Topic and Reading
Schedule
|
Week / Theme |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Friday
|
|
W1 Apr 3,4,6 Introduction
to scientific method/ Cartesian
roots of the philosophy of mind |
am
Introduction
to Program/ pm Introduction to Seminar/Larissa MacFarquhar, “Two
Minds” (New Yorker article to be passed out in the morning session) |
Approaches
to Scientific Method Reading: Hippocrates,
“On the sacred Disease” (handout) |
am Descartes Treatise on Man (handout) Mediations, Discourse on Method, Passions of the Soul, Principles of Philosophy, (selections) (web
handout*) pm Workshop: Descartes and Philosophy Workshop Reading: Churchland, p 5-10 |
|
W2 Apr 10,11,13 Determinism/
reductionism in physiology; parallels between bodies of humans and
non-humans; studying the human mind |
am Workshop: What is Life? Lecture: Experimental Medicine pm
Sacks, Man who mistook his wife for a
hat Preface; Part I: intro,
1,2,3,6,8,9; Part II: intro, 10,12,14;
Part III: intro, 15,18,19; Part IV: intro, 22, 24 (All recommended ) |
Claude Bernard on Scientific Method Reading: Claude Bernard, Introduction to Experimental Medicine, pp. 1-3; 5, 13-26; 27-28, 35-40, 52-57; 151-155;181-183; 196-205 Idea
Fair on Group Projects |
am Claude Bernard, Introduction
to Experimental Medicine, pp. 59-86, 87-105, 122-129, 136-140 pm Debate: Animal Experimentation. Reading: Packet on 1876
Anti-Vivisection Law, James Turner, Reckoning
with the Beast (handouts) |
|
W3 Apr 17,18,20 Studying
the human mind; chance vs. design/ determinism in evolution, parallels
between minds of humans and non-humans |
am Video: “Secrets of the Mind”/ Ramachandran on Consciousness pm Ramachandran, Brief Tour of Human Consciousness(entire) |
Charles Darwin and
Evolutionary Biology
Reading: Selections from Origin of Species (web handout*) Organization
of Group Projects |
am Charles Darwin, Selections from
Descent of Man (web
handout*)
pm Lecture: Reception of Evolution by Natural
Selection, Mendelian Genetics and Eugenics |
|
W4
Apr 24,25,27 Neuroscience
and the mind; applications of genetics and evolutionary biology to society,
politics, and religion |
am
Kevin: Phrenology, Craniology, David: Cellular Neurobiology pm
Kandel, In
Search of Memory |
Debate:
Buck vs Bell. Reading:
case materials and readings (web handout*)
|
am Miller Finding Darwin’s God
pp 1-164 pm
Animal
Intelligence and Animal Emotion |
|
W5 May 1,2,4 Emergence of a “science of mind”; current connections between
evolution and consciousness |
am David: History of Psychology, Behaviorism, and the Cognitive
Revolution pm Kandel, In Search of Memory, pp. 279-428. |
Animal Consciousness
Reading: TBA |
am Miller, Finding Darwin’s God ( remainder) pm Guest Lecture:
Anthony Wheeler on Evolution of Human Consciousness, Civilization and
Accumulated Stress Paper 2 due in seminar |
|
W6 May 8,9,11 Philosophy
of neuroscience; molecular account of life |
am More on cognitive
neuroscience/ Midquarter synthesis—bring Nagel, Bernard, Ramachandran,
Kandel pm Churchland, Brain-wise, (Read to p. 198) |
DNA
and the Central Dogma (Reading:
Handout to be distributed in class on May 4) Group
Project:
Make presentation to faculty (non-advisor) |
am Searle, Mind (review pp. 1-29, pm Searle/Churchland on |
|
W7 May 15,16,18 Philosophy
and consciousness; molecular account of life |
am Searle video Lecture: Neurobiology pm Churchland (pp.241-370) |
Debate:
Neurobiology and the Law (Reading:
TBA) Group
Project:
Bring outline and bibliography for faculty advisor |
am Searle, Mind (pp. 112-150, pm
Theories
of Mind— Taking a position (Web handout: Chalmers, Paper 3 due in seminar |
|
W8 May 22,23,25 Freedom
of will and neurobiology; human behavior and genetics |
am Freedom of will pm Wegner, The Illusion of Conscious Will pp 1-186 1 |
Guest
lecture/workshop (Reading:TBA) Group
Project:
Bring rough draft of research paper. Peer review. |
am Wegner The Illusion of Conscious Will (Remainder) pm Film and discussion: GATTACA |
|
W9 May
29,30 Jun 1 What
does the history of the scientific study of life portend about scientific
understanding of consciousness? |
am Recent work on Science and pm Churchland (pp201-240, Searle pp 151-164) |
“Final
Synthesis” |
am/pm Presentation meetings
with faculty; group work on presentation Group
Project:
Final research paper due. |
|
W10 June
5,6, 8 |
am TEAM PRESENTATIONS pm TEAM PRESENTATIONS |
TEAM
PRESENTATIONS |
am TEAM PRESENTATIONS pm Pot Luck |
|
Week
11 June 12,13,14 EVALUATION CONFERENCES
TUESDAY/WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY |
|||
*Available as handout from our program Web page