What Is the Philosophy of Mind?

This opening lesson defines philosophy of mind as the branch of philosophy that asks what minds are, how mental life relates to the physical world, and why consciousness, thought, perception, emotion, and personal identity remain philosophically puzzling even in an age of neuroscience and artificial intelligence.

Students are introduced to the central questions of the field, the difference between empirical and philosophical inquiry, and the main themes that will guide the course: consciousness, intentionality, the self, mental causation, embodiment, other minds, and the place of mind in nature.