Download Dualism

Introduction
Course Instructor
Office: HSH (Ho Sin Hang) 213
Office Hours
Thursday 14:00 to 16:00 & by appointment
My Email
michael.dracula.johnson@
gmail.com
Course Website
michaeljohnsonphilosophy.com
Course Meeting Times
Tuesday 12:30-14:00 LKK 108
Thursday 10:30-12:00 LKK 208
Reading
The main text for the
course will be:
Philosophy of Mind:
A Beginner’s Guide
By Ian Ravenscroft.
Reading
The first several chapters
and the introduction are
on the course website.
You will need the book for
the other chapters! It is on
reserve in the library and
I’ve ordered it for the
bookstore.
Assessment
You will have two take-home writing exercises
based on assigned readings. You are expected to
summarize, paraphrase, and respond critically to
the arguments in these texts.
You will have three examinations that will assess
your basic knowledge of concepts and theories
in the philosophy of mind.
Grade Breakdown
•
•
•
•
Exam 1: 30%
Exam 2: 30%
Exam 3: 30%
Writing exercises: 10%
Writing Exercises
The writing exercises can range from simple
requests to explain some portion of the assigned
reading to more difficult questions asking you to
evaluate critically a philosophical position. They
are meant to give you some practice in thinking
about the issues and writing clearly about them.
They are also designed, of course, to ensure that
you read and think about the assigned reading
material!
Exams
Your exams will be a combination of multiplechoice, short answer, and short essay questions.
They will be held during our normal class period.
Exam 2 only covers the material we cover after
Exam 1; Exam 3 only covers material we cover
after Exam 2.
Attendance and Participation
Attendance and participation in class are both
required. You won’t lose any points if you don’t
come to class and don’t participate, but you will
learn a lot less, and will probably score lower on
the assignments.
If there is something you do not understand,
please stop and ask me. I like questions, and I
am happy to try to answer them.
Academic Dishonesty
Students shall be aware of the University
regulations about dishonest practice in course
work and the possible consequences as
stipulated in the Regulations Governing
University Examinations.
5.2a Collusion
A student misrepresents a piece of unauthorised
group work as his/her own work.
5.2b Falsification of Data
The presentation of data in reports, projects or
research papers, which is purported to be based
on experimental or research work conducted by
the student, has actually been invented by the
student, copied or obtained by unfair means.
5.2c Plagiarism
The presentation of another person's work
without proper acknowledgement of the source,
whether protected by copyright or not, as the
student's own work.
5.2d Anything Else Dishonest
For example, submission of same or
substantially same work for two assignments
without prior approval.
Policy on Cheating
I have zero tolerance for cheating.
When in doubt, ask me!
Policy on Talking in Class
(When You’re Not Contributing)
Zero tolerance.
MENTAL STATES
States, Events, Processes
In English, “state” can mean two things.
1. It can mean a political entity (as in “United
States”)
2. It can mean the condition of a thing (as in
“Look at the state of this classroom! It’s a
mess!”
States, Events, Processes
“Event” normally means “important happening.”
So you’d say that an assassination or a birthday
party or whatever was an event.
But as we use the term in philosophy and
linguistics, “event” just means any change of
state, whether it’s important or not.
Events
Initial State
Dirty
Hungry
Tired
Open
Event
Cleaning
Eating Lunch
Sleeping
Closing
Result State
Clean
Full
Rested
Closed
States vs. Events
There are grammatical tests for verbs that name
states vs. verbs that name events:
OK: Sam is thinking about his mom.
BAD: Sam is believing that it’s raining.
If it sounds bad to say “is VERBing” then the
VERB is a state verb. [say why!]
Processes
A process is a series of events (a series of
changes of state).
Learning a language, for example, is a process:
first you are in a state of knowing nothing, then
you take some classes and know more, then you
take more classes and know more, then…
Mental States
A mental state is a state of mind, like a sensation,
an emotion, a mood, a perception or a thought.
• Feeling a tickle, an itch, or a pain
• Feeling angry, sad, happy, or nervous
• Feeling depressed, anxious, or in good spirits
• Seeing, hearing, touching, tasting or smelling
something
• Believing, desiring, hoping, intending, wishing,
regretting, or knowing something.
1. World to Mind Causation
Things that happen outside of our minds can
cause us to have certain mental states. If I open
my eyes and face a dog, I
• See the dog
• Believe there’s a dog in front of me
2. Mind to World Causation
Our mental states can cause us to act in certain
ways.
If I want to go to Macau
and I believe the ferry is the best way to get
there,
then I will go to the ferry and buy a ticket.
3. Mind to Mind Causation
Your mental states often cause you to have
other mental states:
• Hunger causes you to want food and to
believe that you need food.
• A painful experience at the dentist can cause
you to be afraid of dentists.
Mental Processes
When mental states cause other mental states,
that is a mental process.
Many mental processes are rational, meaning
that causal relations between the mental states
follow evidential relations.
Logical Relations
From:
1. If Joe fails the final exam, he will fail the course.
2. If Joe fails the course, he will not graduate.
It follows logically that:
3. If Joe fails the final exam, he will not graduate.
Logical Relations
If you believe:
1. If Joe fails the final exam, he will fail the course.
2. If Joe fails the course, he will not graduate.
These beliefs can cause you to also believe:
3. If Joe fails the final exam, he will not graduate.
4. Consciousness
Some mental states are conscious.
They feel a certain way. There is something that
being in those states is like.
5. Intentionality
Some mental states are representational. They
are about certain things.
My belief that Li Ka-shing is rich is about Li Kashing. It represents him as being rich.
(Other mental states don’t seem
representational. What is depression about?)
5. Intentionality
Very few things are representational besides
minds and things that people with minds make:
Maps, diagrams, drawings, paintings, languages
A number of philosophers think that mental
states are the ultimate source of all
representation in the world.
6. Neural Correlates
For a large number of mental states, there
seems to be a pretty direct connection between
them and certain brain regions.
There is a particular place in my brain and if you
stimulate it, my thumb will itch. Right next to it
is a place where if you stimulate it, my thumb
will move.
Some Questions in the Philosophy of
Mind
What are mental states?
What sorts of things can have mental states?
Can physical thing have mental states?
Are our minds physical?
What is consciousness?
Why are some of our mental states conscious?
What makes me now the same as me in the
past?