This course is an introduction to many of the central issues in the philosophy of mind, with an emphasis on consciousness and the mind-body problem.
You need to buy two books (also on reserve in Hayden Library):
Chalmers, David, ed. Philosophy of Mind: Classical and Contemporary Readings. New York: Oxford University Press, 2002.
Crane, Tim. Elements of Mind: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001.
In addition to these books, some readings will be available on the web.
There is a reading assignment for each class meeting. These are often relatively short, but many require close study, and you should not postpone them. There is no midterm, and no final exam. Instead, there is a weekly problem set, one three page paper, and one four page paper; the three page paper will be initially submitted in draft, and then rewritten to respond to comments. You must complete all the problem sets (and the two papers) to pass the course. A weekly problem set will be handed out on Monday, and is due at the start of the first class of the following week. Late problem sets will be penalized. In addition to the problem sets, there will be occasional pop-quizes in recitations: these will count towards the class participation portion of your grade.
You are encouraged to discuss the problem sets (and, of course, also the reading assignments) with each other. Collaboration on the problem sets is fine, but must be explicitly stated on your answers. You should not use quotations or quotations masquerading as proper paraphrases: a statement of the ideas of one of the authors you've read must be couched in your own words. Plagiarism will result in a grade of F.(See the section on Academic Misconduct and Dishonesty from MIT's Policies and Procedures.) Do not use any footnotes. There will be no prizes for writing in anything other than plain English.
MIT's academic honesty policy can be found at the following link: http://web.mit.edu/policies/10.0.html
50% problem sets, 30% papers, 20% class participation. See MIT's explanation of letter grades.
This is encouraged (and counts for 20% of your final grade). Talking about philosophy is one of the best ways of doing it. It is much better to say something you later realize is mistaken or confused than never to say it at all.
The readings are often difficult: expect to read everything at least two or three times. If you have trouble understanding what an author says, or any other question concerning the course, please do not hesitate to ask.
The instructor and teaching assistants are here to help you. Feel free to email us with any questions about the material or the problem sets, or come and visit us (making an appointment first via email is probably best).