Metaphysics of Mind
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course will provide students with knowledge and skills in the area of the metaphysics of mind, with an emphasis on recent developments. Topics that may be covered include: the relationship between mental states and brain states, the problem of intentionality, the unity of consciousness, and various issues concerning the nature of particular mental states and specific aspects of the mind.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire:
- the ability to critically analyze arguments
- the ability to discuss and compare different positions in the field of the metaphysics of mind
- the ability to reflect on complex and articulated philosophical arguments
- the ability to take a personal stance in debates within the metaphysics of mind, supporting it with arguments
- the ability to effectively communicate the results of their studies, also using multimedia techniques to represent information, with possible educational applications
- relational, communicative, and organizational skills, and the ability to apply them even in complex contexts and in the management of group work
- the ability to convey acquired skills also in non-specialist contexts
- the ability to reflect on their own abilities and on the evaluations received
- the ability to conduct independent research on the philosophical sources of recent debates and on schools of thought in the field of the metaphysics of mind
- the ability to independently explore philosophical positions and theoretical theses.
- the ability to critically analyze arguments
- the ability to discuss and compare different positions in the field of the metaphysics of mind
- the ability to reflect on complex and articulated philosophical arguments
- the ability to take a personal stance in debates within the metaphysics of mind, supporting it with arguments
- the ability to effectively communicate the results of their studies, also using multimedia techniques to represent information, with possible educational applications
- relational, communicative, and organizational skills, and the ability to apply them even in complex contexts and in the management of group work
- the ability to convey acquired skills also in non-specialist contexts
- the ability to reflect on their own abilities and on the evaluations received
- the ability to conduct independent research on the philosophical sources of recent debates and on schools of thought in the field of the metaphysics of mind
- the ability to independently explore philosophical positions and theoretical theses.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
This course explores a number of issues at the heart of the metaphysics of mind and closely related areas, particularly metaphysics and metasemantics. In the first part of the course (40 hours, 6 ECTS credits), we will focus on the mind-body problem and the nature of intentionality, paying particular attention to the relationship between phenomenal consciousness and the physical world, as well as to Kripkenstein's paradox. In the second part (20 hours, an additional 3 ECTS credits), we will further develop our discussion of the mind-body problem before turning to the unity of consciousness and its relationship to personal identity.
Students who do not attend classes will have access to audio recordings of the lectures and to the lecture slides.
Students who do not attend classes will have access to audio recordings of the lectures and to the lecture slides.
Prerequisites for admission
No specific prior knowledge is required.
Teaching methods
Lectures with a dialogical approach.
Teaching Resources
First Part of the Course (40 hours, 6 ECTS credits)
1a. Andrea Guardo and Anna Ichino (eds.), Filosofia della mente (available in bookstores), Chapters 1-7 and 13-20.
1b. David Chalmers, The Conscious Mind (available on myAriel), Chapter 1; Chapter 2 (excluding the section entitled "A Problem with Logical Supervenience," all of §4, and everything from the fourth paragraph on p. 75—that is, from the beginning of the section entitled "Epistemology"—to the end of the chapter); Chapter 3 (§1 only); and Chapter 4 (only the section entitled "What Kind of Dualism?", the first two paragraphs of §4, the first three paragraphs of the section entitled "Interactionist Dualism," the section entitled "The Problems of Epiphenomenalism," and §§5-6).
1c. Saul Kripke, Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language (available in bookstores), Chapters 1-3.
1d. The material covered in the lectures for the first part of the course (audio recordings available on myAriel; lecture slides available on the instructor's website at https://sites.google.com/view/andreaguardo/insegnamento).
Second Part of the Course (20 hours, additional 3 ECTS credits)
2a. Andrea Guardo and Anna Ichino (eds.), Filosofia della mente, Chapters 8-12 and 21-22.
2b. Derek Parfit, Reasons and Persons (available on myAriel), Chapters 10-12 and §95.
2c. The material covered in the lectures for the second part of the course (audio recordings available on myAriel; lecture slides available on the instructor's website at https://sites.google.com/view/andreaguardo/insegnamento).
Students Not Attending Classes
No additional readings are required for students who do not attend classes. They are simply expected to replace class attendance with listening to the lecture recordings.
1a. Andrea Guardo and Anna Ichino (eds.), Filosofia della mente (available in bookstores), Chapters 1-7 and 13-20.
1b. David Chalmers, The Conscious Mind (available on myAriel), Chapter 1; Chapter 2 (excluding the section entitled "A Problem with Logical Supervenience," all of §4, and everything from the fourth paragraph on p. 75—that is, from the beginning of the section entitled "Epistemology"—to the end of the chapter); Chapter 3 (§1 only); and Chapter 4 (only the section entitled "What Kind of Dualism?", the first two paragraphs of §4, the first three paragraphs of the section entitled "Interactionist Dualism," the section entitled "The Problems of Epiphenomenalism," and §§5-6).
1c. Saul Kripke, Wittgenstein on Rules and Private Language (available in bookstores), Chapters 1-3.
1d. The material covered in the lectures for the first part of the course (audio recordings available on myAriel; lecture slides available on the instructor's website at https://sites.google.com/view/andreaguardo/insegnamento).
