Philosophie an der Katholisch-Theologischen Fakultät (C 033 194): positive completion of compulsory modules 2.

02.03.2020
Group 0
Date Time Location
Mon 2020-03-02
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-03-09
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-03-16
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-03-23
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-03-30
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-04-20
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-04-27
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-05-04
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-05-11
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-05-18
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-05-25
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-06-08
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-06-15
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free
Mon 2020-06-22
10.00 - 11.45 SR I (Theologie) SR I (Theologie) Barrier-free