PHI 345 Philosophy of Mind and HNR 304 Androids, Zombies and Brains are cross-listed courses meeting TR at 9:25 in HR 107.
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With all the advances in artificial intelligence, cognitive sciences, and neurobiology in the last century, what has happened to the mind? Why is having a brain important to having a mind? And what does it mean to have a mind? Androids don't have biological brains. Could they still have thoughts and feelings? Zombies have brains but they aren't conscious. Could they still have thoughts? What's the relationship between consciousness and thinking (intentionality)? In addition to androids, zombies, and humans, the cast will include cyborgs, primates, chess-playing computers, doppelgangers, and miraculous swamp creatures. We will use film, literature, science, and philosophy to explore these questions and others.
The class will be run as a seminar. Students are expected to prepare for class and participate in the discussion, contributing questions, ideas and insights form their own study of the material.
