OVERVIEW

This course aims to introduce the main problems in the philosophy of mind and the key concepts associated with the field. The nature of the mind, attempts to provide a clear conceptual definition of it, and questions concerning the possibility of a scientific understanding of the mind will be examined in relation to the central topics of the philosophy of psychology.

The course is intended not only to provide knowledge, but also to encourage critical reflection on the cultural implications of the different approaches to understanding the human mind.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with essential information about the contemporary philosophical discussion of the human mind and the most relevant concepts involved in it. They will have to acquire the ability to reflect critically on philosophical questions, particularly those concerning the conceptual assumptions of psychological research, and to use the appropriate vocabulary to discuss concrete cases and examples. Students will learn to use their skills to build opinions on philosophical themes based on coherent and solid arguments.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, students will have developed an awareness of the complex nature of the human mind, the fundamental concepts involved in its understanding, and the relationships among human, animal, and artificial minds. They will be able to recognize the underlying assumptions of these concepts and their cultural implications.

Students will also gain an understanding of the plurality of approaches to the study of the human mind and of their connections with broader philosophical and cultural perspectives. They will be able to distinguish among these approaches and understand their respective methodologies.

Furthermore, students will acquire the ability to analyze concepts, evaluate and discuss philosophical arguments, and provide an initial conceptual analysis of phenomena related to human action and the various dimensions of the human mind. They will be able to use appropriate terminology to discuss concrete cases and philosophical problems.

PREREQUISITES

No prior knowledge is required. Active participation in class is essential.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will consist not only of lectures, which will introduce the main topics and examine the concepts and problems under discussion, but also of practical sessions in philosophical analysis and argumentation. These sessions will involve the examination and discussion of both philosophical and everyday concepts and will require the active participation of all students.

The lecture slides will be made available on AulaWeb.

Upon request, international students may be provided with a bibliography in English. The examination may be taken, according to the established procedures, in English, Spanish, or German.

Information for Students with Disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD), or Special Educational Needs (SEN) are reminded that, in order to request examination accommodations, they must first submit the relevant documentation to the University of Genoa's Student Inclusion Services for Students with Disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders.

Once the documentation has been submitted, requests for examination accommodations should be made as follows:

• Students with disabilities or SLD should complete the dedicated form available on the University of Genoa webpage "“Servizi per studentesse e studenti con disabilità o con DSA” ("Services for Students with Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)."
• Students with SEN should send an email to the course instructor, copying both the School Coordinator for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and SLD (laura.traverso@unige.it) and the Student Inclusion Services (inclusione.studenti@info.unige.it).

The request must include the following information:

• course title;
• examination date;
• surname, first name, and student ID number;
• the requested accommodations and support measures considered necessary.

Requests for examination accommodations must be submitted well in advance and, in any case, no later than seven working days before the examination date. Requests received after this deadline may not be accommodated.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The philosophy of mind has become an increasingly important area of contemporary philosophy. Some of the central questions of philosophy are addressed through an investigation of the nature of the mind, its properties, and its limits. On the one hand, the study of the mind is regarded as a key to understanding human nature more broadly; on the other hand, it is profoundly shaped by general assumptions about knowledge, science, the physical world, and related issues.

Moreover, any particular conception of the human mind provides the explicit or implicit foundation for different approaches to its study and for various psychological disciplines, including cognitive science, psychoanalysis, psychiatry, cultural psychology, and neuroscience.

This course aims to provide students with the conceptual tools needed to gain an initial understanding of the contemporary debate on the human mind and its far-reaching cultural implications.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Required readings

1. P. Perconti, Filosofia della mente, il Mulino, Bologna, 2017.
2. D. C. Dennett, La mente e le menti. Verso una comprensione della coscienza, Sansoni, Milan, 1997.
3. Th. Nagel, Mente e cosmo. Perché la concezione neodarwiniana della natura è quasi certamente falsa, Cortina, Milan, 2015.

One of the following texts (student's choice):

• M. Marraffa and A. Paternoster, Sentirsi esistere. Inconscio, coscienza, autocoscienza, Laterza, Rome–Bari, 2013.
• G. Edelman, Più grande del cielo. Lo straordinario dono fenomenico della coscienza, Einaudi, Turin, 2004.
• J. Searle, Il mistero della coscienza, Cortina, Milan, 1998.
• A. Zhok, Emergentismo. Le proprietà emergenti della materia e lo spazio ontologico della coscienza nella riflessione contemporanea, Edizioni ETS, Pisa, 2011.
• D. Dennett, Sweet Dreams. Illusioni filosofiche sulla coscienza, Cortina, Milan, 2006.
• M. Di Francesco and G. Piredda, La mente estesa. Dove finisce la mente e comincia il resto del mondo?, Mondadori, Milan, 2012.

The list of texts in Group 4 may be revised or supplemented. Students are therefore advised to consult the updated syllabus available on the course AulaWeb page.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

CLAUDIO LA ROCCA (President)

ALESSANDRA MODUGNO

LESSONS

LESSONS START

second semester

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination. The assessment consists of an oral interview based on the required readings included in the course syllabus.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The discussion is intended to assess students' ability to engage with the main issues in the philosophy of mind, their knowledge of its fundamental problems as presented in the required readings, their understanding of key concepts and terminology, and their ability to compare different philosophical positions and to explain their underlying arguments clearly and coherently.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The lecture slides will be made available on AulaWeb throughout the course. They are intended solely as supporting material for the lectures and are not designed to be used independently of them.