Module Details for the Academic Year 2018/2019

PHIL40010 Consciousness,Agency &the Self

This course covers central issues in the philosophy of mind and action. We begin with a brief overview of the main positions on the mind-body problem: dualism, physicalism, and functionalism. Then we turn to questions and theories about consciousness: the "hard problem" of consciousness, philosophical theories, scientific theories, conscious agency and free will. In the final part we turn to the notion of the self. We consider accounts of the "minimal self" and the "narrative self", and we investigate the role of the self in agency.

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Students who successfully complete this course will have (1) a good grasp of central issues in the philosophy of mind and action (2) engaged critically with some of the most important views and arguments in those areas, and (3) developed independent arguments and views on some of the issues discussed. 
Item Workload
Seminar

24
Specified Learning Activities

36
Autonomous Student Learning

125
Total

185
Description % of Final Grade Timing
Continuous Assessment: Reading questions

10

 Throughout the Semester
Essay: 5000 words

80

 Varies over the Semester
Presentation: Class presentations

10

 Varies over the Semester

Compensation

This module is not passable by compensation

Resit Opportunities

In-semester assessment

Remediation

If you fail this module you may repeat, resit or substitute where permissible.

Module Requisites and Incompatibles

Equivalent Modules

Prior Learning

Excluded:
This course is suitable for students with no background in philosophy of mind.
Curricular information is subject to change