Joe Lau's wiki: Courses/2008a PHIL 2220 Intro

Introduction

Without the mind, there won't be any ...

• Art, culture, science and technology
• Humanities and social sciences
• Moral and political values

Major philosophical / empirical issues relating to the mind

• The mind-body problem, a metaphysical problem - how does the mind relate to the brain? Aspects of the mind-body problem
  • Freewill - making decisions, choosing what to do
  • Consciousness - feelings, sensations, emotions
  • Intentionality
• Two epistemological problems
  • The other minds problem - How do we know the existence of other minds?
  • The problem of solipsism - Is my own mind the only thing that exists?
• The human / non-human divide - Do other animals have minds? How are they different from those of human beings?

Why philosophy?

• Cognitive science, cognitive neuroscience and psychology are all sciences of the mind. What is the function of philosophy?
• See PhilosophyAndCognitiveScience