Undergraduate Course Descriptions: Cognitive Science Program

Introduction to artificial intelligence and cognitive science from a nontechnical perspective. Fundamental questions concerning thinking, beliefs, language understanding, education, and creativity.

COG SCI 210 – Language and the Brain

The study of language and its biological basis from linguistic, psychological, and neuroscientific perspectives.

COG SCI 211 – Learning, Representation and Reasoning

Interdisciplinary study of the nature of the mind with emphasis on learning, representation, and reasoning.

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Core Course Requirement Courses

COG SCI 366 – Cognitive Science Proseminar

New and ongoing research in the field by Northwestern faculty. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

CSD 303 – Brain and Cognition

Neural bases of cognitive processing with emphases on neuroimaging approaches in the areas of encoding, perception, attention, memory, language, reading, motor control, and executive functioning. Taught with PSYCH 365; students may not earn credit for both courses.

EECS 348 – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

Core techniques and applications of AI. Representing, retrieving, and applying knowledge for problem solving. Hypothesis exploration. Theorem proving. Vision and neural networks.

LING 250 – Sound Patterns in Human Language

Introduction to phonetics and phonology. Description and classification of speech sounds in terms of articulation, acoustics, and perception. Similarities and differences of sound patterns across languages. Introduction to speech technology.

LING 260 – Formal Analysis of Words & Sentences

In this class we will explore the formal structure of words (morphology) and sentences (syntax) in natural language. We will analyze data from a variety of languages (including English), focusing on the differences among morphological and syntactic systems, but also on the generalizations that can be made about all languages.

You will learn terminology and facts about syntax and morphology, but more importantly, you will learn the basic concepts, skills, and methodology necessary for scientific theory construction and analytical reasoning more generally. The focus of this class is on formal (structural) aspects of language rather than on its social aspects. For this reason, it satisfies the WCAS Area II (Formal Studies) Distribution Requirement.

LING 270 – Meaning

The ability to use language to communicate meaning is one of the most fundamental aspects of being human. But what is `meaning' ? We approach this difficult question by investigating what speakers know about how meaning is conveyed in language, including the distinction between what expressions literally mean, and the different shades of meaning that expressions can take on in different contexts of use. In carrying out this study, we plumb the linguist's toolkit (which includes tools borrowed from mathematics, logic, language acquisition, and experimental psychology) to discover how language scientists determine what a given word or sentence means, and whether that word or sentence means the same thing across occasions of use. This inquiry will lead the student to an understanding of the scientific study of language, by examining how it plays out in the domain of linguistic meaning. By the end of the course, students will have gained a deeper appreciation for one of the most important, yet still most elusive, aspects of the human capacity for language.

LOC 213 – Cognition in Context

Explores how thinking and learning are organized in everyday settings.

LOC 313 – Special Topics (if not counted as a core course)

Examines how human learning and thinking can facilitate organizational growth and change through methods such as instructional design, modeling, and evaluation of learning outcomes.

MUS THRY 251 – Music and Mind

An introduction to music cognition for music undergraduates as well as students with limited music backgrounds. Readings primarily from secondary sources, with some primary sources as well.

PHIL 225 – Minds and Machines

What is the nature of mind? Is it a completely different kind of thing from the body? Is it identical to a special part of our body, viz. the brain? Or is it some other kind of thing entirely? What is the nature of human consciousness? Are our mental states private? If so, what implications does this have for our possibility of knowing about an external world? How do we know that we are not brains in vats having a simulated reality pumped into us by an uber-intelligent computer ? Speaking of computers, can they think? What ethical implications does the possibility of thinking computers have? We will explore these and other classic questions in the philosophy of mind and artificial intelligence in this course. Your final grade will be based upon your performance on two papers and a comprehensive final exam.

PHIL 325 – Philosophy of Mind

Selected topics in the philosophy of mind: mind-body problem, problem of other minds, self-knowledge, personal identity, philosophical psychology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PSYCH 221 – Introduction to Neuroscience

Research and theories concerning the physiological bases of behavior. Fundamentals of neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neuroscientific methods, neurochemistry, and neural development. Brain substrates, neural processes, and clinical disorders related to sensory processing, motor control, neuroplasticity, and memory.

