GPA

3.87

RedditCatalog

How does your brain generate your uniquely subjective experience of the world? Is it possible to identify distinct neurophysiological markers of your awareness of a particular sight, sound, taste, or touch? What is the cortical basis of your sense of being a self with a first-person point of view that is spatiotemporally grounded in a body? How does consciousness relate to attention and working memory? Does consciousness have an adaptive function? Might a person in a coma or a vegetative state still have some form of awareness? Could a computer or a robot ever have what we would consider to be genuine experiences? During the past few decades, these and other questions about the nature of consciousness have been the focus of increasing empirical and theoretical research in neuroscience and other disciplines. The main purpose of the course is to introduce students to this exciting field of inquiry by exposing them to a variety of representative books and articles in the literature. The "backbone" of the course will be Stanisla's Dehaenes Consciousness and the brain: Deciphering how the brain codes our thoughts (2014). As we go through the course, we will use each successive chapter in this book as the starting point for a deeper and wider exploration of the given topic(s), bringing into our discussion relevant experimental findings and philosophical perspectives from other investigators. Requirements: Students will take turns guiding discussions and will also write 1-2 page "response papers" to the weekly readings. Permission of department required.

Restrictions

Attachments