AP/PHIL3265 3.0 M: Philosophy of Mind
Offered by: PHIL
Session
Winter 2026
Term
W
Format
LECT
Instructor
Calendar Description / Prerequisite / Co-Requisite
Topics covered include the ontological status of the mind, the nature of mental causation, consciousness and its relation to our status as rational persons equipped with free will. Other possible questions include: Is language necessary for thought? Can some nonhuman animals think? What is the relationship between emotions and rationality? Prerequisite: AP/PHIL 2160 3.00 or AP/PHIL 2240 3.00. Course credit exclusion: GL/PHIL 3657 3.00.
Course Start Up
Course Websites hosted on York's "eClass" are accessible to students during the first week of the term. It takes two business days from the time of your enrolment to access your course website. Course materials begin to be released on the course website during the first week. To log in to your eClass course visit the York U eClass Portal and login with your Student Passport York Account. If you are creating and participating in Zoom meetings you may also go directly to the York U Zoom Portal.
For further course Start Up details, review the Getting Started webpage.
For IT support, students may contact University Information Technology Client Services via askit@yorku.ca or (416) 736-5800. Please also visit UIT Student Services or the Getting Help - UIT webpages.
Professor Laura Soter
lksoter@yorku.ca
Virtual office hours: Mondays 3-4
This class will explore a key topic in the contemporary philosophy of mind: belief. We will consider questions such as: what are beliefs and how do they work? How do they relate to other nearby mental states? Does “belief” refer to just one kind of cognitive attitude? What role do beliefs play in our understanding of others’ minds? How do the answers to all of these questions shape our understanding of social phenomena that center around differences in belief?
Technical requirements for taking the course: This course is fully in person. Students are expected to come to in-person class meetings.
Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:
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.]
All readings will be posted to eClass .
40% - 2 in-class tests
20% - In-class essay
15% - in-class reading quizzes
15% - participation
10% - discussion questions
TBA
In this class, students will develop or improve their abilities to:
- Read and understand philosophical texts
- Analyze philosophical arguments
- Communicate their ideas verbally and in writing
- Apply philosophical debates to social and scientific topics
- Understand key concepts and issues in contemporary philosophy of mind
All assignments will either be submitted on eClass or done in-class. Reading quizzes and participation cannot be made up. Discussion questions will incur a 0.5 point penalty
Per day late. In-class tests and essays will be delivered during class time, so regular
Attendance is expected.
- Academic Honesty
- Student Rights and Responsibilities
- Religious Observance
- Grading Scheme and Feedback
- 20% Rule
No examinations or tests collectively worth more than 20% of the final grade in a course will be given during the final 14 calendar days of classes in a term. The exceptions to the rule are classes which regularly meet Friday evenings or on Saturday and/or Sunday at any time, and courses offered in the compressed summer terms. - Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
