RH 112 Section F - Damasio: Descartes' Error
Colby College, Spring 2001
Residence hall book seminar
Wednesdays 6:00PM-7:00PM, Dana Lounge
Course Instructors
Jeffrey
Kasser
Office: 247 Lovejoy Hall
Phone: (872-)3826
Email: jlkasser@colby.edu
Randolph M. Jones
Office: 416B Mudd Hall
Phone: (872-)3831
Email: rjones@colby.edu
Book
Damasio, A. R. (1995). Descartes' error: Emotion, reason, and the human
brain. New York: Avon.
Reading Schedule
- Wednesday, February 28
- Introduction, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3
- Discussion topics:
- What do you think Damasio would say is the difference between the brain
and the mind?
- Before he presents us with his research in the rest of the book, what do
we know about Damasio's preconceptions of how the mind works?
- Sketch a diagram of the major components of the mind (not
the brain) that Damasio suggests
have an impact on our overall behavior (this comes out largely at the end of
Chapter 3).
- Wednesday, March 7
- Chapter 4, Chapter 5
- Discussion topics:
- Suppose we came across a person who had a traumatic emotional event, but
no evidence of physical brain damage, and this person exhibited similar
emotional deficiencies to Gage and Elliot. How should Damasio (or we) explain
the behavior?
- Page 96 begins a discussion on past, present, and future images. Is it
possible that specific types of brain damage affect the ability to process,
for example, only "present" images? How might this affect behavior?
- What is an "image" (and what is an image made of)
from the perspective of a neuropsychologist, a
philosopher, a computer scientist, or anyone else? Can we come up with a
coherent definition?
- Wednesday, March 14
- Chapter 6, Chapter 7
- Discussion topics:
- Chapter 6 includes details, discussion, and supporting evidence that
provides a lot of material to wade through. But it's all in support of
a relatively important point Damasio wants to make. What exactly is
the "take home message" from that chapter?
- Damasio talks about how organism have primary emotions.
How would/does Damasio explain the fact that organisms can sometimes learn to
override the instinctual behaviors associated with primary emotions? Are the
organisms actually re-wiring their "primary emotions" circuitry? Something
else?
- Descartes said mind and body are separate. Damasio has attempted to show
us that they are intimately intermingled. Has Damasio so far provided
enough evidence to make his case?
- Wednesday, March 21
- Wednesday, March 28
- Wednesday, April 4
- Wednesday, April 11
We would like you to submit potential discussion questions/topics
the Monday before
each meeting. We will post the questions here, and you can use them as you
see fit to guide your own thinking about that week's reading. Please email
discussion questions to jlkasser
and rjones.
Randolph M. Jones
(rjones@colby.edu)
