Unit information: Philosophy of Perception in 2014/15

Unit name	Philosophy of Perception
Unit code	PHIL30119
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director	Dr. Pearson
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	none
Co-requisites	none
School/department	Department of Philosophy
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This unit examines the philosophy of perception. We will investigate central debates in the philosophy of perception and evaluate their bearing on issues in epistemology, philosophy of science, and contemporary aesthetics. Topics to be covered include representationalism about perceptual experience, non-conceptual content, ecological versus constructivist approaches to perception, the role of action and emotion in perception, cognitive penetrability of perception, the nature of hallucinations, and the debate about visual imagery. Given the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of contemporary philosophy of perception, special emphasis will be given to showing how some of the central questions in this subfield of philosophy may be informed by empirical data in cognitive science and neuroscience.

Unit Aims:

1. To enable students to develop a strong knowledge of the literature in the philosophy of perception.
2. To enable students to develop a critical understanding of central concepts and various sub-topics within the philosophy of perception, e.g. concerning representationalism about perceptual experience, non-conceptual content, ecological versus constructivist approaches to perception, the role of action and emotion in perception, cognitive penetrability of perception, the nature of hallucinations, and the debate about visual imagery.
3. To enable students to students to demonstrate their ability to engage philosophically with the main arguments in the literature on the philosophy of perception, and to analyse and critically appraise this literature.
4. To enable students to strengthen their skills in philosophical writing and argumentation;

Intended Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, students will:

1. have developed a strong knowledge of the literature in the philosophy of perception;
2. have developed a critical understanding of central concepts and various sub-topics within the philosophy of perception, e.g. concerning representationalism about perceptual experience, non-conceptual content, ecological versus constructivist approaches to perception, the role of action and emotion in perception, cognitive penetrability of perception, the nature of hallucinations, and the debate about visual imagery.
3. be able to engage philosophically with and analyse and critically appraise the main arguments in the literature on the philosophy of perception.
4. be able to demonstrate sophisticated skills in philosophical writing and argumentation;

Teaching Information

10 x one hour lectures, 10 x one hour seminars

Assessment Information

1 x 2250 word formative essay, supporting development of ILO 1 - 4. Satisfactory completion of the formative essay is required to gain credit for this unit.

1 x 3 hour examination (summative, 100% of unit mark), assessing ILO 1 - 4.

Reading and References

Dretske, Fred (1969). Seeing And Knowing. Chicago: University Of Chicago Press.

Fodor, Jerry A. (1983). The Modularity of Mind. MIT Press.

Gendler, Tamar & Hawthorne, John (eds.) (2006). Perceptual Experience. Oxford University Press.

Noë, Alva & Thompson, Evan (eds.) (2002). Vision and Mind: Selected Readings in the Philosophy of Perception. MIT Press.