Second Part of the Course (20 hours, additional 3 ECTS credits)
2a. Andrea Guardo and Anna Ichino (eds.), Filosofia della mente, Chapters 8-12 and 21-22.
2b. Derek Parfit, Reasons and Persons (available on myAriel), Chapters 10-12 and §95.
2c. The material covered in the lectures for the second part of the course (audio recordings available on myAriel; lecture slides available on the instructor's website at https://sites.google.com/view/andreaguardo/insegnamento).
Students Not Attending Classes
No additional readings are required for students who do not attend classes. They are simply expected to replace class attendance with listening to the lecture recordings.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment is based on an oral examination lasting approximately thirty minutes. The examination consists of three types of questions. The first, with which the examination begins, is designed to assess students' understanding of the fundamental concepts. The second consists of more advanced questions concerning the material discussed in class. The third is intended to assess students' knowledge of the assigned readings.
The examination consists of five questions, each graded on a scale from 0 to 6. Scores of 6, 5, 4, 1, and 0 correspond to the following performance levels (intermediate scores may also be awarded):
6: Comprehensive and accurate answer; correct use of technical terminology.
5: Largely correct answer, though lacking detail and/or containing minor inaccuracies; occasional imprecision in the use of technical terminology.
4: Overall satisfactory answer, despite substantive errors and/or inaccuracies in the use of technical terminology.
1: Demonstrates some of the required knowledge and some command of the relevant terminology, but the answer is substantially incorrect.
0: Fails to demonstrate any of the required knowledge.
Students attending the course may choose to divide the examination into two parts, to be taken either in different examination sessions (which need not be consecutive) or, alternatively, partly during the course and partly during one of the official examination sessions. To qualify as an attending student, at least 80% of the classes must have been attended—that is, 16 lectures for the 6 ECTS version of the course and 24 lectures for the 9 ECTS version.
Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and/or disabilities who wish to request adjustments to the examination arrangements should contact both the instructor and the appropriate University office as early as possible and follow the procedures described on the University's webpages under Support for Teaching and Communication with Instructors - Compensatory Measures:
://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/servizi-gli-studenti/servizi-studenti-con-dsa
https://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/servizi-gli-studenti/servizi-studenti-con-disabilita
An example of a concept map acceptable for use during the examination is available on myAriel (with thanks to student AFC).
Students wishing to take the examination earlier or later than their scheduled slot must arrange to swap places with another student. The examination timetable is finalized as follows. On the day after registration closes, I will send an email asking students to confirm that they intend to sit the examination (students who have arranged a swap should notify me at that time). The following morning, I will prepare and circulate the final timetable. Students who do not confirm their attendance by replying to my email will be required to appear in person at the examination session and will be placed at the end of the schedule. This procedure is necessary because a substantial number of students register for the examination but then fail to attend without withdrawing.
Students may take the examination beginning with the first examination session following the end of the course. The examination may be taken in any of the first seven examination sessions after the course has concluded.
The examination consists of five questions, each graded on a scale from 0 to 6. Scores of 6, 5, 4, 1, and 0 correspond to the following performance levels (intermediate scores may also be awarded):
6: Comprehensive and accurate answer; correct use of technical terminology.
5: Largely correct answer, though lacking detail and/or containing minor inaccuracies; occasional imprecision in the use of technical terminology.
4: Overall satisfactory answer, despite substantive errors and/or inaccuracies in the use of technical terminology.
1: Demonstrates some of the required knowledge and some command of the relevant terminology, but the answer is substantially incorrect.
0: Fails to demonstrate any of the required knowledge.
Students attending the course may choose to divide the examination into two parts, to be taken either in different examination sessions (which need not be consecutive) or, alternatively, partly during the course and partly during one of the official examination sessions. To qualify as an attending student, at least 80% of the classes must have been attended—that is, 16 lectures for the 6 ECTS version of the course and 24 lectures for the 9 ECTS version.
Students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and/or disabilities who wish to request adjustments to the examination arrangements should contact both the instructor and the appropriate University office as early as possible and follow the procedures described on the University's webpages under Support for Teaching and Communication with Instructors - Compensatory Measures:
://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/servizi-gli-studenti/servizi-studenti-con-dsa
https://www.unimi.it/it/studiare/servizi-gli-studenti/servizi-studenti-con-disabilita
An example of a concept map acceptable for use during the examination is available on myAriel (with thanks to student AFC).
Students wishing to take the examination earlier or later than their scheduled slot must arrange to swap places with another student. The examination timetable is finalized as follows. On the day after registration closes, I will send an email asking students to confirm that they intend to sit the examination (students who have arranged a swap should notify me at that time). The following morning, I will prepare and circulate the final timetable. Students who do not confirm their attendance by replying to my email will be required to appear in person at the examination session and will be placed at the end of the schedule. This procedure is necessary because a substantial number of students register for the examination but then fail to attend without withdrawing.
Students may take the examination beginning with the first examination session following the end of the course. The examination may be taken in any of the first seven examination sessions after the course has concluded.
Modules or teaching units
Parte A e B
PHIL-01/A - Theoretical Philosophy - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Parte C
PHIL-01/A - Theoretical Philosophy - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)