Consciousness Reconsidered

This course will explore special topics in consciousness. Our examination of consciousness may include topics such as special states of consciousness (e.g., dreams, meditation, and chemically-induced altered states), the development of consciousness in children, conscious will, non-Western perspectives on consciousness, animal consciousness, and the possibility of machine consciousness. The focus will be on understanding consciousness from a multitude of perspectives and in all its variations. Students will complete a series of short papers and a longer, final paper. Students should have taken at least one course in cognitive psychology or philosophy of mind. Instructor permission is required. This is a core course in the Culture, Brain and Development Program.