Course Description, Assessment, Contact Information
This is a foundational review of cognitive scientific approaches to understanding the mind. The emphasis is on conceptual issues and explanatory strategies. The course aims to give students a sense both of recent developments and of the large-scale intellectual landscape. Throughout, the goal is to develop skills of writing, analysis and constructive criticism
The first part of the course examines standard materialist conceptions of mind, starting with the functionalist vision of mind as a kind of computer program running in the brain. Classical and connectionist versions of this view are described and compared. We also look at recent waves of work in robotics, dynamics, and artificial life.
Overall, the goal is to ask some hard questions about the nature of the mind, the relations between reason, action, perception, and embodiment, and the explanatory tools and frameworks needed for a mature cognitive science. Along the way, we sometimes stumble across the complex issues surrounding the scientific explanation of consciousness and experience. These are discussed but not resolved!
Administrative Details:
Course:
Cognitive Science Q540 Section 3579
Credit:
3 credit hours
Time and Place:
TR 1-2:15 Ballantine 246
Instructor:
Ruth Eberle
Office:
Sycamore 0018
Email:
reberle@indiana.edu
Office Hours:
TR 10-11am (or by appointment)
Structure:
The first meeting is on Tuesday, August 31
The class format will vary from class to class depending on the topic, but it will generally include some of the following:
A brief lecture, followed by (or interwoven with) open discussion.
One or more student presentations, of about 20-25 minutes each followed by (or interwoven with) more discussion. The presentation should try to flag the key issues, identify problems and indicate areas where the material is unclear. Don’t worry about overlap between the lecture and your presentation. The material should bear going over more than once!
A division of the class into 2 groups to facilitate participation and discussion.
Lively discussion with participation from many members of the class.
Assessment:
The course is assessed by :
Two class presentations (10% and 15%)
Each class one or more students will be responsible for making a presentation on the issues addressed in the week’s readings, and then opening up and leading a general discussion. The presentation should not be simply a review of the readings, as you should assume that everyone has read them already. Instead, try to show us what the author’s care about, what is really at stake. Try to locate any points at which the material seems unclear, or false. And try to relate the material to any continuing themes in the course. The presentation needs to set the stage for a lively discussion, so try to use examples, and to bring in new material and ideas where you deem it useful to do so.
A first draft of the final term paper. This draft is due at or before class on Nov 4 (10%). This can be on the topic of your presentation, or any other topic covered in class, or else deemed (by me) pertinent to the class.
Three 500 word commentaries, due at or before class on Nov 18 (15%) Each student will be assigned to read and comment on the drafts of 3 other students via Annotate. Constructive engagement, rather than negative criticism, is the ideal.
The final term paper, due at or before class Dec 9 (25%)
Weekly comments (15%) In addition, each class member is asked to compose a very brief (200 words) critical comment on each week’s readings and to suggest one or two short questions concerning the week’s material. These small assignments should be posted on Annotate no later than 1pm Monday each week (commencing in the second week of classes). You are encouraged to use Annotate to reply to each other’s comments and to try out your own ideas.
These weekly comments won’t be marked as such. Instead, I’ll log your activity, and observe the level of insight and improvement in critical analysis over the course of the semester. Full participation in the forum (ie at least one posting per week, starting in week 2) will earn the 10%; Full participation plus insightful participation and/or improvement in critical analysis will earn the full 15%.
