Main Text: S. Pinker How the Mind Works (HMW)
Instructor: Jim Garson Phone: x 3206 Room:
511 AH E-mail: JGarson@uh.edu
Office Hours: 10:00-11:30 Tuesday and Thursday
Teaching Assistant: Lynn Mardon Phone: x 3198
Room: 508AH
Office Hours: 1:00-2:30 Tuesday; 9:00-10:00 Monday and
Wednesday
http://www.hfac.uh.edu/phil/garson/Jim_Garson.htm 1. Aug. 22, 24. Introduction:
The Historical Mind (10) A Historical Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind pp. 15-17;
57-62; 102-103
Questions to Guide your Reading 2. Aug. 29, 31. Methods
for Studying the Mind (55) HMW Ch. 1
3. Sep. 5, 7. Computational
Theories of the Mind: Strengths and Weaknesses (52) HMW Ch. 2 pp. 59-111
Sep. 12 PAPER 1 DUE 4. Sep. 12, 14. Neurological
Theories of the Mind: Strengths and Weaknesses (68) HMW Ch. 2 pp. 112-131
5-6. Sep. 19 - 26. Consciousness
and Materialism (33) P. Churchland, Matter and Consciousness pp. 26-42
HMW Ch. 2 pp. 131-148
7. Sep. 28.
Evolutionary Psychology: Strengths and Weaknesses
(61) HMW Ch. 3
Oct. 3, 5. Review for midterm Oct. 10 MIDTERM 8. Oct. 12, 17. Vision
and Visualization (87) HMW Ch. 4
9. Oct. 19, 24. Concepts
and Learning (34) HMW Ch. 5 pp. 299-333
10. Oct 26, 31. Logic,
Reasoning and Creativity (29) HMW Ch. 5 pp. 333-362
Nov. 2 PAPER 2 DUE 11. Nov. 2, 7. Emotions
and their Social Roles (61) HMW Ch. 6
Nov. 9 PROJECT PROPOSALS DUE 12. Nov. 9, 14. Cooperation
and Conflict (95) HMW Ch. 7 (skim pp. 429-476)
13. Nov. 16, 21. The
Functions of Culture and Religion (44) HMW Ch. 8
14. Nov. 28, 30. Morality
and Freedom of the Will (20) "Freedom and Necessitation" by A. J. Ayer
Dec. 12 11:00-2:00 FINAL
or PROJECT is DUE All readings other than HMW are on reserve in the Library on the
third floor. Students are expected to complete all assigned readings
at
the beginning
of the week in which they are assigned. You may be called
on in class to explain or react to the readings. On occasion you may also
be asked to write very short in-class position papers concerning the week's
topic. Your class participation grade will depend on this oral and written
performance.
There will be two papers of approximately
1000 words each due on Sept. 12 and Nov. 2 on topics assigned in class.
There will be an in class
midterm and a final or project
. To qualify for a project in place of the final, a project proposal
of at least two pages describing the project must be turned in by Nov.
9. I will review the proposal and either reject it, suggest revisions or
accept it as is. The project description should give a detailed account
of what you hope to accomplish and should contain full bibliographic information
on two sources that you will rely on. Any person who does not met the requirements
for project approval must take the final.
Your grade will be calculated approximately in the
following proportions:
Paper #1 20% MidTerm 20% Paper #2 20%
Final or Project: 30% Class participation and attendance 10%