IW-1. Choose one of the "-isms" – e.g., rationalism, dualism, or behaviorism -- that has been discussed in lectures or readings, then (a) explain what it means and (b) summarize the main arguments for and against it.

• Due 09/12.
• The audience for this paper is a friend or acquaintance who has not taken this course. Do not be overly casual in your writing, but do focus on being clear, concise, and 
accessible. Briefly explain any technical terms and avoid unexplained jargon.
• You are not expected to consult any sources beyond what we have covered in class, but you are welcome to do so if you would like. Just make sure that you cite any sources that you refer to in your writing.
• A good secondary source for many of the topics we will cover this semester is the 
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. For this paper, the most relevant entries would be the SEP entry on dualism and behaviorism. You may also find related items at the InPhO page for Cognitive Science.
• If you do consult other sources, keep in mind that the terms "dualism", "behaviorism", "functionalism", and "materialism", can mean different things to people in different fields, even within philosophy and cognitive science. The kind of dualism we have discussed is often referred to as Cartesian dualism, or mind-body dualism. The kind of behaviorism we've discussed is sometimes known as methodological behaviorism, or, more generally, psychological behaviorism. There is a distinct (but related) strand of behaviorism in philosophy, which was prevalent around the same time as the psychological version. If you read the appendix in Mindware, this is the sense in which "behaviorism" is used there. Keep this in mind if you consult other sources, and stick to the kind of -ism that we focused on in class.
• Min. length: 600 words.

IW-2. Explain functionalism to a 6th grader. In doing so, be sure to address each of the following:

1. What does functionalism claim about the nature of mental states?
2. How does the concept of the Turing machine relate to functionalism? In other words, 
what role does the Turing machine play in the functionalist account of the mind?

• Due 10/03.
• Cite all sources used, including any we read in class.
• Min. length: 600 words.

IW-3. The early part of the course has dealt with a related set
of questions, including:

• Can machines think (understand, be intelligent, etc.)?
• If so, what kind of machine? If not, then why not?
• How can we judge whether a machine is intelligent (capable of thought, understanding, etc.) or not? That is, what kind of evidence would should we use?

The assignment for this essay is to pick two of the readings to compare and contrast, focusing on questions like the ones given above. On points where the two sides disagree, explain which side you find more convincing. 
Note: The bullet-pointed questions above are just meant as a guide. Depending on which pair of papers you choose, you might focus more on one or two of these questions and less on the other(s). Or you may find that there are other relevant questions or issues to focus on. The organization of this essay is more open ended than on previous assignments. However you choose to organize it, though, remember to be clear in terms of your introduction, paragraphing, and transitions.

• Due 10/24.
• Include at least one specific reference (with page number) from each of the two papers.
• Cite your sources using APA or MLA formatting.
• Min. length: 1000 words.

IW-4. One of the themes in philosophy of cognitive science concerns the relationship between folk (or commonsense) psychology and scientific psychology (which, for our purposes, can be taken to include neuroscience, much of AI, and much of cognitive science in general). One way to understand this debate is in terms of the mind-body problem, which has been a recurring thread throughout the semester. What is the relationship between the mental realm and the physical realm (or are they identical)? Do mental states (e.g., beliefs, desires, and intentions) have "causal powers"? Why or why not? Finally, what should be the relationship between folk psychology and scientific psychology? Your assignment in this essay is to present your own argument on some aspect of the folk psychology debate. That could mean addressing one of the above questions, or it could mean focusing on another aspect of the recent material (e.g.,the Dennett paper on the intentional stance, Ch.3 of Mindware, or even some other relevant source, as long as you clear it first). Whatever the topic, make sure to inlcude the following in your essay:

1. A clear, concise introductory paragraph that includes a statement of your thesis and a brief overview of how you plan to support it
2. Two or three well-organized body paragraphs, each addressing a particular aspect of your argument
3. A brief conclusion that revisits your thesis statement and (ideally) raises an additional question or two for the reader to think about in light of your arguments.

• Due 11/14
•  In contrast to the previous essays, you will need to formulate an argument of your own rather than to explain or evaluate someone else's argument. However, these tasks are not entirely unrelated, since one way to formulate a topic is to take someone else's argument and look for ways to evaluate it, critique it, or expand on it.
•  Min. length: 1000 words.

IW-5. Revision of earlier piece or draft of final piece. Choice must be pre-approved by 11/21.

• Due 12/05.
• Min. length 1200 words (does not count towards 5,000 word IW requirement).

IW-6. The assignment for the final paper is to write an argument-based (i.e., thesis- based) paper on a topic from the second half of the class, which means anything from Week 9 onwards, including the following topics: evolutionary approaches to cognitive science, embodied cognition, extended mind, dynamical systems approaches, etc. (Any of the material from the Discussion sections of Mindware from Ch. 4-7 would be fair game.)

You should have a discernible thesis that you back up with supporting arguments. For example, you might pick something we've read or discussed that you disagree with and want to argue against. Or you can pick something you agree with and argue for why you think so-and-so is right. In either case, you would need to offer support for your argument and also consider (and respond to) some potential counterarguments.

• Due 12/16.
• Min. length: 1500 words.