Consciousness
In this course we will focus on contemporary philosophical issues in the study of consciousness, drawing as well on recent research in neuroscience and psychology, and on the insights of traditional Buddhist accounts of consciousness. Questions to be addressed include: What is the nature of our conscious subjective experience, and how does it relate to self-awareness? Does consciousness create a “grand illusion,” or does it represent the world correctly? Can we find the neural correlates of consciousness? Can consciousness be reduced to matter, or must we view it as non-physical? Readings will be drawn from contemporary philosophers and scientists such as Daniel Dennett, David Chalmers, and Antonio Damasio.