PHILOSOPHY OF MIND

Philosophy 736-351-001

University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee Fall 2004

Course Description

What is a mind? What is distinctive of mental phenomena? In this course we will discuss and assess some of the traditional philosophical answers to these questions and the impact of cognitive science in the understanding and the explanation of mental phenomena. At the beginning of the course we will look at the standard philosophical theories of the mind (dualism, behaviorism and functionalism). We will then concentrate on the philosophical import of recent developments in the cognitive science. We will discuss the criticisms of the representational theory of mind, the role of computation in the modeling of the mental, Artificial Intelligence, Connectionism and Artificial Neural Networks, Robotics, Dynamics and Artificial Life. We will discuss both the standard problems in the philosophy of mind (levels of descriptions, types of explanation, mental causation, the nature and status of folk psychology) and the novel issues raised by cognitive science (in particular, the nature of emergence, the interplay between life and mind, the idea of mind as intrinsically embodied and environmentally embedded).

REQUIRED TEXTS

 

Heil, J. Philosophy of Mind, Routledge (either first or second edition)	B
Clark A, Mindware, Oxford University Press	B R
Turing A. "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" http://www.abelard.org/turpap/turpap.htm	I
Haugeland J., "Semantic Engines", Mind Design, 1st ed., Introduction http://www.uwm.edu/Library/ERES/ferrero/semant.pdf	Eres
Searle J. "Minds, Brains and Programs" http://members.aol.com/NeoNoetics/MindsBrainsPrograms.html	I
Fodor J. "The Persistence of the Attitudes" in Representations http://www.uwm.edu/Library/ERES/ferrero/perten.pdf	Eres
Churchland P.  "Eliminative Materialism and the Propositional Attitudes" in A neurocomputational perspective http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-362X%28198102%2978%3A2%3C67%3AEMATPA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-8	I
Dennett D., "Real Patterns", in Brainchildren ch.5 originally in the Journal of Philosophy, 1991, v. 88.1	I
Franklin S., Artificial Minds ch. 6 http://www.uwm.edu/Library/ERES/ferrero/connec.pdf	Eres
Brooks R., "Intelligence without Representation" http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/brooks/papers/representation.pdf	I
Resnick M., Turtles, termites, and traffic jams ch 4 http://www.uwm.edu/Library/ERES/ferrero/reflec.pdf	Eres
Dennett D., "Making Tools for Thinking" http://ase.tufts.edu/cogstud/papers/maketoo2.htm	I
Clark - Chalmers "The extended Mind", Analysis, 1998, vol. 58 http://cogprints.soton.ac.uk/documents/disk0/00/00/03/20/index.html	I
Kim J., Philosophy of Mind, ch. 1,2,4,5 (G)	R

** A list of Additional REQUIRED readings for Graduate Students will be distributed during the semester **

Supplementary Readings

Readings marked with B are available at the UWM bookstore
Readings marked with I are available on the internet
Readings marked with R are on Reserve at the Golda Meir Library
Readings marked with Eres are on Electronic Reserve at the Golda Meir Library

N.B. You are required to read the assigned texts before attending the lecture

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SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND READINGS

 

