Module overview
We seem to know our own minds - our beliefs, desires, intentions, thoughts, feelings and sensations - in a distinctively secure and immediate way, without having to rely on observation of our own behaviour. Such self-knowledge seems different from knowledge of other people or of the world around us, and is arguably part of what is special about persons. Though self-knowledge is familiar and effortless, it is puzzling. This course will examine a range of philosophical problems associated with self-knowledge, such as: How do we come to know our own minds? What (if any) are the differences between self-knowledge and knowledge in other domains (e.g. knowledge of other people's minds)? What explains these differences? Can the answers to these questions be reconciled with plausible accounts of the objects of self-knowledge, i.e. mental states and their contents? Do recent findings in empirical psychology show that we are more ignorant about our own minds than we suppose? How is self-deception possible?
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- debate and criticise ideas and arguments in an even-handed fashion.
- interpret, synthesise and criticise complex texts and positions.
- articulate and defend your own views regarding the issues the module concerns.
- present ideas clearly and carefully in writing.
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- undertake, with appropriate supervision, independent work, including identifying and analysing problems, and working effectively to deadlines.
- identify and use appropriate source material
- present and debate ideas in an open-minded but rigorous way
Knowledge and Understanding
Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:
- the philosophical issues raised by questions about self-knowledge.
- central theories about self-knowledge and the problems which these theories face.
Syllabus
The syllabus may vary from year to year. Topic might include:
(1) The distinctive characteristics of self-knowledge.
(2) What (if any) are the differences between self-knowledge and knowledge in other domains? What explains these differences?
(3) How do we come to know our own minds?
(4) Forms of self-knowledge and accounts of the objects of self-knowledge.
(5) The implications of empirical psychology for the philosophy of self-knowledge.
(6) Self-deception.
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
Reading the relevant material, attendance at lectures; taking notes; contributing to discussion in lectures; doing research for and preparing essays; applying techniques and skills learned both inside and outside the module to your reading and writing.
| Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Wider reading or practice | 24 |
| Preparation for scheduled sessions | 24 |
| Completion of assessment task | 22 |
| Follow-up work | 24 |
| Revision | 23 |
| Lecture | 33 |
| Total study time | 150 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
Self-Knowledge. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Textbooks
Q Cassam (1994). Self-Knowledge. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Wright, C., Smith, B.C., and Macdonald, C. (1998). Knowing Our Own Minds. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Assessment
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
Draft essaySummative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Essay | 50% |
Referral
This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Examination | 100% |
Repeat
An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.
| Method | Percentage contribution |
|---|---|
| Essay | 50% |
| Essay | 50% |
Repeat Information
Repeat type: Internal & External