Faculty First Year Seminars 197PSY9 - How the mind might work

This seminar will provide an introduction to a particular theory about how the human mind works. According to this theory, which known as the computational theory of mind, the mind is a digital computer. This idea sounds very strange at first, but actually it is central to cognitive science, which includes research in psychology, computer science, linguistics, and philosophy. We will read How the Mind Works, by Steven Pinker, which explains the theory and the evidence for it in an accessible way. The only prerequisites are an interest in minds, brains, and/or computers, and a willingness to read about and discuss some very interesting issues. Grading will be based on in-class discussion and (short) weekly homework assignments.

Freshmen Only