|
Christian de Quincey |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
COMMUNICATIONS |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Scrapbook |
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Sitemap |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||
|
|
||||
|
|
John F. Kennedy University .................................................................................  CNS 5035 Consciousness and Philosophy of MindProfessor: Christian de Quincey Prerequisites: • “Paradigms of Consciousness” • “Critical Thinking” Course DescriptionHow are mind and body related? Are rocks conscious and do zombies have minds? Do we really have free will? A good scholarly grounding in Consciousness Studies is incomplete without an understanding of the core philosophical issues. In this course, we will explore the three main “problems” in philosophy of mind: (1) the “mind-body problem” (how does consciousness relate to the physical world?); (2) the “problem of other minds” (how can we know if other people, animals, plants, or even rocks have consciousness?); (3) the “problem of free will” (do we really have choice or are we determined by genetics and environment?). Purpose of this CourseA comprehensive Consciousness Studies program should educate students about the key issues in philosophy of mind. This course is designed to provide participants a clear and coherent philosophical foundation to complement their other explorations and studies of consciousness. Course Objectives• To define and describe the major worldviews on mind and body. • To identify and clarify assumptions about consciousness in others. • To understand, distinguish, and explain arguments for and against free will. • To explain key theories of consciousness according to leading theorists from philosophy of mind. On successfully completing this course, you will: • Have a basic grounding in the three key “problems” central to philosophy of mind: the mind-body connection, other minds, and free will. • Be equipped with core concepts and distinctions to open up further vistas for consciousness studies. • Be able to communicate coherently about consciousness from different perspectives. • Have a deeper appreciation and understanding of consciousness as a topic for academic study and how this relates to consciousness as lived experience. • Distinguish between philosophical & psychospiritual perspectives on consciousness. Required Texts• Text-1: de Quincey, Christian (2009). Consciousness from Zombies to Angels. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. • Text-2: Blackmore, Susan (2004). Consciousness: An introduction. New York, NY: Oxford University Press. • Text-3: de Quincey, Christian (2005). Radical knowing: Understanding consciousness through relationship. Rochester, VT: Park Street Press. • de Quincey, Christian (ed.) (2009). Course Reader: Consciousness & Philosophy of Mind. John F. Kennedy University. Course Requirements• Punctuality, participation and attendance (more than 2 absences will affect grade) • Complete all assignments (in-class and take-home) • Write a mid-term paper demonstrating you understand the major worldviews on mind and matter—citing key theorists from each perspective (dualism, materialism, idealism, panpsychism). Also submit proposal/outline/or draft for your final paper. • Write a final term paper on a topic from this course that excites your interest. Grading• Class participation: 20 % • Mid-Term Paper and Outline/Draft (3-5 pages each): 25 % • Final Paper (10-15 pages): 55 % • No incompletes except in exceptional circumstances. Recommended additional reading Block, N., Flanagan, O. & Güzeldere, G. (1997), The nature of consciousness: Philosophical debates (MIT Press) Chalmers, D. (1996), The conscious mind: In search of a fundamental theory(Oxford University Press) Clarke, D. S. (2003), Panpsychism and the religions attitude (SUNY) de Quincey, Christian (2002). Radical nature: Rediscovering the soul of matter. Montpelier, VT: Invisible Cities Press. Freeman, A. (2003), Consciousness: A guide to the debates (ABC Clio) Griffin, David R. (1998), Unsnarling the world-knot: Consciousness, freedom, and the mind-body problem. (University of California Press) Matthews, Freya (2003), For love of matter: A contemporary panpsychism. (State University of New York) Mitchell, Helen Buss, (2004). The roots of wisdom (4th edition). (Wadsworth). Nagel, T. (1986), The View from nowhere. (Oxford University Press) Newberg, A. et al. (2002), Why god won’t go away: Brain science and the biology of belief (Ballantine Books) Radin, D. (1997), The conscious universe: The scientific truth of psychic phenomena(HarperSanFrancisco) Skrbina, D. (2005). Panpsychism in the west. (MIT Press) Course ScheduleWeek 1: Introductions: Course OverviewWhat this week is about: Introductions and overview of course. Clarification of expectations for this class: We will explore the relationship between language and experience: emphasizing the importance of writing, and importance of critical thinking skills. We will focus on interpretation of experience (not experience itself)—i.e. this class is about how to communicate experiences clearly and coherently rather than about having experiences (though, inevitably, that will happen too). We will also explore your encounters with logic and reason and with other ways of knowing: What negative experiences have you had with the use of reason? What positive experiences have you had with reason? What negative experiences have you had with intuition? What positive experiences have you had with intuition and other ways of knowing? Week 2: Meaning — What is Consciousness?What this week is about: We will explore different meanings of consciousness —specifically focusing on the crucial distinction between its philosophical and psycho-spiritual meanings. We will also investigate why consciousness is such a challenge for philosophy and science—especially subjectivity and qualia. And we will inquire whether consciousness can do anything to the physical world. