Overlapping mind classes rearranged
Tsao, Stephens to work out new schedule to accomodate psych, philosophy
Mark Hensch
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: News
Students intrigued by the human mind should have a chance to examine it through both the philosophy and psychology departments next semester, said James Stephens, professor of philosophy. Stephens plans to reschedule his Philosophy of the Mind class so it will not conflict with Professor of Psychology Fritz Tsao's Cognitive Philosophy class, Stephens said.
"These two courses are different perspectives on the same questions," he said. "Dr. Tsao and I, having classes which are so complementary, want students to take both."
Stephens said he received a list of the students who preregistered for his class, then e-mailed them all Wednesday night asking what class times worked for their schedules. Tsao originally planned to reschedule his own class instead, but more students signed up for his than for Stephens'.
Tsao said he urges psychology students to take Stephens' class. He has audited it twice.
"Whatever anyone thinks of my courses, everyone should take Stephens' philosophy course if they are interested in the mind," he said.
Tsao said his course will consider mental processes and behavior. Topics of study will include information processing, memory, thinking, attention and perception, while Stephens said he will focus on the existence of consciousness, perception, language and semantics.
"Questions concerning the mind are essential to many philosophical issues," Tsao said. "Cognitive psychology, meanwhile, asks the question of how we process information."
Junior Hannah Falldorf, a psychology major, said her schedule may not permit her to take either class, but she hopes other students will take advantage of them.
"These classes go hand-in-hand and both might have a lot to say about human purpose," she said. "It is one class' biological perspective coupled with the philosophical notion of the mind, and in the end, they kind of meet."
Sophomore Eric Jensen said he would rather take Philosophy of the Mind, though both courses interest him.
"Philosophy of the mind fascinates me as one can learn how we function on a daily basis," he said. "However, I think it will not be just straight philosophy but a little psychology too."
Tsao said his department will probably not allow students to use Philosophy of the Mind toward a psychology major, nor would his own course count toward a philosophy major.
Still, taking them in conjunction could prove a valuable and rare opportunity, Stephens said.
"We do not offer a complete cognitive science class at Hillsdale College in part because it would require 10 faculty members from many different fields to teach it right," he said. "These two courses are just different perspectives on some of the same questions."
"These two courses are different perspectives on the same questions," he said. "Dr. Tsao and I, having classes which are so complementary, want students to take both."
Stephens said he received a list of the students who preregistered for his class, then e-mailed them all Wednesday night asking what class times worked for their schedules. Tsao originally planned to reschedule his own class instead, but more students signed up for his than for Stephens'.
Tsao said he urges psychology students to take Stephens' class. He has audited it twice.
"Whatever anyone thinks of my courses, everyone should take Stephens' philosophy course if they are interested in the mind," he said.
Tsao said his course will consider mental processes and behavior. Topics of study will include information processing, memory, thinking, attention and perception, while Stephens said he will focus on the existence of consciousness, perception, language and semantics.
"Questions concerning the mind are essential to many philosophical issues," Tsao said. "Cognitive psychology, meanwhile, asks the question of how we process information."
Junior Hannah Falldorf, a psychology major, said her schedule may not permit her to take either class, but she hopes other students will take advantage of them.
"These classes go hand-in-hand and both might have a lot to say about human purpose," she said. "It is one class' biological perspective coupled with the philosophical notion of the mind, and in the end, they kind of meet."
Sophomore Eric Jensen said he would rather take Philosophy of the Mind, though both courses interest him.
"Philosophy of the mind fascinates me as one can learn how we function on a daily basis," he said. "However, I think it will not be just straight philosophy but a little psychology too."
Tsao said his department will probably not allow students to use Philosophy of the Mind toward a psychology major, nor would his own course count toward a philosophy major.
Still, taking them in conjunction could prove a valuable and rare opportunity, Stephens said.
"We do not offer a complete cognitive science class at Hillsdale College in part because it would require 10 faculty members from many different fields to teach it right," he said. "These two courses are just different perspectives on some of the same questions."
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Hannah Falldorf
posted 4/09/09 @ 12:39 PM EST
Slight error- I may not be able to take both. I am definitely taking Cognitive Psychology.
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