PSYCH 228 – Cognitive Psychology

Introduction to research into mental processes such as memory, reasoning, problem solving, and decision making. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 328 – Brain Damage and the Mind

This course surveys the field of human cognition from the perspective of cognitive neuroscience, with an emphasis on case studies of human neuropsychology. Topics include visual perception, object recognition, sensorimotor processing, attention, executive function, memory, emotion, language, and corresponding neurological disorders. Neuroscience required for understanding these topics will be covered in the first section of the course. Then, case study material will be presented and discussed in class, focusing on selected neurological disorders and what they tell us about the cognitive neuroscience of human cognition.

PSYCH 365 – Brain and Cognition

Investigates the neural bases of human cognition (e.g. perception, spatial, attention, memory, executive function, language and reading) with an emphasis on neuroimaging approaches to examining development and learning. Prior exposure to neuroscience or cognitive science is helpful but not required. Taught with CSD 303; may not receive credit for both courses.

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Basic Methodology Requirement Courses

EECS 110 – Introduction to Computer Programming

Introduction to programming practice using a modern programming language. Analysis and formulation of problems for computer solution. Systematic design, construction, and testing of programs. Substantial programming assignments. This is an introductory programming course that is not part of the major. It provides an introduction to programming for those that can benefit from becoming better programmers, but without committing to the major student's version of the course. Fall is offered in C; Winter and Spring are offered in Python. See professor's website for an updated syllabus.

This is an introductory programming course that is not part of the major. It provides an introduction to programming for those that can benefit from becoming better programmers, but without committing to the major student's version of the course.

EECS 111 – Fundamentals of Computer Programming

This is an introductory course on the fundamentals of computer programming. I see this class as an opportunity for you, the student, to see what computer programming is all about and (more importantly) to see whether you want to spend the next few years doing more of it. This course will include weekly programming projects, readings, a midterm, and final examinations. Class participation is not optional.

PSYCH 201 – Statistical Methods in Psychology

Measurement; descriptive statistics; probability and sampling; T-test, ANOVA, correlation, and regression. Prerequisite: 110; some college mathematics recommended.

PSYCH 205 – Research Methods in Psychology

Methods of psychological research; experimental design; reliability and validity; review and application of statistics; execution and reporting of psychological research. Prerequisite: 201.

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Advanced Electives

ANTHROPOLOGY

ANTHRO 360 – Language and Culture

Relationship between language and culture; language as the vehicle of culture and as the manifestation of thought.

ANTHRO 361 – Talk as Social Action

Analysis of talk in interaction based on examination of audio and video recorded data and associated transcripts. Conversation, action, turn, sequence, relevance, social structure, qualitative methodologies. Prerequisite: 215 or consent of instructor.

ANTHRO 363 – Language Variation and Change

Introduction to the study of language in its social context, with a focus on quantitative sociolinguistics and the frameworks and methods of analysis developed by sociolinguists at work in this area. Prerequisite: consent of the instructor.

ANTHRO 363 – Pidgins, Creoles, and Languages in Contact

No description available.

ANTHRO 377 – Psychological Anthropology

Contemporary approaches to cross-cultural behavior: ecocultural aspects of behavior development through maturation and socialization in human and nonhuman primates. Prerequisite: introductory survey course in psychology or anthropology or consent of instructor.

ANTHRO 461 – Methods of Linguistic Anthropology

Methods and techniques of linguistic anthropology, such as componential semantic analysis, linguistic ethnography (ethnoscience), systematic lexicography and the use of informants and interpreters.

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COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE

BIOL SCI 302 – Fundamentals of Neurobiology I

Cellular and biochemical approaches to the nervous system, focusing on neuron structure and function. May not receive credit for both 302 and NEUROSCI 202. Prerequisites: 215, 217, 219, 220, 221, 222, 308.

BIOL SCI 306 – Fundamentals of Neurobiology II

No description available.

BIOL SCI 314 – Mind and Brain

No description available.

BIOL SCI 326 – Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

Molecular and neural bases of memory. May not receive credit for both 326 and NEUROSCI 326. Prerequisite: 302 or NEUROSCI 311.

BIOL SCI 377 – Sensory Neurobiology

No description available.

CSD 303 – Brain and Cognition

CSD 310 – Biological Foundations of speech and Music

Anatomy and physiology of the central auditory pathway, experience-related neural plasticity, right/left brain specialization, audiovisual integration, auditory learning and perception, and neural encoding of speech and music. Prerequisite: junior standing or consent of instructor.

