This course is an advanced introduction to the philosophy of mind. Its objective is to introduce
you to a variety of philosophical issues about the nature of the mind, especially issues that arise
in connection with scientific research on the brain. The course will focus on the nature of
consciousness and the self. What is consciousness and how is it related to the brain, the rest of
the body, and the physical world? Can consciousness be explained in physical terms? Can there
be a scientific understanding of consciousness or will consciousness remain forever mysterious?
Is there a self or is the self an illusion? Guided by these questions, we will examine
consciousness and the sense of self across a wide variety of states, including awake perception,
dreaming, lucid dreaming, deep sleep, out-of-body experiences, dying and near-death
experiences, as well as meditative states. We will draw from a wide variety of sources, including
contemporary philosophy of mind, Indian philosophy, and Buddhist philosophy, as well as
cognitive science, especially the neuroscience of consciousness, sleep science, and the
neuroscience of meditation. Upon successful completion of the course, you will have a broad
comprehensive knowledge of both scientific findings and philosophical positions about the
nature of consciousness and the self, along with philosophical tools for analyzing scientific
research on the mind and body.