Philosophy 132

This course will cover major issues in the philosophy of mind. In particular, it will examine the relationship between the individual’s mind and the objective world beyond it. Topics may include: (1) The metaphysics of color: Is color just a feature of our experience that we project onto things in the world, or is it a physical feature in its own right? If the latter, then what feature is it? (2) Self-knowledge and the “problem of other minds”: Is there a special way of knowing about the contents of one’s own mind? Are mental states in some way “private” to the person who has them? (3) Action and intention: What is the difference between mere behavior and action? If the difference is that the latter is done intentionally, what is it to have an intention, and what relationship does the mental state of intention have to what ends up happening in the world?