Active learning ideas
The Mind-Body Problem and Personhood is a central pillar of the Metaphysics strand (B2). It asks whether the mind is simply a function of the brain or if consciousness is something distinct. This topic also explores the philosophical definition of a 'person,' which has significant legal and ethical implications in Canada, from end-of-life care to the potential rights of non-human animals or artificial intelligence.
Activity 01
Set up a mock hearing where students represent an advanced AI suing for 'personhood' rights. Other students act as the tribunal, using specific philosophical criteria (rationality, self-awareness, agency) to make their ruling.
Are the mind and body separate entities?
Activity 02
Present the 'Star Trek' teleporter dilemma: if a machine destroys your atoms and rebuilds an identical copy elsewhere, is it still 'you'? Pairs discuss which theory of personhood (body, memory, or soul) supports their answer.
What defines a 'person' in a philosophical sense?
Activity 03
Stations feature different viewpoints: a neuroscientist (physicalism), a Buddhist monk (no-self), a Cartesian philosopher (dualism), and a computer scientist (functionalism). Students summarize each view and identify one strength and one weakness.
Can artificial intelligence possess consciousness?
A few notes on teaching this unit
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
The 'mind' and the 'brain' are the exact same thing.
While they are related, the mind refers to subjective experience (thoughts, feelings), while the brain refers to the physical organ. Using the 'Mary's Room' thought experiment in a group setting helps students see why physical facts might not explain all mental experiences.
Only humans can be 'persons.'
In philosophy, 'person' is a technical term for a being with certain capacities. Peer debate about the personhood of dolphins or advanced AI helps students separate the biological category of 'human' from the philosophical category of 'person.'
Methods used in this brief
Theories of Existence and Being
Students investigate fundamental metaphysical concepts such as ontology, materialism, and idealism. They will analyze how different philosophers define what it means to exist.
8 methodologies
Free Will and Determinism
Students analyze the debate between free will, determinism, and compatibilism. They will evaluate how these theories impact our understanding of human agency and moral responsibility.
8 methodologies