Course Syllabus

Phil 129: Philosophy of Psychology

Summer A, UCLA 20023

Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 10:45am-12:50pm

Place: Royce Hall 156

Professor: J. Armstrong (jarmstrong@humnet.ucla.edu)

Office: Dodd Hall #350

Office Hours: Thursdays 1:30—2:30pm on ZOOM, and by appointment

Section Leaders: Alonso Reategui (alonsorm@humnet.ucla.edu)

___________________________________________________________________________

 

Course Overview

 

Psychology aims to give a scientific account of the mind. In one sense, what a mind is seems obvious. We hold beliefs, we remember things, we perceive, and have experiences. In another sense, what a mind is seems mysterious. Our everyday practice of explaining and predicting one another’s behavior hinges on attributing to one another various psychological states. However, quite simple organisms appear capable of complex behavior. Insects perform impressive feats of navigation, find food and distinguish kin from non-kin. Do such behaviors mark the presence of a mind? Where in nature does mind begin anyway?

 

In this class we will be exploring various ways in which these questions might be answered. Various issues will be addressed along the way. Including but not limited to:

• The distinguishing features of mind.
• The notion of representation and its role in psychological explanation.
• The notions of behavior and agency and their relation to mentality.
• What psychological capacities, if any, are necessary for having culture?
• Do animals have culture?

Course Materials

 

All texts will be posted as PDFs to our course Canvas site.

 

Course Difficulty

 

While there are no prerequisites for this course, it will be intellectually demanding—requiring you to master novel theoretical concepts and critically engage with complex arguments in your own writing.   In short: the class is not an easy A.  As with many other courses, to do well in Phil 129 you will need to:

 

• Attend lectures regularly and take notes;
• Complete all the course readings;
• Work hard on each of the exams, and submit them on time.

 

 

But although necessary, all of this is not sufficient for doing well. This class is not about memorizing facts or correctly reproducing slogans; this class is about developing your own opinions and critical perspective on the topics discussed and enriching your ability to articulate and defend those opinions in a written form. Students who are prepared to work hard, challenge themselves, and attend lecture regularly will do well. All lectures and T.A. led section meetings will be held in person. Do not underestimate course difficulty or the value of attending class! 

 

Course Requirements

 

1. Attendance and Participation (20% of final grade)
2. Midterm (40% of final grade)
3. Final Exam (40% of final grade)
4. Be familiar with and abide by UCLA’s policy on academic and intellectual integrity: http://www.studentgroups.ucla.edu/dos/students/integrity/

                       http://www.deanofstudents.ucla.edu/Code_choice.php

 

Attendance will be taken at every lecture and every section You are allowed two unapproved absences; subsequent absences will affect your grade.

 

The Midterm and Final Exam will consist of long essay answers to a set of assigned questions concerning material discussed throughout the course.

*Well-being always comes first. We all go through challenging times during the quarter, and our current times are especially difficult. There is lots of help out there, both within the University and the wider community. Please get in touch with me if you would like more information about these resources. 

**Students needing an academic accommodation based on a disability should either contact me or the Office for the Center for Accessible Education located at (310) 825-1501 or A255 Murphy Hall. When possible, students should contact the CSA within the first two weeks of the term as reasonable notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. For more information visit www.cae.ucla.edu

 

Tentative Reading and Assignment Schedule:

 

Week 1	·       “Aristotle’s Eyes” in Darwin’s Ghost, Rebecca Scott (2012) ·       The Inner Life of Earthworms, Eileen Crist (2002) ·       “The Persistence of the Attitudes” Jerry Fodor (1987) ·       “Meaning and the World Order” Jerry Fodor (1987)
Week 2	·       “Biosemantics” Ruth G. Millikan (1989) ·       “Millikan’s Contribution to Naturalistic Philosophy of Mind”Nickolas Shea (2006) ·       “The Cambrian Explosion and the Origins of Embodied Cognition” Michael Trestman (2013)
Week 3	·       “Perception: Where Mind Begins” Tyler Burge (2013) ·       Thought in a Hostile World (selections) Kim Sterelny (2003)   Midterm Due
Week 4	·       “Primitive Agency and Natural Norms” by Tyler Burge (2009) ·       “The Evolutionary Origins of Friendship” by Dorothy Cheney and Robert Seyfarth (2012)
Week 5	·       The Animal Mind, Chapters 1-3, Kristin Andrews (2020)
Week 6	·       The Animal Mind, Chapters 6-9, Kristin Andrews (2020)   Final Exam Due