Calendar
Contents
Week 1
Thursday, Jan 27: Being I
In which a mysterious portal is explored and many paths are seen to lead from it... Being John Malkovich and course preview
Week 2
Monday, Jan 3: Inhabiting a Body
In which numerous philosophers of various persausions try to locate their selves...
Reading:
Excerpts from Descartes, Meditations (online)
- Smullyan, "An Unfortunate Dualist" from Mind's I
- Eakin selections on Embodiment (readings book)
Due:
Analysis Notes on Smullyan, Eakin
Thursday, Feb 3: Brains and Selves
In which we attempt to see ourselves from the inside out and to make sense of what is there...
Reading:
- Clark, "I am John's Brain" (online)
- Ramachandran Chapters 1, 3 (only to pg. 50), and 6
- Dennett, "Where am I?", from Mind's I (to which Sanford is a lovely companion piece)
Due:
Analysis Notes on Clark, Dennett, and Ramachandran Chapter 6
Writing Workshop:
Thesis in Workshop
Week 3
Monday, Feb 7: Identity Formation
In which we discover who we become and how
Reading:
- TBD on individuation, separation from parent, childhood, adolescence, nature/nurture...
Excerpts from Dr. Spock or Shelov (handout)
- Erikson's developmental stages (online)
- added Freud (online)
- Eslea, "Theory of Mind" (online)
Due:
Analysis Notes of Spock/Shelov, Eslea
Thursday, Feb 10: Animal Consciousness
In which we look in a mirror and see a monkey, or look in a monkey and see a mirror...
Reading:
Hauser, excerpts from Wild Minds (readings book)
Kafka's Metamorphosis (online)
- Excerpt from Nagel, "What is it Like to be a Bat?" from Mind's I
Due:
Analysis Notes on Hauser, Kafka, Nagel
Writing Workshop:
No scheduled lab (open writing workshop)
Week 4
Monday, Feb 14: Self and Other
In which we learn to distinguish familiar from foreign and to identify ourselves... ==== Reading: ====
Eibl-Eibesfeldt, excerpts from Human Ethology (readings book).
- Immunology (online).
- Munson, “Passing” (online).
Thursday, Feb 17: Psychology of Identity and Theory of Mind
In which we wonder who might be inside us...
Reading:
- Multiple Personality Disorder (online)
- Understanding Neurotypicality (online)
- Turkle pp. 126-129 (up to "ambivalence"); pp. 138-141; pp. 143 bottom-148.
Writing Workshop:
Writing Workshop: Evidence
Week 5
Monday, Feb 21: NO CLASS – PRESIDENTS’ DAY
In which we find other things to do...
Thursday, Feb 24: Nobody Nowhere
In which we find new ways of thinking and being…and some not so new...
Reading:
Nobody Nowhere
Due:
Paper Proposal
Writing Workshop:
Writing Workshop: Optional thesis workshop (Not really 'cause it's an Olin Monday....)
Week 6
Monday, Feb 28: Feedback!
In which we are silent and listen... How are we doing? What can we improve?
Thursday, Mar 3: Performing Self
In which we figure out who we want to be... ==== Reading: ====
- Turkle Introduction (pp.9-19 only) and chapters 7, 8, and 10.
- Method acting piece (online)
Writing Workshop:
No scheduled lab (open writing workshop)
Week 7
Monday, Mar 7: Martin Guerre
In which we discover that there are many ways to skin a cat…Metaphorically, anyway...
Reading:
- Watch the movie The Return of Martin Guerre prior to class.
Due:
Analytical Paper
Thursday, Mar 10: Virtual Identity
In which we find out that not all identity is real...
Reading:
- Turkle Chapter 9.
- May, “True Nyms and Crypto Anarchy” (readings book).
Due:
Analytical Paper Critique in lab!
Writing Workshop:
Peer Critiques
Week 8
Monday, Mar 14: Knowing Oneself
In which we find cause to doubt...
Reading:
- Ramachandran Chapter 8.
- Dick, “Impostor” (readings book).
Borges, “The Circular Ruins” from Mind’s I.
- Optional: Ramachandran Chapters 4, 7.
Thursday, Mar 17: Memory
In which we try to remember a time in September...and follow...
Reading:
- Dick, “The Commuter” (readings book).
- NYT handout
Due:
Final Analytical Paper
Writing Workshop:
No scheduled lab (open writing workshop)
Week 9
Spring Break: No Classes
Week 10
Monday, Mar 28: She’s Not There
In which we see what changes...and what stays the same...
Reading:
She’s Not There
Thursday, Mar 31: Presenting Self and Life Writing
In which we choose which of ourselves to be and how to tell you...
Reading:
- Amy Tan, “Mother Tongue”, available online.
Jorge Luis Borges, “Borges and I”, Mind’s I.
Robert Nozick. “Fiction”, Mind’s I.
- Eakin, excerpts on Narrative (readings book).
Writing Workshop:
Life Narratives
Week 11
Monday, Apr 4: Depiction
In which we explore other media...
Reading:
Understanding Comics, excerpts.
Tuesday, Apr 5, 6:30-8:30pm: Media Extravaganza
In which we discover what is beyond our walls...
Reading:
- Watch the movie Blade Runner prior to class.
Important Details
Joint session with Science Fiction. NOTE SPECIAL DATE AND TIME
Thursday, Apr 7: Quiet Discussion
==== Reading: ===== None. This session will be replaced with individual conferences on your project proposals.
Due:
Project Proposal Weds night
Writing Workshop:
Conferences
Week 12
Monday, Apr 11: Computational Intelligence
In which we confront the possibility of thinking machines...
Reading:
McCorduck “Humans That Think” (readings book).
- Lloyd, “Can a Machine be Conscious?” online.
Miedaner, “The Soul of the Mark III Beast” from Mind’s I. ,
Moravec, excerpts from Mind Children, in readings book.
- Optional: Guzeldere and Franchi, online.
Optional: Turing, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” from Mind’s I.
- Optional: Turkle Chapter 3.
Thursday, Apr 14: Being or Simulating?
In which Chinese Rooms and boxed civilizations are found to have dramatic consequences...
Reading:
From Mind's I
- excerpts from Searle, “Minds, Brains, and Machines”
- Zuboff, “The Story of a Brain”
- Lem, “The Seventh Sally”
- Optional: Hofstadter, “Prelude…Ant Fugue”
Writing Workshop
No scheduled lab (open writing workshop)
Week 13
Tuesday, Apr 19 (Olin Monday)
In which something good is sure to happen...
Reading:
TBD.
Due:
Project Draft
Thursday, Apr 21: Maus
In which we explore our selves, parents, cultures, and inner mice...
Reading:
Maus
Writing Workshop:
Workshopping Writing
Week 14
Monday, Apr 25: Self Determination
In which we take responsibility and try to do something...or not...
Readings:
TBD including several NYT, Mackay, ...
Thursday, Apr 28: Faith
In which we wonder whether there isn’t something more...
Miedaner, “The Soul of Martha, A Beast”, in Smullyan's "Is God a Taoist?", in
No scheduled lab (open writing workshop)
Project Revision
Reading:
Mind’s I. Writing Workshop:
Week 15
Monday, May 2: Project Presentations
In which we find out what you’ve been up to all this time...
Due:
Thursday, May 5: Funday
In which we regretfully say adieu... Last class! Fare ye well.