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School of Law, Politics and Sociology

Philosophy of Mind (V7078)

Philosophy of Mind

Module V7078

Module details for 2025/26.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 5

Module Outline

Philosophy of mind is concerned with the nature and explanation of mind. As an area of inquiry, it incorporates insights from metaphysics, epistemology, and philosophy of language and can, but need not, relate to empirical work in the cognitive sciences (i.e., psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics, robotics). Potential topics include: the mind-body relation; problem of other minds; creature and machine consciousness; the nature and causal efficacy of the mental; self-knowledge; mental representation; and embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive cognition. An emphasis will be placed on critical examination of arguments for and against competing accounts of the mind. Students will have the opportunity to examine and develop their own positions on these issues.

Module learning outcomes

Present a coherent and detailed understanding of key issues in the philosophy of mind.

Analyse key arguments in important texts in the philosophy of mind.

Analyse key concepts in the topic, such as 'mind', 'representation' and 'thought'.

Present and defend some independent views with regard to the issues.

TypeTimingWeighting
Essay (2500 words)Semester 1 Assessment Week 1 Thu 16:00100.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Autumn SemesterLecture1 hour11111111111
Autumn SemesterSeminar1 hour11111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Prof Sarah Sawyer

Assess convenor
/profiles/198219

Dr Robyn Waller

Assess convenor, Convenor
/profiles/579182

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