NEUROSCI 326 – Neurobiology of Learning and Memory

Molecular and neural bases of memory. May not receive credit for both 326 and NEUROSCI 326. Prerequisite: 302 or NEUROSCI 311.

PSYCH 322-2 – Physiological Psychology

Applied psychophysiology; brain activity coding of cognitive events, biofeedback, opiate pain control. Prerequisite: 312-1 or equivalent; 205 recommended.

PSYCH 324 – Perception

Human perception, particularly vision but also hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Biological foundations, development, and disorders of perception. The senses in everyday life. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 327 – Brain and Cognition

PSYCH 328 – Brain Damage & the Mind

Survey of human cognition as studied via investigations of brain damage and brain-imaging techniques. Prerequisite: 110, 212, or COG SCI 210.

PSYCH 358 – Advanced seminar in Cognition or Neuroscience

Discussion and critical analysis of research methods and findings in an area of cognitive psychology and/or neuroscience. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 364 – Topics in Cognitive Neuroscience

No description available.

PSYCH 374 – Human Memory

Scientific study of human memory, including memory systems of the brain, amnesia, remembering, forgetting, encoding, consolidation, memory suppression, and memory distortion. Emphasizes original research reports in cognitive neuroscience. Prerequisites: 205; 361 or consent of instructor.

PSYCH 363 – Images of Cognition

Study of brain processes underlying cognition. Analysis of brain structure and function. Introduction to imaging techniques including fMRI, PET, and ERP. Prerequisites: 205; a course in cognition and/or neuroscience (e.g., 212, 228, 312-1, 361; COG SCI 210) or consent of instructor.

PSYCH 379 – Neuroscience and Behavior Laboratory

Classical exercises in the physiological psychology laboratory, including brain-wave recording and electrophysiology. Prerequisites: 205, 312-2.

PSYCH 460 – Special Topics (varies by Section, check with Director of Undergraduate Studies)

Current research and theory in cognitive psychology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PSYCH 470 – Special Topics: Brain, Behavior, Cognition

No description available.

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COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

COG SCI 245 – Presenting Ideas & Data

Brains can be surprisingly limited in how much they can process and store at once. But presenters, explainers, and writers too often surpass these limits. This class will survey techniques for presenting ideas and data in a manner that is engaging, clear, and memorable. The techniques will be grounded in an understanding of cognitive psychology – why our brains are limited in perceiving, learning, and storing information – as well as research in data visualization, and principles of graphic design. Course grading will be based on projects, quizzes on readings, class attendance & participation, and peer critiques. For course CTECS, see previous listing as Psychology 314 in Winter 2017.

COG SCI 245 – Presenting Ideas & Data

PSYCH 328 – Brain Damage & the Mind

Survey of human cognition as studied via investigations of brain damage and brain-imaging techniques. Prerequisite: 110, 212, or COG SCI 210.

PSYCH 333 – Psychology of Thinking

Research methods and recent experimental findings for types of human thinking. Students conduct original research. Prerequisite: 228.

PSYCH 334 – Language and Thought

Exposure to original research and theoretical perspectives on language and its relation to thought and behavior. Critical analysis of theories and methods. Topics may vary. Prerequisites: 205; 228 or COG SCI 211.

PSYCH 335 – Decision Making

Human decision making from both descriptive and prescriptive perspectives. Theories and models of decision making applied to a variety of contexts. Prerequisites: 205, 228.

PSYCH 336 – Consciousness

No description available.

PSYCH 344 – Cultural Psych

Introduction to concepts and empirical methods used to study how culture shapes mind, brain, and behavior over multiple time scales, including over generations and the lifespan and across situational contexts. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 346 – Psychology of Instructional Design & Technology

Introduction to theory and practice in the development of technologies for formal and informal learning. Examines design approaches for developing and implementing effective instructional/training materials for individuals and organizations. Prerequisite: 110; 205 recommended. Taught with LOC 346; may not receive credit for both courses.

PSYCH 362 – Cognitive Development

Development of cognition and perception, including development of memory, concepts, language, and expertise. May focus on one or more age groups. Prerequisites: 205; 218 or 228.

PSYCH 367 – Consciousness

No description available.

PSYCH 368 – Human Memory

PSYCH 391 – Advanced seminar in Cognition

Discussion and critical analysis of research methods and findings in an area of cognitive psychology and/or neuroscience. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic. Prerequisite: 205; additional prerequisites may apply.