Date	Lecture	Topic	READINGS Required readings are in boldface readings marked with (G) are required of Grad Students only Suggested readings are in smaller font	Assignments
9/2	I	Presentation of the course, syllabus and grading policy
9/7	II	Turing Test	Turing "Computing Machines and Intelligence" (see also the Turing Test Page and ALICE) D.R. Hofstadter "The Turing Test: A Coffeehouse Conversation" (optional)
9/9	III	Mind and Body Dualism	Clark Introduction, Clark Appendix I.1 Heil(1) ch. 2, Heil (2) Ch. 2-3 Kim ch.1 (G), Guttenplan 1 Guttenplan 5
9/14	IV	Behaviorism	Heil (1) 51-70, Heil (2) Ch.5, Clark Appendix I.2
9/16	V	Identity Theory	Heil (1) 71-85, Heil (2) Ch. 6. Clark Appendix I.3 Kim 2 & 3 (G), Braddon 2 & 6, Guttenplan 5 & 6
9/21	VI	Functionalism	Heil (1) 87-104, Heil (2) Ch.7, Clark Appendix I.4 Kim 4 & 5 (G), Braddon 3 & 5, Guttenplan 7
9/23	VII
9/28	VIII	Summary and Review
9/30	IX	Slack
10/5	X	TEST IN CLASS		TEST IN CLASS
10/7	XI	Semantic Engines	Clark ch 1,  Heil (1) 104-109, Heil (2) 107-110  Haugeland "Semantic Engines" Haugeland AI ch 2-3
10/12	XII	Physical Symbol System	Clark ch 2, Heil (1) 109-114, Heil (2) 111-114 Searle "Minds, Brains and Programs"
10/14	XIII
10/19	XIV	Folk Psychology	Clark ch 3 Fodor "The Persistence of the Attitudes"
10/21	XV	Eliminativism	Churchland "Eliminative Materialism and the Propositional Attitudes" Clark Appendix I.4, Heil (1) 109-114, Heil (2) Ch.12
10/26	XVI	Real Patterns	Dennett "Real Patterns" Heil (1) 154-168, Heil (2) Ch. 11
10/28	XVII	Summary and Review
11/2	XVIII	TEST IN CLASS	[Take-Home test for graduate students]	TEST IN CLASS
11/4	XIX	Connectionism	Clark ch 4 Franklin Artificial Minds ch 6
11/9	XX	Robotics	Clark pp. 84-88, 100-112 Brooks "Intelligence without Representation" (see http://www.ai.mit.edu/projects/humanoid-robotics-group/)
11/11	XXI	Action and Perception	Clark ch 5
11/16	XXII	Emergence and complexity	Clark ch 6 (from  p.112 to the end) Resnick ch 4 Exploring emergence http://llk.media.mit.edu/projects/emergence/ Reynolds "Boids" http://www.red3d.com/cwr/boids/ Reynolds "Steering Behavior" http://www.red3d.com/cwr/steer/ Resnick ch. 3
11/18	XXIII	The dynamical Hypothesis	Clark ch 7 Van Gelder "What Might Cognition Be, If Not Computation?" The Journal of Philosophy, Vol. 92, No. 7 (Jul., 1995), pp. 345-381 (G) Kelso "Introduction" to Dynamical Patterns
11/23	XXIV	Cognitive Technology	Clark ch 8 Dennett "Making Tools for Thinking" Clark - Chalmers "The extended Mind"	Topics for the final paper distributed
11/25	-------		THANKSGIVING
11/30	XXV	Slack
12/2	XXVI	Writing Workshop	See instructions on my homepage	DRAFT OF FINAL PAPER DUE IN CLASS
12/7	XXVII	Writing Workshop	See instructions on my homepage	COMMENTS ON DRAFT DUE IN CLASS
12/9	XXVIII	Summary and Review
12/14	XIX	TEST IN CLASS	[Take Home test for Graduate Students]	TEST IN CLASS
12/15		FINAL PAPER DUE IN MY MAILBOX CURTIN 6th Floor by 4:00 p.m.	RESEARCH PAPER  for Graduate Students	FINAL PAPER DUE IN MY MAILBOX CURTIN 6th Floor by 4:00 p.m.

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ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING POLICY

UNDERGRADUATES

3 in-class tests	15% each
Final Paper (1800-2400 words)	35%
Class participation (attendance and participation in class discussion)	10%
Peer Commentaries in the writing workshop	10%

FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS
[please note that Graduate Students have additional reading requirements -- marked with (G) above]

Class participation	5%
Comments on Peer-Writing (see Writing Workshop)	10%
3 take-home tests	15% each
Final Research Paper (3600-4500 words)	40%

 

• Attendance to lectures and writing workshops is mandatory
  
• PAPERS MUST BE SUBMITTED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CLASS BY THE DEADLINES indicated above. All late papers will be marked 1 grade down for each day or portion thereof that they are late, including weekends and holidays (for instance, if a paper is due on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. and it is turned in on Wed at 5.00 p.m., it will be penalized two full grades). The penalty applies BOTH to the first and the final draft of each paper (e.g., if you turn both the first and the final draft one day late, your will be penalized 2 full grades).
  
• In order to pass this course you MUST COMPLETE ALL assignments. You must take the in-class tests, participate in the writing workshops, and turn in both papers.  

click here to see the GRADING GUIDELINES

Please note that PLAGIARISM is a serious instance of Academic Misconduct

Plagiarism includes:

1. Directly quoting the words of others without using quotation marks or indented format to identify them; or,
2. Using sources of information (published or unpublished) without identifying them; or,
3. Paraphrasing materials or ideas of others without identifying the sources.

UWM Policy concerning Plagiarism is available at http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html 

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WRITING WORKSHOP

In this class, you are given the opportunity to benefit from the comments of your peers on the first draft of your papers. You must submit the first draft of the paper (at least 900 words) together with a detailed outline on the first day of the writing workshop. Two or three other students will be assigned to you as commentators. You will meet with them at the writing workshop and discuss with them how to improve your draft. You then have some more days to revise your draft before submitting the final version for grading (for the exact deadlines, see the schedule above). You will also be commenting on the work of two or three other students. You will receive their drafts on the day when your draft is due. You will turn in your written comments at the writing workshop.

Please note that the active participation in the writing workshop is REQUIRED in order to pass the class. Detailed instructions about the writing workshop will be distributed during the term and made available on my homepage at http://www.uwm.edu/~ferrero/writing-workshop.htm

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CLASS REFLECTOR: a class reflector () has been set up up for general announcements. Notice that, if you do not use your ePanther/alpha account regularly, it is your responsibility to make sure that your UWM mail is forwarded to your preferred email account (for instructions on UWM ePanther accounts go to http://www.uwm.edu/IMT/ePanther/).

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Academic Misconduct Policy: see http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/OSL/DOS/conduct.html

Drop/Audit Policy: Students will be allowed to drop the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar. Likewise, students may elect to audit the course up through the last day permitted by the Registrar

Grievance and Appeals Policy: The Department of Philosophy has procedures for handling student grievance and grade-appeals. Information is available in the Department office, 612 Curtin Hall

Special Assistance: If you need special assistance, please contact me the first day of class

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