Philosophy of Cognitive Science:
The Cognitive Science of Moral Progress
PH 465/665
Mon: 2:30-5:15
I. Evolution and Progress
1. Cultural Evolution I
Jan. 28
Introduction to the course
Joseph Henrich - The Secret of Our Success Ch. 1-5
2. Cultural Evolution II
Feb. 4
Joseph Henrich - The Secret of Our Success Ch. 6-11
3. Cultural Evolution III
Feb. 11
Joseph Henrich - The Secret of Our Success Ch. 12-17
4. Evolutionary Conservatism I
Feb. 19 (Tues)
Jonathan Haidt - The Righteous Mind Ch. 9-10
Andrew Sullivan - "American Wasn't Built for Humans"
David Roberts - "Donald Trump and the Rise of Tribalist Epistemology"
Andrew Sullivan - "America, Land of Brutal Binaries"
Arnold Kling - "Cultural Intelligence"
5. Evolutionary Conservatism II
Feb. 25
Allen Buchanan and Russell Powell - The Evolution of Moral Progress Ch. 4-8
Mind and Morality Lab Talk
Feb. 27, 3:00-5:00
Victor Kumar (BU)
"Cultural Evolution in Deep History"
6. TBA
Mar. 4
Essay 1 due: Friday, Mar. 8, 8:00pm
SPRING BREAK
II. Psychology and Progress
7. Reasoning I
Mar. 18
Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber - The Enigma of Reason Introduction, Ch. 1-2
8. Reasoning II
Mar. 25
Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber - The Enigma of Reason Ch. 7-10
Mind and Morality Lab Talk
Mar. 27, 3:00-5:00
Fiery Cushman (Harvard)
"Rationalization is Rational"
9. Reasoning III
Apr. 1
Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber - The Enigma of Reason Ch. 11-15
10. Social Moral Epistemology
Apr. 8
Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber - The Enigma of Reason Ch. 16-18, Conclusion
Elizabeth Anderson - "Social Movements, Experiments in Living, and Moral Progress"
11. Moral Evolution I
Apr. 17 (Wed)
Victor Kumar and Richmond Campbell - Morality Evolves Intro, Ch. 1-3
12. Moral Evolution II
Apr. 22
Victor Kumar and Richmond Campbell - Morality Evolves Ch. 4-5
Mind and Morality Lab Talk
Apr. 24, 3:00-5:00
Allen Buchanan (Duke/Arizona)
"What is Ideology and Why Do We Need Ideology Theory?"
Evolution and Ethics Conference
Apr. 25, 9:00-5:00
Kristin Andrews (York), Victor Kumar (BU), Shaun Nichols (Arizona), Richmond Campbell (Dalhousie), Allen Buchanan (Duke/Arizona), Alexandra Plakias (Hamilton)
13. TBA
Apr. 29
Essay 2 due: Friday, May 3, 8:00pm
Photo by Daniel Star