Neuroscience & Behavior 309MA - Mind and Action

Our minds can direct and control our bodies. See for yourself: if you decide to lift your arm, and try to do it, your arm will probably go up! This course is about the relationship between our minds, bodies, and behavior. What is the mind? How did it make your arm go up? How is lifting your arm different from an involuntary muscle spasm? The answers are not as straightforward as you might think. We confront powerful arguments that the mind is not reducible to the brain or any part of the body. We explore how philosophers and neuroscientists think about the difference between intentional behaviors, like lifting your arm, and unintentional movements, like tics, twitches, and yawns.

Prereq: 8 credits in Philosophy, or 4 credits in Philosophy and 4 credits in Neuroscience and Behavior.