The course covers a selection of central topics in metaphysics of mind at an intermediate level. Although the topics covered will differ from year to year, broadly speaking they may include, but are not limited to, some of the following: recent developments in dualism; reductive and non-reductive logical behaviourism; mind-brain identity theory and modal arguments against it; reductive and non-reductive materialism, including anomalous monism; mental causation; emergentism; mental states as second-order functional properties, types of functionalism, Ramsification; externalism and internalism about mental representational content and Twin Earth thought experiments; physicalism and anti-physicalism about consciousness, including arguments against physicalism about consciousness; illusionism about consciousness; panpsychist and Russellian monist views of consciousness; perception.

This course aims to:

- give a detailed understanding of contemporary debates concerning the metaphysics of mind;
- enable students to engage critically with some recent contributions to these debates; and
- enhance students' powers of critical analysis, reasoning and independent thought.

On successful completion of this course unit, students will be able to demonstrate:

- knowledge of debates concerning the metaphysics of mind;
- a thorough knowledge of some recent contributions to the debate; and
- an ability to present carefully argued and independent lines of thought in this area.

There will be a mixture of lectures and tutorials.

Please note the information in scheduled activity hours are only a guidance and may change.

Barbara Montero, Philosophy of Mind. A Very Short Introduction (2022)

Robert Kirk, Mind and Body (2003)

Janet Levin, The Metaphysics of Mind (2022)