ESP Biography

What are mental states? Are they the kinds of things that a computer could have, in a literal sense? In this class we will discuss the Turing Test, the theory of mind known as "functionalism," and John Searle's "Chinese Room" argument that purports to show that a computer could not have a mind in any literal sense.

Do we have free will? What even is free will? Why is it important to study? There are many reasons why we might care about free will: to make sense of our notions of agency, autonomy, and self-determination, or to make sense of relationships and notions such as friendship or love. However, we will focus on the importance of free will for moral responsibility. Many of the contemporary debates about free will involve free will’s compatibility (or lack thereof) with determinism of one kind or another. Determinism, broadly construed, can be characterized by the claim that future events (including those of human action) are determined for one reason or another. We will focus on two varieties of determinism, theological determinism and causal determinism, although there are other varieties (for example, logical determinism). That is, can we have free will if there exists an all-knowing God? Can we have free will if the universe (and thereby human thought and action) is governed by natural laws? For each variety of determinism we can (i) deny its reality, (ii) accept its reality but argue that it is compatible with the existence of free will, or (iii) accept its reality and deny its compatibility with free will. We will explore these options in this class, with a heavy emphasis on Q&A, discussion, and debate. Come with an open mind and a readiness to practice your critical thinking skills!