PHIL 352 – Special Topics: Consciousness

 

Spring Term 2010

Mon. & Wed., 11:30 - 12:45

CBC C215

 Email: beiseckd@unlv.nevada.edu

Website: www.unlv.edu/faculty3/beisecker

 

 

Dave Beisecker

Department of Philosophy

CDC 429

Office Hrs: TH, 2:30-3:30

Office Phone: 895-4038

 

Course Description: Welcome to consciousness boot camp (the toughest course you’ll ever love? Dream on!).  Once I’m finished with you, you should be well-acquainted with many of the central philosophical debates currently raging in consciousness studies.

Course Learning Outcome: This course partially fulfils the theory requirement for the philosophy B.A., which is aimed to prepare students to achieve the following goal: To demonstrate knowledge about the central problems in the main branches of contemporary philosophical theory, such as metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of science.

Students successfully completing this class shall be able to:

  • Identify central issues or debates in the philosophical understanding of consciousness,
  • Articulate, and where appropriate, compare and contrast different views that might be taken with respect to these issues,
  • Summarize major motivations or arguments for these alternative positions,
  • Present significant objections that have or could be raised to these positions,
  • Assess the relative merits of these arguments and objections.

Required Text: (Should be available at the University Bookstore. Acquire it ASAP!)

A Dialogue on Consciousness, Torin Alter and Robert Howell, Oxford University Press, 2009.

There will also be several other readings posted onto the course website.

Course Requirements:  Students will be expected to come to class regularly, having read the assigned material and being able to participate in class discussions. For each of our assigned articles, I will assign ahead of time one student to prepare a one or two paragraph synopsis of that reading.  Then after we discuss that reading, that same student will revise their synopsis and also write a brief (one paragraph) summary of our discussion.  These should be e-mailed to me within a week, where I will grade them as well as post them to the course website as a resource for the entire class. 

Currently, my plan is to have three or four take-home essay assignments (a couple of 3-5 page essay questions apiece) spaced throughout the semester.  However, in lieu of one of these papers, I’m also toying with the idea of assigning a few very short (1-3 paragraph) exercises at the beginning of the term, just for the purpose of honing one’s abilities to present philosophical arguments crisply and clearly.

With consent of the instructor, students may substitute a 6-8 page response paper (or commentary) on an article in contemporary epistemology for one of the take-home essay assignments.  Selected articles should have been published in a reputable journal or anthology within the last ten years and must not have been assigned in class (the DeRose web-site has an extensive listing of appropriate articles).

Each exam (or paper), will count for roughly a quarter of one’s final grade.  As always, borderline cases will be decided at the whim of the instructor on the basis of attendance, participation, general deportment, and progress throughout the course of the semester.

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Learning and Enhancement Services (LES) houses Disability Services, Tutoring Services, and Learning Strategies. If you have a documented disability that requires assistance, you will need to contact LES for coordination in your academic accommodations. LES is located in the Reynolds Services Complex, suite 137. The DRC phone number is 895-0866 or TDD 895-0652. You may also visit their website at http://www.unlv.edu/studentlife/les.

 

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