Enrolments for 2023 have closed.
Minds, Brains, and Machines: Contemporary Philosophy of Mind
Undergraduate | LTU-PHI3MBM | 2023
Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Minds, Brains, and Machines: Contemporary Philosophy of Mind
About this subject
- Identify the underlying issues in a complex problem or controversial debate, analyse their structure and employ appropriate reasoning strategies designed to resolve the problem.
- Identify, formulate, analyse and judge the success of standard form and text-based arguments, using appropriate methods of analysis and critical reasoning.
- Work collaboratively to assess the merits of philosophical arguments taking into account the different views and starting points of group members.
- Write a carefully constructed essay in support of a philosophical claim.
- • Consciousness.
- • Artificial intelligence.
- • Intentionality.
- • Theories of the mind in the 20th century.
- • Animal minds.
What is the mind and what is it made of? Can we say that mind and brain are the same thing? Are mental states, like thoughts and feelings, nothing more than brain states? Can machines be conscious? Do they have a mind? Do they think? Is language necessary for thinking? These and other questions will be the focus of this subject, which introduces you to contemporary philosophy of mind and to the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary cognitive science, psychology and linguistics.
- Essay, 1800 words. (40%)
- Final Exam, 2,000 words (take home exam, consisting of two 1,000 word essays answering two chosen questions from a set of questions given out two weeks before the due date) (50%)
- Online forum contributions 600 words (in total). (10%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Learn more about La Trobe University.
Explore La Trobe courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Past La Trobe University students who have previously completed PHI2MBM (Minds, Brains, and Machines: Contemporary Philosophy of Mind) are ineligible to enrol in this subject.
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed 60 credit points of Level one subjects.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
Single subject FAQs
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions .
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.