About the course: A philosophical exploration of the conceptions of consciousness, this course examines ideas about mind and thought from various Western and Eastern traditions. Study areas include the relationship between thought and mind; definitions of awareness, self-consciousness and transcendence; establishing personal identity; and animal cognition. Students participate in contemplative meditation and yoga exercises to spur new perspectives on the relationship between mind, body and environment.

Instructor: Blake Hestir, professor of philosophy, and TCU faculty guest lecturers from religion, sociology, anthropology and honors

Class times: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 11 to 11:50 a.m.

Class size: 24 students

Credit: Garners a Humanities credit and counts toward the TCU Human-Animal Relationships minor

Texts: The Animal Mind: An Introduction to Animal Cognition by Kristin Andrews (Routledge, 2015)

Supersizing the Mind: Embodiment, Action, and Cognitive Extension by Andy Clark (Oxford, 2008)

Philosophy of Mind: A Beginner’s Guide by Ian Ravenscroft (Oxford, 2005)

Classwork: Two term papers summarizing and criticizing a philosophical viewpoint

Four short-essay tests

Six one-page papers in response to a reading or a contemplative exercise

— Compiled by Caroline Collier