Course Policies
Course description
Philosophy 7 is an introduction to the Philosophy of Mind. All quarter we'll be thinking about a single profound and puzzling question: how does the mind emerge from the physical world? In Unit 1: The Mind in Nature, we will examine the question of how and whether the mind can interact with the natural environment. In Unit 2: The Mechanical Mind, we'll evaluate the hypothesis that the mind is a kind of computer-- a biological, information processing machine. And in Unit 3: Consciousness we'll investigate the rich sense of "awareness" associated with subjective conscious experience, and ask whether consciousness can be understood within the limits of cognitive science. Readings will be drawn from the fields of philosophy, computer science, and cognitive science, starting from Descartes up through contemporary debates.
Philosophy 7 is an introduction to the Philosophy of Mind. All quarter we'll be thinking about a single profound and puzzling question: how does the mind emerge from the physical world? In Unit 1: The Mind in Nature, we will examine the question of how and whether the mind can interact with the natural environment. In Unit 2: The Mechanical Mind, we'll evaluate the hypothesis that the mind is a kind of computer-- a biological, information processing machine. And in Unit 3: Consciousness we'll investigate the rich sense of "awareness" associated with subjective conscious experience, and ask whether consciousness can be understood within the limits of cognitive science. Readings will be drawn from the fields of philosophy, computer science, and cognitive science, starting from Descartes up through contemporary debates.
Waitlist
I will not accept students from the waitlist and I will not give out PTE's. You can still become enrolled in the course up until the waitlist closes. However, if your are on the waitlist, you are advised to find a back-up class as soon as possible. If you are on the waitlist and hoping to enroll, you must still attend lecture and section.
I will not accept students from the waitlist and I will not give out PTE's. You can still become enrolled in the course up until the waitlist closes. However, if your are on the waitlist, you are advised to find a back-up class as soon as possible. If you are on the waitlist and hoping to enroll, you must still attend lecture and section.
Course materials
There is no textbook. All course materials will be available online on this website. Please check the website regularly for updates.
There is no textbook. All course materials will be available online on this website. Please check the website regularly for updates.
Attendance
Attendance in lecture and section is required. Section attendance will be monitored. You will be responsible for the material covered in lecture and section, as well as the material on the handouts, which will be distributed in class. The material in lecture will be tested in the weekly quizzes. The essay assignments assume that you have actively engaged with the readings, section discussion, and lecture.
Attendance in lecture and section is required. Section attendance will be monitored. You will be responsible for the material covered in lecture and section, as well as the material on the handouts, which will be distributed in class. The material in lecture will be tested in the weekly quizzes. The essay assignments assume that you have actively engaged with the readings, section discussion, and lecture.
Level of Difficulty
This course is not an easy A. While there are no prerequisites, students will be expected to master difficult original texts, discuss complex arguments, and spend a lot of time writing. Students who are prepared to work hard, challenge themselves, and attend class regularly will do well
This course is not an easy A. While there are no prerequisites, students will be expected to master difficult original texts, discuss complex arguments, and spend a lot of time writing. Students who are prepared to work hard, challenge themselves, and attend class regularly will do well
Course requirements
There are no prerequisites, but demands of the course will include:
There are no prerequisites, but demands of the course will include:
- Required lecture attendance.
- Required section attendance and participation.
- Daily reading assignments. (15-25 pages each; often from original texts.)
- Daily online quizzes. (These cover the readings and lectures.)
- 3 in-class essay exams.
Grading
Grades will not be curved.
- In-class essay #1, 25%
- In-class essay #2, 25%
- In-class essay #3, 30%
- Weekly on-line quizzes, 10%:
(2 reading comprehension quizzes/week, 2 multiple-choice questions/quiz) - Section participation, 10%.
- Bonus: online course evaluation, 1%.
Grades will not be curved.
Grading (Nitty Gritty)
Papers and section participation are scored on a 100 point scale.
To calculate your final grade:
Papers and section participation are scored on a 100 point scale.
To calculate your final grade:
- First: Calculate your quiz score. This is equal to the number of questions you got right divided by the total number of questions.
- Second: Add together:
- 25% of exam #1
- 25% of exam #2
- 30% of exam #3
- 10% of your quiz score
- 10% of your participation score
- 1% if you fill out the online course evaluation at the end of quarter
- 25% of exam #1
- Third: round the resulting number to the nearest tenth.