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels de Quincey [Intro & Chpts: 1-2] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 1-3] • Optional Reading: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpt. 6] Optional Background Reading: Radical Nature by Christian de Quincey [Chapts. 1-3] Lecture: “The Meanings of Consciousness.” Week 3: Three Problems — Mind-Body, Zombies, & Free-WillWhat this week is about: Can we really know what’s going on “out there” in the world? Or is everything we know about reality a grand illusion concocted in the mind and brain? How do attention and perception shape consciousness and our experience of reality? Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels [Chpts: 3-4 (to p. 51)] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 4-6] Lecture: “Three Problems in Philosophy of Mind” Week 4: The Self — Who Am I?What this week is about: Different philosophical and spiritual traditions offer different teachings about who or what the self is. We will explore different approaches to understanding self and ego, and whether or not we really have choice and free will. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels [pp. 51-59 & Chpt: 11] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 7-9] • Text-3: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpts: 1 & 15] Lecture: “Theories of Self” Week 5: Origins — Mind in NatureWhat this week is about: We will look at different theories about the origins of consciousness. Did mind arise through natural selection in evolution, and if so, when? Or perhaps it’s the reverse: consciousness guides the unfolding of evolution? If so, how? We examine Darwinian ideas about mind in nature, paying particular attention to the function of consciousness in evolution. We will also explore the question of animal minds and whether even plants or rocks have consciousness. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels by de Quincey [Chpt: 8] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 10-12] • Text-3: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpt. 17] Lecture: “Evolution of Consciousness — I-SAPRIUD” Week 6: Machine Minds — Artificial IntelligenceWhat this week is about: Having discussed the issue of “animal consciousness,” we now explore whether machines such as computers or robots could have minds. We will examine the famous “Turing Test” and “Chinese Room” experiment. Time to revisit the problem of “other minds,” and begin to look into the biology of consciousness. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chapts: 13-15] • Web: “What Is Artificial Intelligence?" • Web: “Wikipedia: Artificial Intelligence” Lecture: “Psi & Science” Week 7: Brain and Mind: Science & ConsciousnessWhat this week is about: The biology of consciousness. We now venture into the field of neuroscience to find out what the brain can tell us about the mind. What can “neural correlates” of consciousness tell us about our actual lived experience? Can science enlighten us about why we experience the “unity of consciousness”? What happens to the mind when brains go wrong? Can we really have a science of consciousness? Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels C. de Quincey [Chpts: 6, 7, & 9] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 16-18] • Optional Reading: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels [Chpt. 5] Lecture: “Can We Have a Science of Consciousness” Week 8: Psi — Mind and the ParanormalWhat this week is about: What roles do unconscious perception or intuition play in guiding our behavior? Can we make sense of a world where the paranormal is real? We will explore scientific evidence for unconscious perception and psi phenomena such as ESP and PK. We will also address the issue of skepticism and the “paradigm wars.” Readings: • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 19-21] • Text-3: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpt. 7] • Reader: “The ABC of ESP” by Arthur Koestler Lecture: “Synchronicity: Beyond Energy” Week 9: Alternative States — At the Frontiers of ConsciousnessWhat this week is about: Evidence for psi raises questions about hidden potentials in consciousness. What can shamanic and mystical experiences teach us about the mind? We will look at the relationship between hallucinations, dreams, imagination, and altered states of consciousness. Do altered states reveal alternative realities? Readings • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels de Quincey [Chpt: 10] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 22-24] • Text-3: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpts: 18 & Epilogue] • Reader: “The Pivot to Non-Ordinary States” by Christopher Bache Lecture: “Alternative States of Consciousness” Dialogue Session Week 10: First-Person — Meditation and the MindWhat this week is about: For the most part, philosophy of mind focuses on objective, third-person understandings of consciousness—either through analyses of concepts and language or by analysis of cognitive science and neuroscience. But there are other ways to explore the mind. For example, first-person subjective perspectives gained through introspection, contemplation, meditation, and other spiritual practices. Next week we will explore second-person intersubjective perspectives of consciousness-in-relationship through the practice of dialogue. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels de Quincey [Chpts: 12-14] • Text-2: Consciousness: An Introduction by Susan Blackmore [Chpts: 25-27] • Reader: “You Are Not Your Mind” by Eckhart Tolle & “Expanding the Range of Consciousness” by Chris Thompson No Lecture. Dialogue Session Week 11: Second-Person — Consciousness in DialogueWhat this week is about: We have now surveyed the fundamentals of philosophy of mind making use of the philosopher’s gift of reason, the scientist’s gift of method, and the mystic’s gift of meditation. It is time to reflect on what we have learned, and to talk about how we may apply what we know about consciousness to our daily experience in relationship. We will spend this last session in open dialogue. Readings: • Text-1: Consciousness from Zombies to Angels [Dialogue 1: “Beyond Belief”] • Text-3: Radical Knowing by Christian de Quincey [Chpts. 12-14] Dialogue/Meditation Session |
|
||