Session

...Date...

Topic

Readings/Assignments

Part I: Three Philosophical Traditions

0

Jan 8

General and technical introductions

0.1 How the Body Shapes the Mind (HBSM) Introduction

0.2 Quiz 1 (Due: Jan 12)

1

Jan 10

Introduction: Mapping out the philosophical tradition on embodiment

1.1 The Phaedo – Parts I & II

2

Jan 17

Plato: Problems with the body

2.1 The Phaedo – Part III

3

Jan 19

Platonic and Neo-Platonic traditions

3.1 The Phaedo – Part IV

3.2 Quiz 2 (due Jan 22)
3.3 Discussion: Plato (Jan 22-24)

4

Jan 26

Aristotle: Why the body may be important

4.1 De Anima- Book I

4.2 Quiz 3 (due Jan 29)

5

Jan 29-31

The body and soul of the Aristotelian traditions

5.1 Aquinas: ST

5.2 Quiz 4 (due Feb 2)

6

Feb 5

Descartes and the Cartesian Method

Optional: Lecture on campus (6pm)
Stephen Watson (University of Notre Dame)
Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenological Itinerary From Body Schema to Situated Knowledge

6.1 Meditation 1
6.2 Meditation 2

Download Watson text

7

Feb 7

Dualism and the mind-body problem

7.1 Meditation 6

7.2 Quiz 5 (due Feb 9)

8

Feb 12

Conflicts in the modern tradition

8.1.1 Varied texts

8.1.2 Discussion: Descartes and beyond (starts Feb 12; ends Feb 14)

9

Feb 14

Research projects

9.1 Topics (due Feb 19)

9.2 Annotated Bibliography (due Feb 26)

Part II: Contemporary approaches to embodiment

10

Feb 19

Phenomenology and analytic philosophy of mind: Husserl and Ryle

Your research

Assignment 9.1 due

11

Feb 21

The lived body: Merleau-Ponty

11.1 Merleau-Ponty

Your research

12

Feb 26

Identity and embodiment in analytic philosophy

Your research

Assignment 9.2 due

13

Mar 5

SPRING BREAK

Getting along without a body

13.1 Dennett

13.1 Discussion: Getting along with out a body (starts Mar 5; ends Mar 9)

14

Mar 19

Embodied cognition

14.1 Thompson and Varela

15

Mar 21

Situated and enactive bodies

15.1 Clark

16

Mar 26

Robotic bodies and selves

16.1 Varied

16.2 Quiz 6 (due Mar 28)

Part III: Topics in contemporary debates

17

Mar 28

Body image and body schema

HBSM 1

17.2 Research discussion (Mar 28-30)

18

Apr 2

Deafferentation, proprioception and identity

HBSM 2

19

Apr 4

Developmental issues

HBSM 3

19.2 Research discussion (Apr 4-6)

20

Apr 9

Phantoms

HBSM 4

21

Apr 11

Embodied communication

HBSM 5

See session 21 for an extra credit assignment

22

Apr 13

Perception and action

HBSM 6

22.2 Research discussion (Apr 13-16)

23

Apr 16

The Molyneux problem

HBSM 7

24

Apr 18

Agency and schizophrenia

HBSM 8

25

Apr 20

Intersubjectivity and autism

HBSM 9

26

Apr 23

Free will

HBSM 10

27

Apr 25

Conclusions

Research paper due

Apr 30

Final Exam

Final Exam due