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Poslední úprava: prof. James Hill, Ph.D. (11.09.2019)
James Hill What is the mind? What is its defining characteristic or power? Is it constituted by matter or a spiritual substance? What is the relation of the human mind to the rest of nature, particularly the animal kingdom? Does the mind begin as a blank slate, or does it always have within it the seeds of knowledge? Is there an unconscious realm within the mind? Modern philosophers, since Descartes, have given a variety of answers to these questions. We will be considering these answers as they appear in a range of classic texts in European thought since the seventeenth century. We will trace a developing view of the mind from Descartes to the modern day, looking for continuities between the different conceptions, and developing a narrative or ‘story’ of reflection on the mind. This story will also take in thinkers who are usually thought to be natural scientists rather than philosophers, including Darwin, Freud and Chomsky. This introductory course is intended not so much for students majoring in philosophy as for students studying any subject in the humanities. |
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Poslední úprava: prof. James Hill, Ph.D. (21.09.2018)
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Poslední úprava: prof. James Hill, Ph.D. (11.09.2019)
Students who wish to gain credits for the course must meet two requirements: (i) Attendance at the seminar each week. More than three absences will make one ineligible for the grade. (ii) A short essay in English of 700-1,300 words on one subject from the course. The essay should discuss one thinker appearing in the course, and examine the view of the mind in their work. The essay should make reference to the text as discussed in class and available on Moodle. The essay must be handed in by December 1st, 2019 on paper (I have a pigeonhole in room 223). Electronic versions are not acceptable, nor is work coming in after the deadline. It should be noted that there will be routine checks for plagiarism and the presence of plagiarised material in an essay will disqualify the student from this course. |