PH20C: Philosophy of Mind
Semester I (Academic Year 2006 - 2007)
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGE, LINGUISTICS AND PHILOSOPHY
Faculty of Humanities & Education, UWI, Mona Campus
ESSAY TOPICS
INSTRUCTIONS: Not Less Than 2,500 OR More Than 3000 Words.
D U E:
ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 29, 2006
Please SELECT ONE topic
1. Write a brief dissertation on artificial intelligence, developing
an argument for or against the proposition;
“Machines can think”
Conscious experience is a widespread phenomenon, it occurs at many
levels of animal life, though we cannot be sure of its presence in simple
organisms, and it is very difficult to say in general what provides
evidence of it.
2.
Do you agree or disagree with this Statement?
Fully articulate the philosophical issues involved.
3.
“With the doubtful exceptions of idiot and infants in arms, every
human being has both a body and a mind”
Carefully articulate the problem of mind and body
and explain what Gilbert Ryle meant by the above
statement
4.
How does Monism as a philosophical approach differ from Dualism?
Discuss in some detail one Monistic theory to
illustrate the difference in philosophical approach.
5.
What do you understand by personal identity?
Do the “Identity Theorists” advance our understanding
of the problem?