Introductory description

PH378-15 Acting Together: from Individual to Collaborative Action

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Acting together is emerging as a major topic in both philosophy and behavioural sciences. Philosophical investigation is indispensable for fully understanding many discoveries in the behavioural sciences, and for identifying new areas of investigation. Conversely, theories and discoveries in behavioural sciences can inform and constrain philosophical investigation.

Key questions include: When two or more agents act together, in virtue of what can their actions have a collective goal? What is it for agents to act together cooperatively, or to be committed to do so? Are there distinct roles for intention and motor representation in explaining the purposiveness of action? How if it all do motor representations shape experiences of actions, one’s own or others’? Are there multiple systems for tracking others’ actions, beliefs and other mental states?

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Students should be able to understand, accurately report and critically evaluate philosophical accounts of acting together. They should be able to relate these to theories and discovieres in behavioural sciences. Students should also be able to identify philosophical questions arising from such theories and discoveries, and to relate them to current controversies in philosophy.
• Students should be able to pursue and organize philosophical and psychological research using a range of sources (print and electronic media), to critically evaluate reports of experiments and to engage independently in philosophical debate.

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Interdisciplinary

Considers philosophical issues arising in behavioural science. For example, psychological and neuroscientific research on action control is linked to what philosophers call The Problem of Action (Frankfurt, 1968); and a connection is made between game theory and theories of shared intention via theories of team reasoning (Sugden, 2000; Bacharach, 2006).

Subject specific skills

Students should be able to pursue and organize philosophical and psychological research using a range of sources (print and electronic media), to critically evaluate reports of experiments and to engage independently in philosophical debate.

Transferable skills

Students should be able to communicate clearly and substantively in speech and in writing on the questions addressed in the module.

Students should be able to isolate the important claims within readings, both philosophical and scientific. They should be able to understand a range of experimental methods interpret data presented in tables and charts. They should be able to understand the structure of arguments, test views for strengths and weaknesses, make pertinent use of examples, and compare the substance of views consistently.