PSYCH 460 – Special Topics (varies by Section, check with Director of Undergraduate Studies)

Current research and theory in cognitive psychology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PSYCH 461 – Reasoning and Representation

Current theories of reasoning in cognitive science; mental steps in solving problems requiring inductive or deductive inferences. Covers relevant background in logic and artificial intelligence and empirical results on reasoning. Prerequisite: one course in either cognitive psychology, logic, or artificial intelligence.

PSYCH 466 – Analogy and Similarity

Psychology of comparison, including theories of similarity, analogy and metaphor in psychology and artificial intelligence; processes of transfer, comparison in decision making; analogy in mental models and folk theories; and development of analogy and similarity.

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COMMUNICATION SCIENCES AND DISORDERS

CSD 301 – Anatomy and Physiology of the Vocal Mechanism

Anatomical and physiological mechanisms of breathing, phonation, and articulation. Laboratories include dissection and participation in physiological research. Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above.

CSD 302 – Anatomy and Physiology of the Peripheral Hearing Mechanism

Gross and fine structure; function of the peripheral auditory system. Prerequisites: junior standing or above, 202, 307, or consent of instructor.

CSD 303 – Brain and Cognition

CSD 306 – Psychoacoustics

Principles underlying perception of pitch, loudness, auditory space, auditory patterns, and speech. Psychophysical procedures for studying psychoacoustics and the impact of hearing impairment are considered.

CSD 309 – Culture, Language and Learning

Language and culture; transmission of culture through language; effects of cultural variety on perception, cognition, and learning; implications of cultural and linguistic diversity in communicative disorders.

CSD 310 – Biological Foundations of Speech and Music

CSD 342 – Typical and Atypical Development in Infants and Toddlers

Description and theory relevant to the physical, motor, cognitive, linguistic, and social development of both typical and atypical children during the first three years of life.

CSD 369 – Cognitive Neuroscience of Human Communication

Current scientific and professional problems in communication sciences and disorders. Topics vary by quarter.

CSD 373 – Introduction to Learning Disabilities

Psychological, neurological, and linguistic theories of language and learning as related to learning disabilities.

CSD 376 – Diagnostic and Remedial Approaches for Children with Learning Problems

Introduction to the field of learning disabilities and its theoretical perspectives, assessment, and instruction principles and to the process of clinical teaching. Emphasis on instruction, accommodation, service delivery, progress monitoring, and transition.

CSD 382 – Autism Spectrum Disorders

Overview of autism, focusing on its clinical presentation and potential causes, diagnosis, assessments for characterizing autistic features in research, evaluation (based on behavior, cognition, neuroimaging, and genetics) of theories of autism’s causes, and controversies (changing prevalence, myths about causation).

CSD 388 – Attention Deficit Disorder and Related Disorders

Identification and treatment of attention deficit disorders and related childhood behavior disorders. Emphasis on objective and subjective assessment, life-span issues, and medical and psychological interventions.

CSD 392 – Language Development And Usage

Development of spoken and written language as it relates to child development; includes phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic components. Cultural and individual linguistic diversity.

CSD 444 – Development and Disorders of Mathematics

Theories and research on mathematical development and disorders. Identification, assessment, and remediation of disorders of mathematics and related areas.

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CULTURE AND COGNITION

ANTHRO 389 – Ethnographic Methods and Analysis

Descriptive, naturalistic study of the culture of human social groups. Data gathering through observation and interview. Data analysis for ethnographic reporting. Prerequisites: 211 and 215.

ANTHRO 390 – Special Topics (varies by Section, check with Director of Undergraduate Studies)

Advanced work in areas of developing interest and special significance. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

ANTHRO 395 – Field Study in Anthropology

Ethnographic field experience in the United States or abroad. Offered in conjunction with summer field schools for exceptional students. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

CSD 309 – Culture, Language, and Learning

ECON 330-0 – Behavioral Economics

Understanding how people make choices in economic situations. Incorporation of psychology and/or sociology into economics. Topics may include perceptions, judgment, biases, and social pressure. Prerequisites: 281, 310-1,2.

LING 321 – Bilingualism

Cognitive, linguistic, neuroscientific, and computational aspects of the acquisition, representation, and processing of two or more languages in an individual's mind/brain. Prerequisite: 250, 260, or 270.

