Syllabus concepts to know

• What does it mean to be human?
• What do we mean by consciousness and how does it relate to non-conscious aspects of reality?
• Is there such a thing as the self?
• Is how we interact with others what makes us human?
• What do recent discoveries in neuroscience reveal about what it is to be human? The core theme is compulsory for all students. It consists of an exploration of six closely interrelated key concepts, represented in the following figure 2. Philosophy guide 11
• Are we independent beings or is each of us a part or state of something else?
• What matters in identity?
• Can beliefs be part of our identity even if they are false?
• To what extent does culture shape identity? The self and the Self and non-self • Is there such a thing as the self? other Solipsism and • Can we really know ourselves? Can we really know the intersubjectivity other? Relations to others • Is how we define “the other” part of how we define “the self”?
• Ideas of immersion, participation and coordination as being constitutive of self (e.g. Jonardon Ganeri) Consciousness Consciousness, the self • What is consciousness? and the world • What do recent advances in neuroscience tell us about The mind–body problem how the human mind works? The problem of other • Are we composed of mind and body? minds • What, if any, are the relationships between mind and body?
• Why do we believe that other people have minds like ours?
• Neuroscientific perspectives (e.g. Patricia Churchland, eliminative materialism) Personhood Self-consciousness • What is it to be a person? Agency • The idea of personhood as a matter of degrees (e.g.
• Could animals or machines be considered persons? Philosophy guide 13 Key concept Suggested topics of Suggested examples and discussion questions study
• What are the implications of classifying an entity as a person?
• Are we self-conscious beings?
• Is being morally responsible the defining feature of being human?
• If moral agency is a necessary feature of personhood, does this mean that infants are not persons? Human nature Individuality and • Do humans have common characteristics that are universality independent of the influence of culture? The nature versus nurture • The view that there is no such thing as human nature debate • How fixed/malleable is human nature?
• Is reason a special characteristic that distinguishes humans from machines or other animals? Freedom Freedom and determinism • Is there such a thing as free will? Social conditioning • Are freedom and determinism compatible?
• Is autonomy necessary for personhood?
• What is the difference between socialization and social conditioning?
• Why did existentialists see freedom as the source of existential angst?
• Is it possible to live authentically?
• Does our freedom depend on the freedom of others?