- Fourth: translate the number into a letter grade using the following table:
| 100-93 | 92.9-90 | 89.9-87 | 86.9-83 | 82.9-80 | 79.9-77 | 76.9-73 | 72.9-70 | 69.9-67 | 66.9-63 | 62.9-60 | 59.9-0 |
| A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- | F |
Section participation
Section participation is graded by (i) whether you attend section, (ii) whether you participate, and (iii) how well you are prepared.
Section participation is graded by (i) whether you attend section, (ii) whether you participate, and (iii) how well you are prepared.
Missed exams
- Excused:
- Unexcused:
- Excused:
- Unexcused:
Make-up exam
- Policy...
- Policy...
On-line quizzes
The quizzes are administered on the CCLE website. There are two each week--- one for each reading assignment--- and they must be completed before the beginning of class. Each quiz will consist of two multiple choice questions. One question is about the content of the reading for that day. The other question is about the material covered in the previous class; you won't be able to answer this question based on the reading alone. The quiz questions are intended to test comprehension only; they should be easy so long as you actually did the reading and attended class (and stayed awake!).
The quizzes are administered on the CCLE website. There are two each week--- one for each reading assignment--- and they must be completed before the beginning of class. Each quiz will consist of two multiple choice questions. One question is about the content of the reading for that day. The other question is about the material covered in the previous class; you won't be able to answer this question based on the reading alone. The quiz questions are intended to test comprehension only; they should be easy so long as you actually did the reading and attended class (and stayed awake!).
Make-up quiz
If you miss a quiz for an excused reason, you can take a make-up quiz. This consists of a 1 paragraph hand-written answer for each question. These must be completed in person at your TA's office hours or Prof. G's office hours.
If you miss a quiz for an excused reason, you can take a make-up quiz. This consists of a 1 paragraph hand-written answer for each question. These must be completed in person at your TA's office hours or Prof. G's office hours.
How do I do well in this class?
Like most other classes, to do well here, you must:
Like most other classes, to do well here, you must:
- Attend lecture regularly.
- Attend section regularly + participate.
- Complete all the readings.
- Complete quizzes consistently.
- Spend time preparing for your exam.
Computers and phones in the classroom
Sorry, no computers, tablets, or smartphones in the classroom. No texting. Phones must be on silent. I'm not trying to be mean-- research shows that you and your classmates learn more with no electronics. This article gives a reasonable explanation. (You may event want to put it away.)
Sorry, no computers, tablets, or smartphones in the classroom. No texting. Phones must be on silent. I'm not trying to be mean-- research shows that you and your classmates learn more with no electronics. This article gives a reasonable explanation. (You may event want to put it away.)
Academic integrity:
My basic assumption is that all of my students are honest and well-intentioned. I trust you to carefully avoid any form of dishonest academic behavior such as cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism. If you are tempted by academic dishonesty, consider some of the consequences. First of all, if you do manage to get away with it, you put your classmates at a disadvantage and yourself at an advantage. This is selfish. Second, you get a high grade that you haven't earned and don't deserve. This is unfair. Finally, you break the trust between me and you, as well as between you and your peers. This is simply disrespectful. Ethics aside, there are also serious practical consequences if you are caught. In this class we will strictly follow the University Policy on Student Conduct, which you are responsible for knowing. The rules about academic integrity in particular are summarized here. Any violation of this policy will be reported directly to the Office of the Dean of Students.
My basic assumption is that all of my students are honest and well-intentioned. I trust you to carefully avoid any form of dishonest academic behavior such as cheating, fabrication, and plagiarism. If you are tempted by academic dishonesty, consider some of the consequences. First of all, if you do manage to get away with it, you put your classmates at a disadvantage and yourself at an advantage. This is selfish. Second, you get a high grade that you haven't earned and don't deserve. This is unfair. Finally, you break the trust between me and you, as well as between you and your peers. This is simply disrespectful. Ethics aside, there are also serious practical consequences if you are caught. In this class we will strictly follow the University Policy on Student Conduct, which you are responsible for knowing. The rules about academic integrity in particular are summarized here. Any violation of this policy will be reported directly to the Office of the Dean of Students.