LING 341 – Language Typology

A comparison of varying and universal features of the world's languages. Prerequisite: 250, 260, or 270.

LING 342 – Structure of Various Languages

Phonological, morphological, or syntactic structure of a particular language. May be repeated for credit with change in language.

LING 351 – Culture and Cognition

No description available.

LOC 214 – Culture and Cognition

Research and theory on the interrelatedness of culture and thought. Taught with LRN SCI 214; may not receive credit for both courses.

LOC 351 – Culture and Cognition

Advanced work on special topics.

PSYCH 314 – Behavioral Genetics

Topic to be announced. Prerequisites vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

PSYCH 332 – Native Americans and Environmental Decision Making

Focus on Native Americans, culture and cultural processes, and environmental decision making. Emphasis on contemporary Native American cultures and relevant research. Taught with ENVR POL 332; may not receive credit for both courses. Prerequisite: 110.

PSYCH 334 – Language and Thought

PSYCH 344 – Cultural Psych

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LEARNING AND INSTRUCTION

CSD 303 – Brain and Cognition

CSD 306 – Psychoacoustics

CSD 342 – Typical and Atypical Development in Infants and Toddlers

Description and theory relevant to the physical, motor, cognitive, linguistic, and social development of both typical and atypical children during the first three years of life.

CSD 373 – Introduction to Learning Disabilities

Psychological, neurological, and linguistic theories of language and learning as related to learning disabilities.

CSD 376 – Diagnostic and Remedial Approaches for Children with Learning Problems

CSD 392 – Language Development And Usage

CSD 444 – Development and Disorders of Mathematics

Theories and research on mathematical development and disorders. Identification, assessment, and remediation of disorders of mathematics and related areas.

LOC 313 – Special Topics (if not counted as a core course)

Examines how human learning and thinking can facilitate organizational growth and change through methods such as instructional design, modeling, and evaluation of learning outcomes.

LRN SCI 401 – Knowledge Representation for the Learning Sciences

No description available.

LRN SCI 425 – Introduction to Design for the Learning Sciences

No description available.

LRN SCI 426 – Technological Tools for Thinking and Learning

No description available.

LRN SCI 429 – Design of Learning Environments

No description available.

LRN SCI 451 – Special Topics (varies by Section, check with Director of Undergraduate Studies)

No description available.

PSYCH 391 – Conceptual Change and Learning

SESP 351 – Design of Learning Environments

Advanced work on special topics.

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LINGUISTICS

LING 300 – Language And Technology

Topics in linguistic theory. Content varies. May be repeated for credit with different topic.

LING 310 – Psycholinguistics

No description available.

LING 311 – Child Language

Introduction to first-language acquisition. How infants and children learn the grammar (structure of sounds, words, and sentences) of their native language. Innate and environmental factors in linguistic development. Emphasis on experimental and corpus-based methods of inquiry.

LING 321 – Bilingualism

LING 330 – Research Methods In Linguistics

Methods of linguistic data collection, management, and analysis with an emphasis on the use of computational, experimental, and statistical methods.

LING 331 – Formal Foundations Of Linguistic Theory

No description available.

LING 333 – Methods in Developmental Linguistics

No description available.

LING 334 – Intro To Computational Linguistics

Hands-on introduction to computational methods in empirical linguistic analysis and natural language processing.

LING 341 – Language Typology

A comparison of varying and universal features of the world's languages. Prerequisite: 250, 260, or 270.

LING 342 – Structure Of Various Languages

Phonological, morphological, or syntactic structure of a particular language. May be repeated for credit with change in language.

LING 350 – Fundamentals Of Laboratory Phonology

Articulatory and acoustic phonetics. Syllable structure, phonotactics, prosody, and intonation. Fundamentals of experimental design and data analysis. Prerequisite: 250 or consent of instructor.

LING 360 – Fundamentals Of Syntax

Fundamental principles of theoretical syntax. Phrase structure, argument structure, movement operations. Emphasis on argumentation, hypothesis formation and testing, and analytic methods. Prerequisite: 260 or consent of instructor.

LING 361 – Morphology

Issues in theoretical morphology. The internal structure of words. Linguistic and psycholinguistic findings about the representation and processing of word structures. Prerequisite: 250, 260, or 270.

