Brain, Mind, Soul and Self: Historical and Ethical Dimensions of Neurology and Neuroscience
HIST 395
Spring 2008
| Section:
01
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| Crosslisting:
SISP 395 |
This discussion course examines the historical roots of several issues in the recent scientific work in the neurosciences. How have these fields explained human thought and behavior? What models, metaphors, and techniques do they use? How do they expain (or deny) human differences, health and illness, mind, consciousness, rationality, and free will? How are current scientific views influenced by prevailing political norms? What are the connections between how the brain is understood by neurology and neurosciences and how the mind is understood by other sciences and wider culture? If people are irrational or products of their environment and evolutionary history as some recent scientific work argues, what are the political and social implications? What ethical and political issues are at stake in research that finds neurological distinctions in people of differing sex, gender, race, ethnicity, or political affiliation? We will seek answers to these by examining current cases and their historical precedents. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Ethical Reasoning |
| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
SBS HIST |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: None |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
Churchland, NEUROPHILOSOPHY
Young, MIND, BRAIN AND ADAPTATION IN THE 19TH CENTURY
Richards, DARWIN AND THE EMERGENCE OF EVOLUTIONARY THEORIES OF MIND AND BEHAVIOR
Kosslyn, WET MIND: THE NEW COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
McCulloch, EMBODIMENTS OF MIND
Harrington, MEDICINE, MIND, AND THE DOUBLE BRAIN
Sklansky, Jeffrey P., THE SOUL'S ECONOMY
Brizendine, THE FEMALE BRAIN
Western, THE POLITICAL BRAIN
Sherrington, MAN ON HIS NATURE
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Examinations and Assignments:
TBA |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Permission of instructor will be granted by the instructor during the planning period of pre-registration and the POI form must be submitted to the Registrar's office before the student can add the course to his/her plan. |
| Instructor(s): Cohen-Cole,Jamie Nace Times: ..T.... 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: PAC104; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 12 | Permission of instructor approval will be granted by the instructor during pre-registration through the Electronic Portfolio. Click "Add to My Courses" and "To request a POI electronically, click here" to submit your request. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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