Course Syllabus
Aims
This course is designed to be a scientific introduction into the research and theories of consciousness, sleep, and dreaming.
Contents
This course will introduce students to the concepts of consciousness and altered states of consciousness including those induced by meditation, sensory deprivation, music, and substances. Consciousness will be explored from the perspectives of neuroscience, psychology, consciousness research, and anthropology.
Detailed program
-What is Consciousness?
-Ontogenesis of consciousness
-Metacognition and the Theory of Mind (TdM)
-Embodied cognition
-The mind-body question
-What is an Altered State of Consciousness?
-Psychopathology of Consciousness
-The interpersonal dimension of consciousness
-Sleep and Dreams: Why do we sleep?
-The New Science of Sleep and Dreams
-Sleep disturbances
-The semantics of the dream
-The memory of dreams and their interpretation
-Dream as a construction process
Prerequisites
None
Teaching form
Lectures; activities in small-group activities
Textbook and teaching resource
A selection of scientific journal articles will be provided; ppt slides and other relevant material will be uploaded on the e-learning website
Semester
Second
Assessment method
The final examination will assess students’ level of knowledge and problem-solving abilities through analysis and discussion of cases and scenarios from real-life situations and open-ended conceptual questions.
Key information
Staff
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Selena Russo