PHIL 255: The Mystery of Consciousness

Consciousness has been described as the last great mystery. In this course students will read philosophers who attempt to clarify why it seems so mysterious, including some who argue that it will never be possible to explain consciousness scientifically. On the positive side, student swill consider philosophical approaches to understanding consciousness in terms of mental representations and will examine how cognitive science has re-conceptualized the role of consciousness in our brains. The course will also look at several interesting scientific discoveries and consciousness and discuss their philosophical significance.