LING 370 – Fundamentals Of Meaning

Theoretical approaches to the study of linguistic meaning. Topics include word meaning, argument and event structure, sentence meaning, truth conditions, and inference types (e.g., entailment, implicature, presupposition). Prerequisite: 270 or consent of instructor.

LING 371 – Reference

Linguistic and philosophical approaches to the study of reference, focusing on the role of context in utterance production and interpretation. Topics include definiteness, genericity, deixis, and anaphora. Prerequisite: a course in linguistics or philosophy of language, or consent of instructor.

LING 372 – Pragmatics

Introduction to extrasemantic meaning, focusing on the role of context in utterance production and interpretation. Topics include the semantics-pragmatics boundary, implicature, presupposition, speech acts, reference, and information structure. Prerequisite: 250, 260, or 270.

LING 373 – Implicature

An interdisciplinary approach to the study of extrasemantic meaning, drawing on primary readings from linguistics, philosophy, and psychology. Topics include conversational and conventional implicature, explicature, impliciture, and the semantics-pragmatics boundary. Prerequisite: 370, 372, or consent of instructor.

LING 450 – Laboratory Phonology 1

This course explores prosody in spoken language, examining how pitch melodies and the temporal patterning of speech are used to convey structure and meaning above the level of the word. Prosodic patterns will be examined in diverse languages where prosody functions variously to structure words into phonological phrases, to mark the information status of words and phrases in discourse, and in structuring dialogue interactions among conversational partners. Evolutionary and developmental links between linguistic and emotional prosody will also be considered. The course will address prosody from theoretical and empirical perspectives, in terms of symbolic representations and in the acoustic patterning of pitch, duration, and other measures.

LING 460 – Syntactic Analysis I

Linguistics 460 continues the development of students' analytical skills in syntax and sentence processing studies, and examines in detail the assumptions, goals and results of syntactic studies and syntactic parsing studies. This course covers the foundational matters in the study of syntax namely formalist and functionalist approaches. Specifically, we discuss how island constraints are analyzed from the formalist and the functionalist perspectives and, see what the difference between the two approaches is and what the motivations behind the two approaches are.

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MUSIC COGNITION

MUS THRY 251 – Music and Mind

An introduction to music cognition for music undergraduates as well as students with limited music backgrounds. Readings primarily from secondary sources, with some primary sources as well.

MUS THRY 336/436 – Special Topics (varies by Section, check with Director of Undergraduate Studies)

Topics vary; announced before registration. May be repeated.

MUSIC ED 437 – Psychology of Music Teaching & Learning

No description available.

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PHILOSOPHY

PHIL 255 – Theory of Knowledge

Basic philosophical questions about human knowledge, focusing on skepticism and competing theories of knowledge

PHIL 325 – Philosophy of Mind

Selected topics in the philosophy of mind: mind-body problem, problem of other minds, self-knowledge, personal identity, philosophical psychology. May be repeated for credit with change of topic.

PHIL 327 – Philosophy of Psychology

Problems such as the nature of psychological explanation, experimentation and the testing of psychological claims, the standing of psychology as a science, reductionism, the unconscious, and conceptualizing the psyche and its processes.

PHIL 330 – Practical Reasoning and Choice

Theory of decision making, what it is to decide, possible constraints on decisions, how to understand preference reversals, paradoxes of decision making, and actions taken against one’s better judgment. Prerequisite: 150.

PHIL 335 – Scientific Method in the Social Sciences

No description available.

PHIL 350 – Advanced Logic

Metalogical limitations of logical theories. Formal arithmetic. Recursive functions. Arithmetization of syntax. Incompleteness and undecidability. Truth-predicates in first- and second-order logic. The provability predicate. Third quarter of 150/250/350 sequence. Prerequisite: 250.

PHIL 353 – Philosophy of Language

Language is a familiar part of our everyday lives, but it is also an important topic in philosophy. In this course, we will explore some of the fundamental philosophical issues that surround language. We will investigate what makes a language what it is, by investigating the nature of linguistic meaning, and the range of special actions we can perform in virtue of having a language. We will also investigate what it is to know something so complicated as a human language, by investigating the nature of linguistic rules, and the kinds of cognitive states that comprise knowledge of language. As time permits, we will also examine how the contexts in which we speak influence how we communicate, and the way language is able frame thoughts about the world around us.

PHIL 426 – Seminar in Philosophy of Mind

No description available.

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