Minds and Machines
An introduction to philosophy of mind, exploring consciousness, reality, AI, and more. The most in-depth philosophy course available online.
Course Information
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About this Course
What is the relationship between the mind and the body? Can computers think? Do we perceive reality as it is? Can there be a science of consciousness?
This course explores these questions and others. It is a thorough, rigorous introduction to contemporary philosophy of mind.
According to many scientists and philosophers, explaining the nature of consciousness is the deepest intellectual challenge of all. If you find consciousness at all puzzling, this is a great place to start learning more.
Verified learners will be eligible for the MITx Philosophy Award and (for learners in high school) the MITx High School Philosophy Award. The awards will be given by the MIT Philosophy Department for outstanding written work. Award winners will be profiled on the MIT Philosophy Department website. See there for additional information and profiles of winners from previous years.
What you'll learn
- The basics of argumentation
- Some central arguments for and against the view that a sufficiently powerful computer can think (AI)
- The main theories of mental states and their relations to physical states
- Some central arguments for and against the view that the world is not as we perceive it to be
- What the "hard problem of consciousness" is
Meet your instructors
Alex Byrne
Professor of Philosophy
Alex Byrne is Professor of Philosophy in MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy. He has written widely in philosophy of mind and epistemology, and recently co-edited The Norton Introduction to Philosophy.
