Be sure to bring the following downloads with you to the first class:21.4.09Darwin as an ethical inspirationWe will discuss these in class.
Brainteaser
Please download the following essay for the next class. There are some other topics which logically should come first, but I haven't finished preparing them yet. So look out for more!25.4.09The Act of Creation
I've finished my essay about ancestors now, so here it is for you to download - a lot of it we talked about in class, but there are additional points in it, so please read it carefully and bring it with you the next time.13.5.09Ancestors
The following handout will help with the next assignment, which I'll talk about this evening:27.5.09Criticising Koestler
Here is a rough draft of an essay on intelligence and reasoning. Download it, and we'll look at it this evening:2.6.09Intelligence and reasoning
Here is that missing file for you to download. Look out for more before tomorrow!2.6.09 (later)Evolution, emotions, intelligence
I'd like to tackle another topic for a while, that is, determinism, indeterminism, and free will. Please download the following Wikipedia article and bring it with you tomorrow:10.6.09Determinism
To go with that article on determinism, we should have a look at the following excellent review of Daniel Dennett's "Freedom Evolves" (Viking Penguin, 2003):13.6.09Kenan Malik on Dennett's determinismAnd here is the link to my essay on consciousness, basically a summary of Daniel Dennett's views:ConsciousnessWe'll look through that one this evening, because the next assignment will be based on it! Be sure to download both.
Just today I found a wonderful web site with illustrations of visual illusions. None of them are exactly the same as the phi phenomenon we talked about in class, but they serve the purpose of showing vividly that parts of our brains act autonomously and can fool us. Try them out:16.6.09http://www.aber.ac.uk/media/Modules/MC10220/visper08.html
Cutaneous baby frogs, perhaps? I couldn't resist posting that picture from today's Daily Telegraph, copyright AFP/Getty. The frogs are being held by a man in Colombia.
Here are some of my own notes on determinism, which we shall use tomorrow, so please download and bring them!24.6.09Determinism
From determinism to indeterminism today - be sure to bring this one:15.7.09Indeterminismand also this one on the concept of the meme:Dawkins on memetics
The assignment on the meme is due next week, so we'll do more on it this evening. The following little essay of mine should help as well:What memes are good for
Assignments
The title and the due date are shown:| Summary of the Darwin article | 22.4.09 |
| Does Koestler's theory of "bisociation" work? |
3.6.09 |
| My ideas on Dennett and consciousness | 24.6.09 |
| Critical summary of Dawkins' meme idea | 22.7.09 |