Dr. Laura Soter

Email: lksoter@yorku.ca

Office hours: By appointment, either in person or remotely (I am usually available Mondays and Tuesdays in person, but you can make Zoom appointments for Wednesdays too!).

In this course, we will focus on a central topic in philosophy of mind: the nature of belief. We will explore questions about what beliefs are and what makes them from different than other mental states, whether “belief” is a unified mental category, how beliefs are formed and stored, and the role beliefs play in social phenomena such as polarization.

Technical Requirements

• Eclass will be used to deliver most course content.
• Students are required to submit assignments through eClass
• Assignments may be evaluated by Turnitin
• Zoom may also be used to deliver some content
• Students will need a computer or smart device to access the course materials

To attend online Zoom office hours and stream recorded lectures, students should have a device capable of running Zoom. In addition to a stable, higher-speed Internet connection, it is preferred (but not required) that students have a device with a webcam and microphone.

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

• Student Guide to eClass
• Zoom@YorkU Best Practices
• Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide
• Computing for Students Website
• Student Guide to eLearning at York University
• To determine Internet connection and speed, there are online tests, such as Speedtest

Readings will be available through links or articles provided on the eClass site. No textbook required.

NOTE: Details are subject to change with adequate notice.

1. This class will be held in-person on Mondays at 11:30am in R S105.
2. The nature of the posted materials (video, or slides, or both, may vary from week to week).
3. Readings will be posted to eClass.
4. Exams will be administered in-person during class time.

Completing the work for this course will:

• Develop an advanced understanding of some of some contemporary debates within in the philosophy of mind, with a focus on the nature of belief.
• Improve your ability to read difficult texts with comprehension.
• Improve your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments.
• Improve your ability to think critically and express your ideas in writing.

Course Policies

RECORDINGS POLICY

Lecture recordings are to be used for educational purposes only and as a means for enhancing accessibility. Students do not have permission to duplicate, copy and/or distribute the recordings outside of the class (these acts can violate not only copyright laws but also FIPPA).

COURSE EMAIL POLICY

I am happy to answer emails on procedural issues addressed neither in class, nor by the syllabus. I may not reply to an email if the answer is on the syllabus; I may post an announcement instead of replying directly to an email if the answer would be helpful to others.

More substantial issues concerning course content should be addressed in class or office hours. There is no guarantee of email response on weekends or holidays. Please include course and section number in the subject line of all email correspondence, also include your full name and student number in the body of the email. This information is necessary so that I can reply and address your concern. I aim to reply within 48 business hours; please wait at least that long before sending a follow-up email.

LATE & MISSED ASSIGNMENTS

• In-Class Exams: If there are unavoidable conflicts or emergencies with in-class exams, it is the student’s responsibility to coordinate with me ahead of time so that we can make arrangements.
• Written Essay: If you need an extension, you must request it 48 hours before the deadline. You do not have an extension until I have given you verbal or written confirmation. Late submissions will be penalized a third of a grade per day, and will not be accepted more than one week after the deadline.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

All forms of academic dishonesty, including plagiarism and cheating, will be taken extremely seriously. Potential penalties include, but are not limited to, failure of the assignment and/or failure of the course. In addition, students who plagiarize or cheat on any assignments forfeit their privilege to drop their lowest grades. Students are expected to be familiar with York’s policy regarding academic integrity: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/policies/. All students are expected to complete the Honour Code Pledge on eClass.

Use of AI (such as Chat-GPT) is strictly prohibited. If I suspect you have used it, you will be called to discuss this with me and it will be treated as an academic integrity violation.

ACCOMMODATIONS

We are committed to fairly accommodating students with disabilities. Please contact us as soon as possible with the relevant documentation from Student Accessibility Services. All graded assignments will be conducted in class. If you need additional time on assignments, you must talk to me about this by the second week of class so that we can establish a plan (whether arriving early or taking the test through the alternative testing centre) for the in-class assignments, which begin the third week of class.

RESOURCES

York has a variety of resources to help students succeed. Here are some of them.

• Mental Health
• Writing Centre
• Academic Advising
• Learning Commons
• Peer Mentorship