Brief course description:
In a neurobiological setting, the traditional view of the human mind, based on Western religion and philosophy will be compared with a relatively new view arising from the Neodarwinian theory of evolution, with special reference to language.

Full course description:
The traditional Western view of the mind, the organ of thought, or cognition, is heavily influenced by Plato, Descartes, and in modern linguistics, Chomsky. The focus is on a world with a priori forms and a mind designed to automatically apprehend these forms and to do mental operations on them. This view is “disembodied”. The mind is considered independently of the body, and often even independently of the brain (mind-body dualism). The view is also anthropocentric, being heavily influenced by Descartes’ view that humans have minds but animals are machines. However recently, a different, “embodiment” view, more consistent with Darwinian evolutionary theory, according to which the mind evolved in the context of the body, including the brain, and the human mind evolved from the animal mind is gaining force. This course will compare the old view with the new with reference to the brain structures and functions that make mental life possible. Particular foci of the course will be the evolution of speech and language, the acquisition of speech as a possible window on evolution, and the evolution of specializations of the two hemispheres of the brain for language and other functions.

Required reading:
1. M.S. Gazzaniga, R.B. Ivry & G.R. Mangun. Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of the Mind. New York: Norton (l998)
2. Trimble, J. Writing with Style (25th anniversary edition) Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall (2000)
3.
3. A set of customized readings.

Course requirements:
A mid term exam, a final exam, and a term paper.
(This course will satisfy the writing requirement.)

Attendence is compulsory. Two missed classes will be allowed.
Further misses will be penalized as follows: 3 misses, subtract 4/300 points; 4 misses, subtract 8 points; 5 misses, subtract 16 points; 6 misses, subtract 32 points; 7 misses, subtract 64 points; 8 misses, subtract 128 points; 9 misses, automatic F.
Term paper There will be a term paper to satisfy writing requirements, which will be worth 150 points (1/2 the course grade) More on this later.

Writing Requirement:
You will be required to write a term paper. This will occur in two stages. In stage 1 you will write a rough draft of the paper. Following feedback, you will then prepare a final paper. This paper will be graded and will constitute a quarter of your course grade

Exams:
There will be a test on Oct 17 worth 75 points, and a 75 minute non- comprehensive final on at the regularly scheduled time (Wednesday Dec. 11 at 2.00 p.m.). Each of the two tests will consist of some multiple choice questions some short paragraphs. Each test will be worth 1/4 of the grade. No reasons for missing exams will be accepted if you did not contact me before exam time. Work: 475-7009; Home: 479 6720; e-mail: macneilage@mail.utexas.edu (No problems arising from non-refundable air fares will be considered as all exam times are now known to you.)

Grades:
Here is how the course grade will be determined. The number of points that you make on the two exams and the term paper (maximum on each: 75 points) will be added together to give you a sum for the course. (Note that you will not receive a letter grade during the semester but simply a score, which is the number of points.) Your letter grade will be assigned according to a simple formula based on a. your sum, and b. the THE TOP SCORE IN THE CLASS. This score will be considered a perfect score of 100% and is the basis for all the other grades.

If your sum is; Then your grade is;
86-100% A
76-85% B
61-75% C
51-60% D
50% or below F

Notice that anything can happen. Its possible (but not likely) for everyone to get an A. In this course you are not graded on some absolute or arbitrary scale, but in relation to the three best members of your class.