PHILOSOPHY 736-232 Sec. 001

PERSONAL IDENTITY

 

Instructor:         Luca Ferrero

                        Curtin Hall 625

                        tel. 229-5903

                        ferrero@fas.harvard.edu

Schedule: T R 4:30-5:45 

Location: Bolton Hall B79

Office hours: T 2:00-4:00

 

A. Required Texts

 

1) Perry, John (ed.). Personal Identity. University of California Press.

2) Kolak & Martin (eds.) Self and Identity. MacMillan.

3) Dennett, Daniel. Elbow Room. MIT Press.

·      These books are available at the UWM Bookstore

 

·      Starred readings are on Reserve at the Golda Meir Library

 

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

 

C. Assignments

1)   Test  in class                  on: 2/11/99

 

2) Two short papers

·      First paper               due on: 3/11/99

·      Second paper           due on: 4/15/99

·      Papers topics will be given a week in advance

·      Papers will be collected in class

·      Papers should be of 1-1/2  2 standard pages (300 words per page)

 

3) No late paper will be accepted

 

4) Attendance is mandatory

 

5) Final Exam : Thursday 5/13/99  4:30-6:30   Bolton Hall  B79  

 

 

D. Grading Policy

       Test                             10%

       Class Participation         10%

       Short Papers                 20% each

       Final Exam                   40%

 

 

E. Schedule of Topics and Readings

 

1/21/99 Introductory meeting

Presentation of the Course, Assignments, Grading policy 

 

1/26/99 Locke I

            Perry, pp. 33-52

 

1/28/99 Locke II

            Perry, pp. 33-52

 

2/2/99 Butler and Reid

            Perry, pp. 99-118

 

2/4/99 Hume I

Perry, pp. 159-178

 

2/9/99 Hume II + Review

            Perry, pp. 159-178

 

2/11/99 TEST IN CLASS

 

2/16/99 Where Am I?

            +Dennett, D. “Where Am I?” in Hofstadter, Dennett. The Mind’s I, pp. 217-231. (On Reserve)

 

2/18/99 Self and the Future

            Williams in Perry, pp. 179-198

           

2/23/99 The Psychological View

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 227-248

 

2/25/99 Memory

            Shoemaker in Perry, pp. 119-134

                       

3/2/99 Does Identity Matter?

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 248-265

 

3/4/99 The Importance of Being Identical

            +Perry, J. in Rorty, A. (Ed.), The Identities of Persons, pp. 67-90 (On Reserve)

 

3/9/99 Personal Identity, Rationality and Morality I

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 301-5, 309-322

 

3/11/99 Personal Identity, Rationality and Morality II

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 301-5, 309-322

            +FIRST PAPER DUE+

 

Spring recess: 3/14-3/21

 

3/23/99 The Unity of Agency

            Korsgaard in Kolak & Martin, pp. 323-338

 

3/25/99 Split Brains

            Kolak & Martin, pp. 55-81

 

3/30/99 Multiple Personalities I

            Kolak & Martin, pp. 89-133

 

4/1/99 Multiple Personalities II

Kolak & Martin, pp. 134-162

 

4/6/99 Self-Deception I

            +Davidson in R. Wollheim & J. Hopkins (eds.) Philosophical Essays on Freud. (On Reserve)

 

4/8/99 Self-Deception II

            Johnston in Kolak & Martin, pp. 422-435

 

4/13/99 Conditions of Personhood

            +Dennett, D. “Conditions of Personhood” in Dennett, Brainstorms. (On Reserve)

 

4/15/99 Group Persons

            +Rovane, C. The Bounds of Agency, pp. 136-166 (On Reserve)

            +SECOND PAPER DUE+

 

4/20/99 Person and Agency

            +Taylor, C. Human Agency and Language, pp. 97-114. (On Reserve)

 

4/22/99 Persons and Personae

            +Rorty, A. Mind in Action, pp. 27-46. (On Reserve)

 

4/27/99 Dennett I

Dennett in Kolak & Martin, pp. 355-364

Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 2

 

4/29/99 Dennett II

            Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 3

 

5/4/99 Dennett III

            Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 4

 

5/6/99 Review

 

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. 

 

----

 

PHILOSOPHY 736-232 Sec. 001

PERSONAL IDENTITY AND THE SELF

Revised Syllabus - 2/25/99

 

2/25/99 Does Identity Matter?

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 248-265

3/2/99 Personal Identity, Rationality and Morality I

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 301-5, 309-322

3/4/99 The Unity of Agency

            Korsgaard in Kolak & Martin, pp. 323-338

3/9/99 Personal Identity, Rationality and Morality II

            Parfit in Kolak & Martin, pp. 301-5, 309-322

(Suggested: The Importance of Being Identical

            +Perry, J. in Rorty, A. (Ed.), The Identities of Persons, pp. 67-90 (On Reserve), sec. I,IV,V,VI)

3/11/99 Origins of Consciousness

            Jaynes in Kolak &Martin, pp. 16-39

            Suggested: Kolak & Martin, pp. 40-54

            +FIRST PAPER DUE+

Spring recess: 3/14-3/21

 

3/23/99 Split Brains

            Kolak & Martin, pp. 55-81

3/25/99 Multiple Personalities I

            Kolak & Martin, pp. 89-133

3/30/99 Multiple Personalities II

Kolak & Martin, pp. 134-162

4/1/99 Self-Deception I

            +Davidson in R. Wollheim & J. Hopkins (eds.) Philosophical Essays on Freud. (On Reserve)

4/6/99 Self-Deception II

            Johnston in Kolak & Martin, pp. 422-435

4/8/99 Conditions of Personhood

            +Dennett, D. “Conditions of Personhood” in Dennett, Brainstorms. (On Reserve)

4/13/99 Group Persons

            +Rovane, C. The Bounds of Agency, pp. 136-166 (On Reserve)

4/18/99 Person and Agency

            +Taylor, C. Human Agency and Language, pp. 97-114. (On Reserve)

+SECOND PAPER DUE+

4/20/99 Persons and Personae

            +Rorty, A. Mind in Action, pp. 27-46. (On Reserve)

4/25/99 Dennett I

Dennett in Kolak & Martin, pp. 355-364

Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 2

4/27/99 Dennett II

            Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 3

4/30/99 Dennett III

            Dennett, Elbow Room, Ch. 4

5/4/99 Review

5/6/99 TBA