Assignment Page for PHIL 3230, Philosophy of Mind

Each week or so, an assigned question or problem will be available here, along with instructions, links to materials, etc. Good luck...Dr. Barnette

Topic #1---Brains, Bodies and Persons

Thought experiment: the day has arrived when brain transplants are a reality, and two people are scheduled for the operation. Person A has incurable brain cancer, but A's body is otherwise healthy; Person B's body, heart, internal organs, etc., are terminally damaged, yet B's brain is intact. A transplant will succesfully hook up B's brain with A's body.Your challenge: you have just learned that one of these people is YOU!! Who would you rather be, A or B? Why? Submit your responses to our class discussion email group, CYBERMIND. Here's a helpful link to an article in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on the Identity Theory of Mind/Brain; you might find it useful.

Topic# 2---Minds, Brains and Disembodied Existence

Your new discussion topic builds on the last, as we explore another thought-experiment. For the problem set-up, go to http://www.heythrop.ac.uk/brain.htm for a desciption of the Brain in a Vat challenge: How do you know you're not a brain in a vat, being fed experiences by virtual reality generator?? Check it out and email your comments to our new class list, PHIMIND@catfish.valdosta.edu. Good luck!!

Topic #3---Dreams and Virtual Reality

Your new discussion topic explores the theme of dreaming and virtual reality. Any vivid dreamers among us? Then you how 'real' dreams can be during their occurrences, and that it's not until we awaken that we talk about the experiences as 'only a dream.' Question: if dreams can often fool us into thinking that what we experience is in fact real, how do you know RIGHT NOW that what you are experiencing isn't simply a coherent, vivid dream? Could a dream be THIS convincing? How do you know that what you are experiencing now isn't simply a figment of your mind at work? Think about this--sleep on it if you wish:)) I look forward to your stimulating PHIMIND discussion. By the way, the 17th C. French philosopher Rene Descartes wrote of dreams and uncertainty in his famous Meditations on First Philosophy, which I have linked. Read his Meditation I and see what he has to say about our question--although he didn't speak of virtual reality, obviously!

Topic #4--Free Action??

Your new challenge is to reflect and respond to an essay from Barnette on the controversy over whether an omniscient being (i.e. God), if exists, rules out human freedom. The argument linked here attempts to make this case, with objections and replies included. Read the essay and develop your criticisms and responses for PHIMIND posting. Also, do a web search for materials on this controversy and post the URLs to the class discussion list. Good luck!! This should be a stimulating exercise.

Topic #5---Minds and Extra-sensory Perception??

The topic of ESP is a hotly-debated one, as researchers try to answer the question of whether the mind can gain information about our world in ways other than through the five senses. I want us to discuss and debate the issue of ESP. I include here a website on creativity of mind that deals with a controversial topic of Remote Viewing, being studied at Stanford University. The site describes what RV is supposed to be, and even includes a link to test out your own RV capabilities which allegedly help sharpen your mind's creativity. It's at the bottom of the linked page under 'Java Remote View Exercise Tool'---you are to close your eyes, concentrate on a color and click new color and see if you RV what the color will be!! Sort of fun, actually. Try it, and tell PHIMINDers what you think about RV and ESP in general: does it exist, or are our 5 senses the only ones that really access worldly information? Good luck!!

Topic #6---

Reason and emotion has been debated as each having priorities in the workings of the mind, as actions are produced. Which has precedence, do you think? Why? Do the passions rule, as the philosopher Hume suggested??

Topic #7---

Ok, cybernauts--now for a real thought experiment. Use you best creative reasoning on this one. Suppose that instead of having our two eyes facing forward, as we currently are structured, we have one eye facing forward and one facing backward. Think about this and try to conceive of how the world would appear to you with both eyes open. What would 'front' and 'back' mean? How would space be different? What would it be like to experience such a world?? I look forward to your creative dialogue on this strange thought experiment....Always in cyberspace.. Barnette--and here's a fun website for metaphysics, and the Web of Time..Enjoy..

Topic #8--Human Nature

Our new topic raises the question of human nature: Are we purely a product of our environment, as many contend, or do we have an inherited nature that we are born with?? What do you think? And help us find website links that offer information on this nature vs. nurture debate. This debate on Human Nature is a critical one, and full of controversy, in ethics, the law, and in politics. I will post more information on this subject as we discuss the points, and I look forward to your ideas and debate. What issues are involved with this philosophical question? And how does one's views on this subject relate to controversies in today's society?? I look forward to hearing from you!!

Topic #9

Let's shift gears and talk about an issue that really strikes home in light of current dialogue: How does the Internet medium of discussion effect our conversations and how our minds interpret comments of others?? Does it help? Hinder?   PLEASE comment with examples!! Thanks.. This is a very hot topic!! And YOU are pros!! And I want to use your comments in presentations on how online classmembers feel about this..