PSYCHOLOGY 3177F (Section 570)

Lectures: Wednesdays 12:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.                                                                                                             2011-12 Fall Semester

INSTRUCTOR

Professor Imants Barušs                                                                                                                                                Web site: baruss.ca

Telephone: 433-3491 Ext.4369 or 1-800-265-4406                                                                                                                E-mail: baruss@uwo.ca

Office: Dante Lenardon Hall Room 323                                                                                                                                    Office Hours: Thursdays 11:00–2:00 p.m.

PREREQUISITES AND ANTIREQUISITES

Students are responsible for ensuring that their selection of courses is appropriate and accurately recorded, that all course prerequisites have been successfully completed, and that they are aware of any antirequisite course(s) that they have taken. Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. The prerequisites for this course are Psychology 2840F/G (Psychology 284F/G by the old numbering), and registration in the third or fourth year of a Major, Specialization, Honours Specialization, or Honours Double Major in Psychology. There are no antirequisites for this course.

TEXTBOOKS

Barušs, I. (1996). Authentic knowing: The convergence of science and spiritual aspiration. West Lafayette, Indiana: Purdue University Press.

Additional required reading will be indicated in class.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this course is to familiarize students with some of the main issues in consciousness studies from a phenomenological perspective and to develop a sensitive but critical attitude to the subject matter.

COURSE CONTENTS

Topics can include: The nature of consciousness studies, definitions of consciousness, beliefs about consciousness and reality, authenticity, the nature of science, methodologies, theories of consciousness, neural correlates of consciousness, computational approaches to consciousness, quantum mind, William James’s ideas about consciousness, the waking state, psychoneuroimmunology, remote viewing, remote influencing, altered states of consciousness, sensory restriction, self-transformation, and transcendence.

COURSE WEB SITE

The web site for this course is http://baruss.ca/3177.htm. Information about the course will be posted from time to time on the web site.

EVALUATION

Homework, 40%: There will be 11 homework assignments each of which must be submitted at the beginning of the class for which it is due. The homework grade will consist of the average of the 8 best marks for homework.

Students who cannot submit a homework assignment by the due date for medical or other extraordinary reasons will be given an opportunity to submit it at a later date at the discretion of the instructor. Medical documentation for such accommodation will not be required. All other late submissions will be given a grade of zero. Allowance will not be made for tests and assignments in other courses, employment, or family responsibilities.

Term Test, 20%: There will be a term test on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 worth 20% of the final grade. The term test will be essay style in format and will cover material in the assigned readings and class lectures from the beginning of the course to the time of the test.

Examination, 40%: There will be a final examination during the final examination period December 10–21, 2011. The examination will be essay style in format and will cover all the material in the assigned readings and class lectures from the beginning of the course.

Students are not allowed to have a cell phone, or any other electronic device, with them during the term test or examination.

Students who cannot attend a test or examination for medical or other extraordinary reasons should obtain proper documentation and contact their Dean’s office as soon as possible. Students are directed to the Policy on Accommodation for Medical Illness found at http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/accommodation_medical.pdf. The Student Medical Certificate can be found at: http://kings.uwo.ca/pt5/assets/File/SMC_Revised_March_2011.pdf. Allowance will not be made for tests and assignments in other courses, employment, or family responsibilities. All students who cannot write a regularly scheduled test or examination and who receive accommodation from their Dean are required to write an appropriate alternate test or examination. All alternate tests and examinations will be essay style in format.

In-class Essays: Students may be asked to write short in-class essays that will not be graded nor contribute to the final grade but will be used as a basis for discussion and a record of attendance.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Students are required to maintain the standards of academic integrity set by the University of Western Ontario. Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following Web site: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholastic_discipline_undergrad.pdf. In particular, students must write their essays and assignments in their own words. Whenever students take an idea or a passage from another author they must acknowledge this fact by using quotation marks where appropriate and by using proper referencing. Plagiarism is a major academic offence.

The use of laptops by students during lectures shall be for matters related to the course at hand only. Students found to be using laptops for purposes not directly related to the class may be subject to sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct (http://www.kings.uwo.ca/files/file/about/code_of_conduct_2003.pdf). Inappropriate use of laptops during lectures creates a significant disruption. As a consequence, the use of laptops may be restricted in this class. In addition, in order to provide a safe classroom environment, students are strongly advised to operate laptops with batteries rather than power cords.