This course discusses a number of major issues and positions in the contemporary philosophy of mind. Topics include the relation between the mental and physical, subjectivity, intentionality and mental causation and explanation.

2 lectures per week for 9 weeks, plus 4 tutorials. The course may not run every year. Options running this year are available on MyCampus.

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Two essays, equally weighted, each with a word limit of 2500 words.

The course aims to:

■ introduce students to a number of major issues in the contemporary Philosophy of Mind.

■ familiarise students with the main positions and arguments within each topic.

■ enable students to deploy these arguments for themselves.

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

■ Identify the basic categories and types of mental phenomena;

■ Illustrate the relation of mental phenomena to the physical world, including substance dualism, behaviourism, central state materialism and functionalism;

■ Explain phenomenal content and subjectivity;

■ Analyse the problem of representation or 'aboutness';

■ Assess the status of psychological explanation.

Assessment for this course is at Masters Level.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.