• WEEK 14: The Self

Required Readings

• Paul Churchland: Eliminative Materialism
• CGP Grey: You Are Two (video)
• Split Brain Behavioral Experiments (video)
• Course Notes for Week 14
• Optional background on Paul and Patricia Churchland: Larissa MacFarquhar: Two Heads

Discussion Questions

(Write out brief answers to this week's discussion questions and submit them via a direct message to me on Slack no later than 11:59pm on Sunday, December 5th. Your answers should be brief, no more than a few sentences each. Be prepared to discuss them in class.)

1. Paul Churchland argues that the things we ordinarily take to populate our minds, such as beliefs, desires, and emotions, are posits of a false psychological theory, and so we should stop believing in them. Briefly explain one of his reasons for thinking this.

2. What is the best objection you can think of to Paul Churchland's eliminative materialism?

3. Churchland suggests that our introspective understanding of ourselves is itself the product of a false theory, and that once we have a better theory of the human mind/brain, we will be able to better interpret our own thoughts. What, if anything, would it be like to be someone who no longer understands oneself as having a mind in the present sense?

Zoom Meeting

This week's Zoom meeting will be on Monday, December 6th, 11:10AM–12:25PM. Here is the link to join.