Programme

This course is an introduction to the study of mental phenomena, with a particular focus on its more philosophical aspects—that is, on foundational problems. The approach taken is historical-conceptual: certain metaphysical and epistemological problems will be examined as they have been raised by the development of the sciences of the mind and brain since the nineteenth century.

The consciousness-based mentalism of early introspective psychology, the energy-drive conception of behavior in psychoanalysis and the early ethological school, the anti-mentalism of radical behaviorism, the “cognitive turn,” in which cognitive psychology, classical cognitive science, and computational functionalism took shape, and finally the rapid development of cognitive neuroscience: these theoretical and methodological vicissitudes are reconstructed to enable the student to navigate today’s landscape, in which the very concept of the mind is threatened by ever-new forms of reductionism and behaviorism.

STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAMME (6 ECTS, 36 hours)
The programme is organised into six thematic units of approximately six hours each, with the corresponding readings:
1. The foundational problems of a science of the mind. The historical-conceptual approach and the relationship between philosophy of mind and the cognitive sciences. Readings: Marraffa 2026, Introduction; Greenwood 2015, ch. 1.
2. Consciousness, the unconscious and the introspective method. Cartesian consciousness, the Leibnizian unconscious and the birth of the introspective method; the consciousness-based mentalism of early introspective psychology. Readings: Marraffa 2026, chs. 1-2; Greenwood 2015, chs. 5-6 and 8.
3. The energy-drive conception of behaviour. Janet, Freud and psychoanalytic metapsychology; Lorenz's hydraulic model of instinct and the crisis of the notion of drive in the ethological school. Readings: Marraffa 2026, ch. 1; Greenwood 2015, chs. 7 and 13.
4. The anti-mentalism of radical behaviourism. Methodological assumptions and metaphysical implications of the behaviourisms. Readings: Marraffa 2026, ch. 3; Greenwood 2015, chs. 10-11.
5. The cognitive turn and computational functionalism. The new experimental mentalism; functionalism as a metaphysical thesis and as a model of explanation; Marr's computational model of vision; intentionality and modularity. Readings: Marraffa 2026, chs. 4-7; Greenwood 2015, ch. 12.
6. Cognitive neuroscience and the contemporary landscape. Explanation in cognitive neuroscience; consciousness, introspection and thought; new forms of reductionism and behaviourism. Readings: Marraffa 2026, chs. 8-9; Greenwood 2015, Epilogue.

PREREQUISITES
There are no propaedeutic courses and no specialist prior knowledge of psychology, psychoanalysis, ethology or neuroscience is required. Students are expected to be familiar with the general outline of the history of modern and contemporary philosophy and with the basic notions of epistemology and metaphysics acquired during the Bachelor's degree. A reading knowledge of academic English is required.

Core Documentation

Adopted textbooks (for the whole programme):
- M. Marraffa, Filosofia, psicologia, neuroscienza. Problemi filosofici nello sviluppo delle scienze della mente e del cervello, Rosenberg & Sellier, Torino 2026. Main reference text: Introduction and chs. 1-9.
- J.D. Greenwood, A Conceptual History of Psychology: Exploring the Tangled Web, 2nd ed., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2015. Supporting historical-conceptual text: chs. 1, 5-8, 10-13 and Epilogue.

Distribution across the thematic units: unit 1, Marraffa, Introduction, and Greenwood, ch. 1; unit 2, Marraffa, chs. 1-2, and Greenwood, chs. 5-6 and 8; unit 3, Marraffa, ch. 1, and Greenwood, chs. 7 and 13; unit 4, Marraffa, ch. 3, and Greenwood, chs. 10-11; unit 5, Marraffa, chs. 4-7, and Greenwood, ch. 12; unit 6, Marraffa, chs. 8-9, and Greenwood, Epilogue.

The programme and the adopted textbooks are the same for attending and non-attending students. No substitute or additional texts are envisaged for non-attending students.

Teaching materials: lecture slides, the texts used in the guided discussions, reading guidance and the materials connected with the e-tivities are made available on the University's online learning platform, accessible with institutional credentials.

Attendance

Attendance is not compulsory, but it is strongly recommended: the historical-conceptual approach of the course benefits in particular from classroom discussion and guided text analysis. No attendance records are kept and no minimum attendance threshold is required for admission to the examination. The examination programme, the adopted textbooks and the assessment methods are the same for attending and non-attending students. Non-attending students are encouraged to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the course, during office hours or by email, in order to agree on a guided study path; they also have access to the teaching materials and to the e-tivities made available on the University's online learning platform.

Type of evaluation

Learning is assessed through a single final written examination consisting of an open-answer questionnaire. There are no intermediate tests and no selective tests: the outcome of the written examination determines the final mark in full. The examination lasts 120 minutes and comprises four open questions covering the whole programme (one on units 1-2, one on unit 3, one on units 4-5, one on unit 6). Each question requires a reasoned answer of approximately one to two pages. The examination is designed to assess: (a) knowledge of the course contents; (b) effective understanding of the concepts and the ability to apply them; (c) the ability to reconstruct clearly the lines of historical-conceptual development of the sciences of mind and brain; (d) the ability to analyse a philosophical problem critically and to argue in support of a thesis; (e) the use of vocabulary appropriate to the discipline. CRITERIA FOR GRADING The final mark, expressed out of thirty, is determined by taking into account the level and quality of knowledge of the topics, the ability to analyse a theme critically, the logic of the arguments put forward in support of a thesis, the ability to apply theories and concepts to contexts, and the use of vocabulary appropriate to the discipline. Specifically: - 18-21: essential knowledge of the contents; mainly descriptive presentation; still approximate disciplinary vocabulary; limited critical ability. - 22-24: adequate knowledge of the contents; correct but not fully articulated reconstruction of the conceptual connections; broadly appropriate vocabulary. - 25-27: good knowledge of the contents; correct and articulated reconstruction of the connections between philosophical problems and developments in the sciences of the mind; coherent argumentation; appropriate vocabulary. - 28-30: broad and confident knowledge; autonomous critical analysis; rigorous argumentation; full command of the disciplinary vocabulary. - 30 cum laude: excellent command of the contents, combined with personal elaboration, the ability to connect philosophical problems and scientific developments autonomously, and originality in framing the answers. The e-tivities carried out during the course have a formative and self-assessment function and do not receive a separate mark. Students with disabilities and with specific learning disorders (SLD/DSA) may request the support measures to be granted during the examination through the dedicated University portal, available at the following link: https://www.uniroma3.it/roma-tre-inclusiva-studenti-con-disabilita-e-con-dsa/