This is a shelf course. A shelf course comprises a number of modules related to this broad area of study. Each module is a separate semester of study in this area and is offered in rotation. You can study TWO modules but you cannot study the same module twice.

Subject Area: Philosophy

Module: "Topics in the Philosophy of Mind and Cognition"
The mind stands out from the rest of nature because of its ability to represent the world. Other natural or artificial systems interact with their environment, but only certain animals seem able to believe that things are a certain way, or to desire that things be a certain way, or to intend to make things be a certain way. This course considers some of the questions raised by these phenomena. How is it that our minds can register the layout of our environment in perception? How is it that minds can, in thought, represent the world as being in a certain way? And how is it that minds can have an impact upon the world — as they do, when we act intentionally? Although emphasis will be given to the lively recent research these questions have sparked, we will also consider historically important attempts to address them.

Module: "Language and Meaning" (Semester 2, 2011)
An introduction to central ideas in understanding what language is and how it works. Questions addressed include: What abilities are required of language users? How can language be used to refer to the world? What is the relation between language and thought? What is meaning? How are language and community related? What are speech acts?