Consciousness, FS102-11

Spring '04

Tuesdays & Thursdays in Carnegie 107

09:30AM to 10:45AM
 
 
 Alexander Dale, Department of Psychology,

Office Carnegie #09

(Phone 332 2392, -email adale). Office Hours--10-11 MW, 10:45-12 TTh, & Th 4-5 others available by appointment -please call or email above

Text: Blackmore, S . (2004). Consciousness An Introduction. New York; Oxford.

Note: evaluation will be based on the formula, 40% for presentations, 40% for papers and 20% for class participation.

Note: FS102 Speaking Competition Nominations by Spring Break

Each student will select three topics (below) for oral presentation. Please select at least one debate (2 are ok). (Some adjustment will have to be made for the most popular topics).

A 5 -page paper with library research  on that topic will be submitted on the day of the presentation. The papers will be revised after submission. (The draft will constitute 35% of the grade of the paper).

A final 10 page paper will be a revision and expansion of one of the short papers previously presented.

The grade for papers will be based on the formula, 20 % for each shorter paper and 40% for the longer paper.

**PAPERS ** Please make note to use the format designated in the Psychology Department Handbook available on the Web, http://webpub.alleg.edu/dept/psych/Writing.html -- note the section on Plagiarism and the Honor Code.

Reference to newspapers, unreviewed pamphlets, "pop" magazines, unreviewed websites, encyclopedias or dictionaries will be penalized.
{see http://psych.hanover.edu/Krantz/journal.html
http://www.psych-central.com/ for lists of reviewed electronic journals}.

A useful aid will be the electronic search tools available from the library

Note the below was from the last class and new dates and topics are being constructed for the present class-stay tuned--note to also include the ASQ meetings and the visual music meeting.

Week 1

01/15 The ins and outs of consciousness over the short history of psychology -Ethos, Pathos, Logos
            -introductions-intial selection of topics
            -A writing sample to be reviewed by peers "What is consciousness?"
Please read Blackmore 1-50.

Week 2

Note: A special bonus for volunteering for this week might be helpful for your grade.

01/20 Trace the flow of perception through the brain.What would it be like to be a bat?

Presenters: Jenna, Drew and Brian

01/22 A debate: Is consciousness causal or non-causal? What does consciousness do?

Debaters: Kylie

Please read Blackmore 50-92

Week 3

01/26 Perception and attention How do we focus and perceive?

Presenter: A. Dale

01/28 A debate: Monism vs Dualism: The Cartesian Theatre versus GWT or Multiple drafts

Debaters: Ashley,Marco & Brian

Week 4

Please read Blackmore 92-137

02/03 The split-brain research. Is there free will (or free won't)?

Presenters: Drew and Marco

02/05 A debate: Multiple personality or an act? (see case of Mary Reynolds on my website)

Debaters: Jenna, Kyllie and Angela

Please read Blackmore 139-179

Week 5

02/10 The evolution of consciousness

Presenters: Laura, Michael and Amanda

02/12 A debate: Other animals and (young children) are conscious (or not).

Debaters: Matt, Ashleigh (not) and Kat (for)

Please read Blackmore 181-224

Week 6

02/17 Artificial intelligence, problem solving & virtual reality-can computers construct a reality for us?

Presenters: Matt, Nick and Ashleigh

02/19 A debate: Is there a cyberspace or are computers a tool?

Presenter: A. Dale

Please read Blackmore 225-270

Week 7

02/24 Discuss confabulation, delusions, Munchausens, blindsight and neglect

Presenters: Jen and Kat

02/26 A debate: Phantom pain is real (or not)

Debaters: Laura, Erin and Michael

Please Read Blackmore 272-319 and Dale et al on the perception of the aura.

Week 8

03/02 Discuss extrasensory and unconscious perception

Preesnters: Asleigh, Angela, Nick and Kylie

03/04 A debate: Are our memories and experiences reality or imagination?

Debaters: Jen, Travis, Mandy and Drew

Please read Blackmore 321-368

Week 9

03/09 Discuss sleep and dreaming (mention EEG activity), Drugs and Hypnosis

Presenters: Nick, Angela, Michael and Kat

03/11 A debate: Out-of-body experiences and near-death experiences have physcial explanations (or not).

Debaters Travis, Erin and Jen

Week 10

03/13-21 Spring Break-no one signs up for this

Please read Balckmore 370-414

Week 11

03/23 Discuss meditation and relaxation. See also Herbert Benson's work

Presenters: Erin and Mandy

03/25 A debate: Imagery can be used to control the immune system and health

Presenter: A. Dale

Week 12

3/30 Discuss emotions and (or in) music and/or dance

Presenters: Mandy & Marco

4/1 Alexander String Quartet

Week 13

4/6 Visible Music -class moves to Arnold Hall M202

4/8 Discuss synesthesia-the blending of perceptions-what color is middle C?

Presenter: Drew

Week 14

4/13 Consciousness of language

Presenter: Laura

4/15 A debate: Thought is controlled by language (the Whorfian Hypothesis -or not)

Presenter: A. Dale

Week 15

4/20 Consciousness and self control

Presenters; Matt, Jenna and Travis

4/22 A debate: Can we consciously choose our careers, majors, spouses, health, etc.? (or not?)

Presenter: A. Dale

Week 16

4/27 The Future of Consciousness Studies in Psychology and Neuroscience.