REL 288(S) The Embodied Mind: A Cross-Cultural Exploration (Same as Philosophy 288)
This course examines some of the central questions concerning the nature of the
mind: the nature of intentionality, the role of emotions, the relation with the
body, the nature of subjectivity, the role of reflexivity, etc. In confronting these
questions, we do not proceed purely theoretically but consider the contributions
of various observation-based traditions, from Buddhist psychology and meditative practices to phenomenology to neurosciences. We begin by examining
some of the central concepts of Buddhist psychology, its treatment of the mind
as an selfless stream of consciousness, its examination of the variety of mental
factors and its accounts of the relation between cognition and affects. We also
introduce the practice of meditation as a way to observe the mind and raise questions concerning the place of its study in the mind-sciences. We pursue this reflection by examining the views of James, Husserl, Sartre and Merleau-Ponty,
particularly as they concern the methods for the study of the mind and the relation between intentionality, reflexivity and the body. In this way, we develop a
rich array of analytical tools and observational practices to further our understanding of the mind. But we also question the value of these tools, which are
based on first person approaches, by relating them to the third person studies of
neurobiologists such as Damasio. We come to appreciate the importance of considering the biology on which mental processes are based and the light that this
approach throws on the central questions of the course. We conclude by considering the relation between first and third person studies of the mind, focusing on
Varella's concept of the embodied mind as a fruitful bridge between these different traditions.
Requirements: practice of meditation, a class presentation and a research paper
(15 pages).
No prerequisites. Enrollment: 22 (expected: 15). Preference given to students
with relevant background.