New Course on Artificial Intelligence and Philosophy of Mind at Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College has added a new academic course addressing the philosophical origins of artificial intelligence and cognitive sciences to its curriculum. Designed and taught by Postdoctoral Researcher Collin Lucken, the course titled 'Minds and Machines: Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science' (PHIL 2400) offers students the opportunity to evaluate artificial intelligence technologies from a historical and philosophical perspective.

Within the scope of the course, core fields such as cognitive science, the history of computation, and the philosophy of mind are examined in depth. Combining the historical views of thinkers like René Descartes and Alan Turing with modern artificial intelligence tools and current technologies such as ChatGPT, the curriculum questions the relationship between the human mind and machines.

Standing out as part of Bowdoin College's curriculum initiatives on artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence, this course aims for students to make sense of technological developments within a philosophical framework.