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Week 3 Discussion These weekly discussions are intended to help you digest the material. They should be used to:Clarify the material (ask if you do not understand).Identify problems (issues with the arguments, problems with a thought or idea).Help you formulate your own ideas and responses.First Post: When posting for the first time (Thursday), be as thorough as possible. For example, if you are having difficulty interpreting a piece of the text, start off by explaining what you are trying to read, and how you understand it (even if you know it’s wrong). This helps your colleagues and myself approach the problem from your perspective. If you are disputing something a philosopher says, give us a quote or a summary of the argument, then explain why you think it is incorrect. Post length: This depends on the problem you are discussing. Two paragraphs as a general rule is a good minimum length. This is your chance to discuss and work through the problems or ideas you have. It is much easier to learn philosophy if you are able to communicate it (even if your interpretation is wrong). We are not here to memorize a bunch of old dead white men’s ideas. We are here to work through them and see what sense we can make of them.Multiple posts or questions: If you have more than one topic to discuss (this definitely will help you with your homework), you can either keep all of the ideas in a single post, or divide them up by topic. It might be easier for people to reply to a single post (there are a lot of students in this section). In cases where you are posting multiple ideas, I would suggest keeping the length down as much as possible.Discussion prompt: This week, we read about modern metaphysical theories of reality, as well as standard models in philosophy of mind. Most of what we covered in chapter 4 is about defining ‘substance’, and trying to figure out how to think about our reality. Many of the philosophers in this chapter respond to Plato and/or Aristotle in some way, so we are looking at some of the same problems we encountered last week.In Chapter 5, we looked at the philosophy of mind, and the relation between the mind and the body. You are not required to write about these topics, but here are some possible discussion prompts:(Note: you are not required to write about both chapters 4 and 5. As usual, these ‘prompts’ are merely suggestions, and you are free to develop other ideas that you may find more interesting).Differing Views: There are many ways to describe reality. Which of the theories we encountered in the readings do you find most interesting? most problematic? Why?Strange particulars: Is there an aspect of one theory that poses particular difficulties for you? (For example: “Leibniz‘ view that everything functions according to a preestabished harmony did not sit well with me. I think his view is problematic because it cannot account for….”)Problem of mind: What is mind? Which theory of mind/body makes the most sense, and why?Zombies and Bats: What does Chalmers mean when he says ‘there is nothing it is like to be a zombie’? What is the ‘phenomenal feel of consciousness’ that he thinks is lacking in identity theory? (FYI, this is also a homework question).The Chinese Room: What is going on in Searle’s Chinese Room example, and does this example prove his point?Minds and machines: Is it possible to develop a thinking machine? Explain why or why not? (Before answering, consider the most common objections at the very end of Chapter 5. Many people believe that computers will never be able to think, but this may have more to do with our beliefs about what makes a ‘thinking thing’ than about the actual possibility of a thinking machine.) Free features N Outline $5 FREE N Revisions $30 FREE N Title Page $5 FREE N Bibliography $15 FREE N Formatting $10 FREE PLACE AN ORDER NOW Why Choose Us? N Satisfied and returning customers N A wide range of services N 6-hour delivery available N Money-back guarantee N 100% privacy guaranteed N Only custom-written papers N Free amendments upon request N Free extras by request N Constant access to your paper’s writer N A professional team of experienced paper writers N 10+ years of experience in the custom writing market MANAGE ORDERS We accept PLACE AN ORDER NOW

Week 3 Discussion These weekly discussions are intended to help you digest the material. They should be used to:Clarify the material (ask if you do not understand).Identify problems (issues with the arguments, problems with a thought or idea).Help you formulate your own ideas and responses.First Post: When posting for the first time (Thursday), be as thorough as possible. For example, if you are having difficulty interpreting a piece of the text, start off by explaining what you are trying to read, and how you understand it (even if you know it’s wrong). This helps your colleagues and myself approach the problem from your perspective. If you are disputing something a philosopher says, give us a quote or a summary of the argument, then explain why you think it is incorrect. Post length: This depends on the problem you are discussing. Two paragraphs as a general rule is a good minimum length. This is your chance to discuss and work through the problems or ideas you have. It is much easier to learn philosophy if you are able to communicate it (even if your interpretation is wrong). We are not here to memorize a bunch of old dead white men’s ideas. We are here to work through them and see what sense we can make of them.Multiple posts or questions: If you have more than one topic to discuss (this definitely will help you with your homework), you can either keep all of the ideas in a single post, or divide them up by topic. It might be easier for people to reply to a single post (there are a lot of students in this section). In cases where you are posting multiple ideas, I would suggest keeping the length down as much as possible.Discussion prompt: This week, we read about modern metaphysical theories of reality, as well as standard models in philosophy of mind. Most of what we covered in chapter 4 is about defining ‘substance’, and trying to figure out how to think about our reality. Many of the philosophers in this chapter respond to Plato and/or Aristotle in some way, so we are looking at some of the same problems we encountered last week.In Chapter 5, we looked at the philosophy of mind, and the relation between the mind and the body. You are not required to write about these topics, but here are some possible discussion prompts:(Note: you are not required to write about both chapters 4 and 5. As usual, these ‘prompts’ are merely suggestions, and you are free to develop other ideas that you may find more interesting).Differing Views: There are many ways to describe reality. Which of the theories we encountered in the readings do you find most interesting? most problematic? Why?Strange particulars: Is there an aspect of one theory that poses particular difficulties for you? (For example: “Leibniz‘ view that everything functions according to a preestabished harmony did not sit well with me. I think his view is problematic because it cannot account for….”)Problem of mind: What is mind? Which theory of mind/body makes the most sense, and why?Zombies and Bats: What does Chalmers mean when he says ‘there is nothing it is like to be a zombie’? What is the ‘phenomenal feel of consciousness’ that he thinks is lacking in identity theory? (FYI, this is also a homework question).The Chinese Room: What is going on in Searle’s Chinese Room example, and does this example prove his point?Minds and machines: Is it possible to develop a thinking machine? Explain why or why not? (Before answering, consider the most common objections at the very end of Chapter 5. Many people believe that computers will never be able to think, but this may have more to do with our beliefs about what makes a ‘thinking thing’ than about the actual possibility of a thinking machine.) Free features N Outline $5 FREE N Revisions $30 FREE N Title Page $5 FREE N Bibliography $15 FREE N Formatting $10 FREE PLACE AN ORDER NOW Why Choose Us? N Satisfied and returning customers N A wide range of services N 6-hour delivery available N Money-back guarantee N 100% privacy guaranteed N Only custom-written papers N Free amendments upon request N Free extras by request N Constant access to your paper’s writer N A professional team of experienced paper writers N 10+ years of experience in the custom writing market MANAGE ORDERS We accept PLACE AN ORDER NOW

Cameony Staff