For the Fall semester, I will be teaching a new class: Key Ideas in the Philosophy of Mind.
Current news: Enrollment is now open: partiallyexaminedlife.com/enrollment. You will see that I have three sections available. (And there’s also an option to JUST purchase the recordings as they are released, if you don’t have time to attend the Zoom sessions.)
- Saturday 11:30am ET/10:30am CT (first class is Aug. 29)
- Monday 1pm ET/noon CT (first class is Aug. 31)
- Wednesday 9pm ET/8pm CT (first class is Sep. 2)
If you’d like to attend but can’t do so during any of those times, or even if you can make some of those times but would prefer any of the following, or some other time, let me know. (email mark.linsenmayer@gmail.com)
- Friday 5:30pm ET/4:30pm CT (first class would be Aug. 28)
- Wednesday 10am ET/9am CT (first class would be Sep. 2)
What are the readings? We will read the following, with possible changes to the readings for the last couple of sessions as PEL and Closereads cover more in this area. The dates indicate the range of section times currently offered; you would be attending ONE of each of the dates for each topic, depending on which class-time you sign up for.
- Aug. 29/31/Sep. 2: Aristotle – De Anima, Book 3
- Sep. 12/14/16: Descartes – The Passions of the Soul (1949), Part I.
- Sep. 26/28/30: What Is the Mind? Alan Turing’s “Computing Machinery and Intelligence” (1950), Gilbert Ryle’s “Descartes’ Myth” from The Concept of Mind (1949)
- Oct. 10/12/14: Mind-Brain Identity Theory: U.T. Place’s “Is Consciousness a Brain Process?” (1956), J.J.C. Smart’s “Sensations and Brain Processes” (1959)
- Oct. 24/26/28: Qualia: Thomas Nagel’s “What Is It Like to Be a Bat” (1974), Frank Jackson’s “Epiphenomenal Qualia” (1982), Daniel Dennett’s “Quining Qualia” (1988)
- Nov. 7/9/11: Functionalism: Hilary Putnam’s “The Nature of Mental States” (1973), David Armstrong’s “The Causal Theory of Mind” (1980)
- Nov. 21/23/25: Against Functionalism: Ned Block’s “Troubles with Functionalism” (1978), John Searle’s “Mind, Brains, and Programs” (1980) [Note: Wed. Nov. 25 is the night before Thanksgiving; if this proves a problem for people, we may move the session to Wed. Dec. 2]
- Dec. 5/7/9: More on the “Hard Problem” of Consciousness: David Chalmers’ “Consciousness and Its Place in Nature” (2003)
- Dec. 12/14/16 (NOTE: Only ONE week is between this and the previous class): Artificial Intelligence: Millière and Buckner’s “A Philosophical Introduction to Language Models, Part I: Continuity With Classic Debates” and David Chalmers’ “Could a Large Language Model be Conscious?”
How long are the readings? Do I actually have to read them?
The reading selections are based roughly on what we read for the relevant PEL episode (so search this site for a given author, and you’ll see), shortening in a few cases to make them more manageable as I see fit.
At minimum, you should in preparation listen to the PEL episode associated with the episode, and be prepared with some thoughts about what you hear. You should also always try to at least start the readings to get a flavor. The more you’re able to read, the more you’ll learn. In many cases, an audiobook version is freely available, so that’s a great option of you’re short on reading time, or use them to experience more of the book that is assigned on the syllabus.
Is there homework? Tests?
The only work is class prep per the above. There are no tests, but the syllabus will include study questions. If you’d like feedback on your writing or one-on-one time, you can purchase one-off tutoring sessions (typically $50 for the first hour, negotiated after that).
What if I can’t make it to one or more of the sessions?
Again, each session is recorded; you can watch them according to your schedule. Too much going on that week? Just skip it and come to the next one, or come to the other scheduled session for that week.
How much does it cost?
$310 for the course (9 sessions). (If this is too steep for you, contact me about a possible payment plan or discount.)
I also expect you to maintain an active PEL Citizenship (whether through our website, Patreon, or Apple) through the duration of the class (so $7/month), as some of the episodes you’ll need to listen to are paywalled, and our Discord server used for optional additional discussion is also restricted to supporters.
If you’d like just the recordings of the course, without coming to the live sessions, the cost is $200; you’ll be given access to the same syllabus as everyone else, and can participate on Discord discussing the texts with other students, and you’ll get each recording as they are released to those in the class, typically within 1-3 days after the class takes place, with video or audio-only options.
Is this class beginner-safe? Only for beginners? Should I take your Core Texts class first?
As with all of my classes, beginners should feel comfortable, but experienced philosophy readers (even ones returning to these texts you might have studied in school) are also very much welcome. You absolutely don’t have to take my other class first.
However, if you do want to purchase the past recordings for the Core Texts class instead of taking this new one, those are available for $200 (email me about how to get it); at this point, I don’t think I’ll be offering that class again any time soon.
Can I take a sample class?
The participants in one of my past classes have all consented for you to watch this full length, entirely unedited initial session from a previous class (Core Texts in Philosophy); this new one uses the same format. Check it out.
How do I sign up?
Please enroll here.
Are these classes actually any good?
Here are a few quotes from some past students:
- “This was the first philosophy class I have taken… Our class has left me with a feeling of success and hunger for more.” -Molly M.
- “It was something I really looked forward to and enjoyed… I also think the price was good, as in, I feel like I got real value from each lesson.” -Eran F.
- “The readings were excellent… the right length for us to get a flavor and understanding of the authors and key concepts while also being manageable.” -Roger D.
- “I owe you a debt of gratitude… You know way more about philosophy than most professors… I appreciated how you encouraged students to share and how you expanded on their thoughts.” – Renee S.
- “My goal with taking this course was to get back in the habit of reading Philosophy and continue to sharpen my critical thinking skills. I’ve definitely achieved that… Your ability to connect anything anyone had to say back to the reading is simply awesome. As well as your facilitation of discussion at large.” -Ben D.