Know Thyself - The Value and Limits of Self-Knowledge: The Examined Life

Description

In this course, you will learn :

• learn about current research in experimental social psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience on emotions, the unconscious, the role of affect in decision making, and self-deception.
• gain an understanding of a Buddhist tradition challenge to the assumption of a coherent, unified self

Syllabus :

1. Socrates and the Examined Life

• Is anyone wiser than Socrates?
• I know that I know (almost) nothing
• Meditative moment
• Is an unexamined life worth living?
• "Not to be lived"
• What is knowledge good for?

 

2. Descartes' Essence

• What can be called into doubt?
• Are you dreaming now?
• I think, therefore I am
• Concerning God
• The physical and the mental
• Divisibility of mind and body
• Meditative moment
• Dualism

 

3. A re-casting of the Mind/Body problem

• Concept of mind
• Ghost in the machine
• Stupid is, as stupid does
• Embodied cognition
• Priviledged access
• Locked in
• The materialist strikes back
• Meditative moment

 

4. MIND AND SELF: Some Aspects of Human Nature

• Human nature
• Investigating human nature
• How best to live?
• Theory of human emotions
• Non-basic emotions
• Second nature
• Meditative moment

Show more