HS233

Description

Section information text: This course combines literary and philosophical styles of inquiry to study the ways in which the mind of the Other is represented in science fiction. Science fiction's preoccupation with alienness, particularly in the subgenres of alien encounter and narratives about artificial persons, provides a rich ground for examining the criteria we apply in determining the existence and character of minds in entities that are distinct from ourselves. The following questions will guide our reading of the fiction: What conditions must be satisfied for an entity to count as genuinely exhibiting mentality? How do we ascertain the nature and capacities of the Other's mind? How do we "test" for such capacities? What epistemological and metaphysical assumptions inform such tests, and what is the source of authority for these tests? In what respects is the mind seen as the basis of personhood? What are the ethical implications of granting social, biological, or legal personhood to the Other based on such evaluative criteria? Registration for this course is PERMISSION ONLY BY EMAIL TO THE INSTRUCTORS and restricted to Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. This course fulfills the C-3 Period Requirement for English majors. This course fulfills the Advanced Elective Requirement for Philosophy majors. In Fall 2015, this course is part of the Higgins School of Humanities New Commons initiative supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.