Rebecca Ring
ringr@yorku.ca

Philosophy of Psychology is the intersection of philosophy of science and philosophy of mind. The science of psychology aims to explain mental phenomena by discovering and describing their underlying processes, systems and mechanisms. What special problems does science face when it takes the mind as its object? Can there be mechanisms and laws in psychology analogous to those in the physical sciences? How is psychology distinct from, but interactive with neuroscience? We will examine active debates in psychology surrounding perception and action, the link between attention and consciousness, the modularity of mind, how we understand other minds, the influence of language on thought, and the relationship between mind, brain, body, and world. Metaphysical models of mind and philosophical questions of mind have implications for research design, methods, and theories of cognition, including non-human animal cognition, and even AI. We will ground our examination of philosophical and metaphysical questions in their relation to scientific practices and empirical research.

Technical requirements for taking the course:

Students will need technology to permit access to eClass (Moodle) and video conferencing via Zoom. Lectures will be delivered live and recorded via Zoom. These recordings will be then posted to eClass (Moodle). In order to participate in the Q&A/discussion segment of the class (which will not be recorded or graded), students should ensure that they have access to a stable, higher-speed internet connection, as well as a computer with a webcam and microphone, and/or a smart device with these features. You are strongly encouraged to join the live lectures and discussion with video and audio enabled when possible. Students who do not have access to sufficient video/audio/internet technology may use the chat function on Zoom to ask or respond to questions. For those students who cannot join the live lectures, their questions or responses can be posted to the discussion forum on eClass (Moodle). For more computing information, resources and help, see:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest, that can be run.

Times and locations:

Please note that this is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus. This course will run “synchronously”. This means we will be meeting live on Zoom each Monday from 2:30 to 5:30pm EST.

Virtual office hours:

Office hours are by appointment only. Please sign up on-line at https://calendly.com/rebeccaring . You will be sent a zoom link when an appointment is confirmed.

Weiskopf, Daniel A., and Frederick Adams. An Introduction to the Philosophy of Psychology . Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press, 2015.

Any additional required or supplementary readings will be posted on eClass (Moodle) in PDF format.

This course is lecture format with opportunities for Q&A and discussion.

The lectures will take place live via Zoom during class time (synchronous), which is Mondays, from 2:30 to 5:30pm EST, beginning Monday, January 11. These lectures will be recorded and posted to eClass (Moodle) sometime after class to accommodate students in different in time zones or those with serious competing obligations.

The lectures will be delivered in three 20 minute segments, interspersed with breaks and Q&A/discussion sessions. Q&A/discussion portions will not be recorded, posted or graded.

For those unable to join the live Zoom lectures, your micro-papers will provide the opportunity for you to engage with the material every week, and contribute to class discussion and content. You may post questions, responses, discussion on the discussion forum on eClass (Moodle). Chat will be enabled on Zoom during class to enhance discussion.

All assignments will be accessed and submitted via eClass (Moodle). The two quizzes will take place during class, following the lecture segments.

-To understand and critically analyze philosophical problems in the science of psychology

-To demonstrate a grasp of the course material and hone critical analytical skills through written assignments and quizzes

-To learn to assess empirical research and scientific theory in terms of philosophical analysis

Course policies

Assignment submission, late work, extensions

Assignments, including quizzes, will be submitted via eClass (Moodle).

Micro-papers will not be accepted late for any reason. They will help guide part of the lecture content and Q&A so must be submitted on time. There will be 11 weeks available to submit a total of 10 very short micro-papers. Students may choose one week to skip the micro-paper, at their own discretion.

Late penalty for essays is 2.5% per day (two and a half per cent equals 0.5 out of 20). If you need a reasonable extension for an essay, please make the request before the due date to avoid late penalties.

Quizzes will take place during class time. These quizzes will not be proctored, but will be timed. You will upload your answers via eClass (Moodle). Honesty and academic integrity is your obligation and responsibility. Make-up quizzes will only be granted to students with accommodation, or to students with very serious reason for missing the quiz and can provide documentation. For those unable to take the quiz during class time due to time zone difference or other sufficient reasons, please make arrangements with me in advance.

Video policy

I understand that some of you might have privacy concerns about using your video during class, and that others might have limited internet bandwidth that might make live-streaming difficult. I am therefore not requiring students to have their videos on during the lecture or Q&A. That being said, having video cameras on can make a big difference in terms of creating a sense of community within our class, so that we feel more like a normal, in-person classroom. For this reason, I do encourage you to use your video as much as possible if privacy or tech issues are not preventing you from doing otherwise. If you do need to keep your video off, please be sure to put a profile photo on your Zoom account, so that your classmates feel like they are talking to a person, rather than a black box with a name in it. During the lecture portion, your audio will be muted by me (the host) to prevent distractions. During Q&A/discussion, your audio will be enabled so that you can unmute yourself if you would like to engage in discussion.

Chat policy

As many of you know, Zoom has a chat function that enables students to message one another during a meeting, and to pose questions to the entire class. I would prefer it if you refrained from having these side conversations during class, as this will distract from the lecture or discussion that we are all trying to have as a group. It’s fine to use the chat to message the entire group, and to send private messages during the breaks, but you should try as much as possible to maintain the same kind of etiquette that you would in an in-person class.

Contacting instructors

You should contact the instructor via messaging on eClass (Moodle) or by email (ringr@yorku.ca). Please note that I will be responding to messages within 24 hours during working days (i.e. not on weekends or holidays).

Course recordings

The recordings for this course should be used for educational purposes only and as a means for enhancing accessibility. Students do not have permission to duplicate, copy and/or distribute the recordings outside of the class (these acts can violate not only copyright laws but also FIPPA). All recordings will be destroyed after the end of classes.

Academic honesty and integrity

In this course, we strive to maintain academic integrity to the highest extent possible. Please familiarize yourself with the meaning of academic integrity by completing SPARK’s Academic Integrity module at the beginning of the course. Breaches of academic integrity range from cheating to plagiarism (i.e., the improper crediting of another’s work, the representation of another’s ideas as your own, etc.). All instances of academic dishonesty in this course will be reported to the appropriate university authorities, and can be punishable according to the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty.

LA&PS Course Policies:

For more information on student rights and responsibilities, and about academic accommodations for students with disabilities, please visit the following links:

Student Rights & Responsibilities

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities

Technology requirements:

This is a course that depends on remote teaching and learning. There will be no in-person interactions or activities on campus. The majority of this course will take place on two platforms: Zoom and eClass (Moodle). The weekly meetings for this course will take place live (or “synchronously”) on Zoom. In order to fully participate in these meetings, students should ensure that they have access to a stable, higher-speed internet connection, as well as a computer with a webcam and microphone, and/or a smart device with these features. Please note:

• Zoom is hosted on servers in the U.S. This includes recordings done through Zoom.
• If you have privacy concerns about your data, provide only your first name or a nickname when you join a session.
• The system is configured in a way that all participants are automatically notified when a session is being recorded. In other words, a session cannot be recorded without you knowing about it.

All assignments, the schedule of readings and lectures, course announcements, and course policies will be posted to the eClass (Moodle) site for this course. All assignments will either be submitted via eClass (Moodle), or completed within the eClass (Moodle) interface (e.g. posting on discussion forums). The instructor will also use eClass (Moodle) as her primary way of communicating with students, as a group or individually. Please review the technology requirements and FAQs for Moodle .