Philosophy of Mind

Pre-requisites: There are no special requirements for enrolling into the course. Students are expected to attend lectures and to take part in seminars.

Course objectives: The course aim is to introduce students to key topics and problems of philosophy of mind with a special emphasis on the metaphysical aspect of these issues. Students will be acquainted with basic assumptions of major positions with respect to the question about the nature of the mind and the mind-body problem, namely, of dualism, behaviourism, physicalism, functionalism and epiphenomenalism.

Course description: Overview of the most influential theories about the relation between the mental and the physical (mind-body problem). The theories of logical behaviourism (Hempel, Ryle, Wittgenstein), contemporary materialism (Place, Smart, Armstrong, Davidson), functionalism (Putnam, Lewis), as well as epiphenomenalism (Jackson) will be considered and analysed. Seminars follow lectures through reading, explaining and discussing relevant papers.

Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to understand key problems of the philosophy of mind, to present the most influential arguments in favour or against major metaphysical positions in the debate, and they will acquire necessary knowledge needed for attending graduate course on this subject.

Literature/Reading:

• Serl, Džon, Svest, mozak i nauka, Beograd, FDS, 1990, str. 7-65
• Sesardić, Neven, Fizikalizam, Beograd IICSS, 1984, str. 1-117.
• Ludvig Vitgenštajn, Filozofska Istraživanja, Nolit, Beograd, 1980.
• Grahek, Nikola, Materija, svest i saznanje, Beograd, FDS, 1990
• Dejvidson, D., »Mentalni događaji«, Theoria (1993), 3-4, str. 93-108
• Patnam, H., »Filozofija i naš mentalni život«, Theoria (1994), 1, str. 85-96.
• Luis, D., »Psihofizičke i teorijske identifikacije, Theoria (1993), 3-4, str. 81-91. Armstrong, D.M., »Priroda duha«, Theoria (1993), 3-4, str. 69-79.
• Nejgel, T., »Kako izgleda biti slepi miš«, Theoria (1994), 2, str. 71-82.
• Džekson, F., »Epifenomenalna kvalitativna svojstva«, Theoria (1994), 2, str. 83-93. Fodor, Dž. A., »Posebne nauke ili nejedinstvo nauke kao radna hipoteza«, Theoria (1994), 1, str. 67-83.