PHIL 401(F) Senior Seminar: The Self (W)
This course is required of, and restricted to, senior philosophy majors. It will be conducted in two sections. Since the interests of the participants will help shape the syllabus in each section, the two sections might differ. The common theme for both sections will be philosophical issues that involve the idea of the self. The self is a subject of experiences, something that has thoughts and feelings, motivation and agency; it is thought of as continuous over time, and as related to, perhaps even constituted by, other selves. Thus, the concept of self plays a significant role in metaphysics, epistemology, moral and political philosophy, and of course in the philosophy of mind. It has been analyzed and discussed throughout the history of philosophy, in both "analytic" and "continental" traditions. Conceptions of self equally underlie scientific research programs (especially in psychology) and literature (especially plays and novels). Are the conceptions of self developed within different cultures, historical periods, philosophical traditions and disciplines radically different conceptions of self, or is there a common core to all of them a philosophical inquiry may hope to isolate? To answer this question, we may try to first answer some of the following ones: What is the self? How do I know that I am one? What constitutes my knowledge of myself, and does that knowledge differ in any significant respect from my knowledge of physical objects and other people? Can one generalize about self-knowledge? The cognitive phenomenology of the self is deeply connected with our affective attitudes towards ourselves. Is that a philosophically desirable connection? Could we, and should we, influence it in the direction of minimizing the role of emotions in our self-understanding, or on the contrary, increase the mutual dependence of the two? What is the defensible interpretation and the desirable role of the ideal of authenticity, frequently expressed by quoting Polonius' "To thine own self be true" out of context?
Students are encouraged to think in advance about the specific issues they would like to pursue in this seminar, and to communicate to the instructor any interesting ideas that they may develop.
Format: seminar. Requirements: class participation, weekly short papers, class presentation and 12-15 pages long final paper.
Enrollment limited to senior philosophy majors.
Hour: MLADENOVIC