PHIL 2030 - Cognitive Science: Minds, Brains & Computers
North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2019
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General Course Information
Course Details
Course Code PHIL 2030 Course Cognitive Science: Minds, Brains & Computers Coordinating Unit Philosophy Term Semester 1 Level Undergraduate Location/s North Terrace Campus Units 3 Contact Up to 3 hours per week Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y Prerequisites At least 12 units of Level I undergraduate study Incompatible PHIL 2013 or PHIL 3013 Assessment Two essays (2500 words each) 50% each Course Staff
Course Coordinator: Dr Jonathan Opie
Course Timetable
The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.
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Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes
This course aims to:
1. introduce students to the central topics and problems in the philosophy of cognitive science; and
2. Develop an understanding of related topics in philosophy, cogntiive psychology, computer science and neuroscience.
After successfully completing this course, students should:
3. Be aware of the main philosophical positions in cognitive science;
4. Have experience in analyzing and critiquing written arguments;
5. Show improvement in problem solving and critical reasoning skills; and
6. Be able to discuss and debate philosophical issues in a group setting.
University Graduate Attributes
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:
University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s) Deep discipline knowledge
- informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
- acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
- accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
1, 2, 3 Critical thinking and problem solving
- steeped in research methods and rigor
- based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
- demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Teamwork and communication skills
- developed from, with, and via the SGDE
- honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
- encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
4, 5, 6 Career and leadership readiness
- technology savvy
- professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
- forward thinking and well informed
- tested and validated by work based experiences
4, 5, 6 Intercultural and ethical competency
- adept at operating in other cultures
- comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
- able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
- demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
4, 5, 6 Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
- a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
- open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
- able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
4, 5, 6 -
Learning Resources
Required Resources
Workshop readings will be made available on MyUni. These are also suitable reference material for preparation of your written assignments.
Additional readings for preparing your essays will be made available on MyUni.Online Learning
Lecture notes will be available on MyUni each week. These are summaries and are not a substitute for attending lectures.
Lecture recordings will be posted on MyUni following the lectures. Sometimes these take a day or two to go up, so please be patient.
Workshop questions for the following week will be available on MyUni. Before each workshop, please read the set material, available on MyUni, and submit your answers online. -
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes
In addition to lectures, there is a one-hour workshop each week during Weeks 2-5 and 7-12. Please read the set material and submit written answers to the workshop questions before each session. The aim of the workshops is to improve your understanding of the course content and help prepare you for essay writing, so please attend as many as you can.Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
The information below is a guide to the average number of hours per week you should spend on this course. The total is 144 hours over the whole semester, including breaks.
2-hour lecture 24 hours per semester 1-hour tutoria 10 hours per semester 1 hour lecture revision 10 hours per semester 4 hours workshop preparation 40 hours per semester 5 hours essay preparation 60 hours per semester TOTAL WORKLOAD 144 hours per semester Learning Activities Summary
No information currently available.
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Assessment
The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:
- Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
- Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
- Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
- Assessment must maintain academic standards.
Assessment Summary
Task Type Weight
Objectives Participation Formative 40% 4-6 Essay 1 Summative 30% 1-5 Essay 2 Summative 30% 1-5 Assessment Detail
Your assessment in Cognitive Science will be based on workshop participation and essays. The word limits below are lower and upper bounds, respectively.- Participation. There will be a reading and workshop paper each week. You will be awarded 4 marks per paper when you submit your answers on MyUni.
- Essay 1 (1500-1800 words). This essay will be based on material from Weeks 1-5.
- Essay 2 (1500-1800 words). This essay will be based on material from Weeks 6-12.
- It must include a brief introduction and conclusion.
- It must acknowledge any dependence, either direct or indirect, on source material.
- It must include a reference list of all material cited in the essay.
- It must not lie outside the stated word limits (see above).
Overdue Work & Extensions
Work that is late will receive a penalty of 2% for every day the work is overdue, including weekends and public holidays, unless you have an extension.
Work that is more than seven days late will receive a mark of zero, unless you have been awarded an extension.
Extensions are granted on the basis of medical, compassionate, or extenuating circumstances. To request an extension, please contact the course coordinator and make sure to provide supporting documents. Extension requests must be made before the due date.Submission
Your assignments, including answers to workshop questions, are to be submitted through MyUni. Remember that it is your responsibility to submit your assignments correctly.
The submission process is as follows:
- Log into MyUni and select Cognitive Science (PHIL_2030).
- Select Assignments in the left-hand menu.
- Select Workshop 1 or Essay 1 or 2, etc., as appropriate.
- Follow the instructions for uploading your assignment.
- Please be sure to keep electronic copies of your work.
Course Grading
Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:
M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme) Grade Mark Description FNS Fail No Submission F 1-49 Fail P 50-64 Pass C 65-74 Credit D 75-84 Distinction HD 85-100 High Distinction CN Continuing NFE No Formal Examination RP Result Pending Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.
Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.
Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.
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Student Feedback
The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.
SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
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Student Support
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Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
- Academic Credit Arrangements Policy
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- Student Experience of Learning and Teaching Policy
- Student Grievance Resolution Process
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