Rational & Irrational Minds

Fall 1997

Dr. Whitlow

Rational and Irrational Minds:

Views on the Nature of Human Reasoning and Judgment

from Descartes to the Present

Monday, 6:00-8:40 pm

This course will examine ideas about human rationality and irrationality, primarily as they have been expressed in the literature and science of Western thinkers from the time of Descartes. Rationality has often been a valued attribute in Western culture, with the result that people may claim to be rational simply as a way of enhancing the value of their presentation. One of the central themes to be explored in the course is the idea that what is rational and, therefore, what is irrational has received (and continues to receive) different answers at different times and from different people. The course will use modern cognitive psychology to provide an organizing framework for our discussion. We will emphasize the examination of real examples of rational and irrational behavior, but we will incorporate discussions from literary, philosophical and other sources to amplify the breadth of the discussion.

We will rely on 2 books plus a packet of readings as primary source material:

 

Golub, Andrew Lang. (1977). Decision analysis. New York: Wiley.

 

Showalter, Elaine. (1996). Hystories. New York: Columbia University Press.

 

In addition to these texts, several texts will be represented in the readings, including

 

Baron, Jonathan. (1985). Rationality and intelligence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

 

We will also use the Internet as an information resource. Thus, we will take some time to insure that all members of the class are familiar with use of their Rutgers Computer accounts for e-mail and World Wide Web access.

It is my intention that the class time will be spent in discussion of materials, concepts and observations relevant to the topic of that session. It will therefore be important for everyone to have read any assigned materials and complete any assigned activities before coming to class. However, you should not expect the class necessarily to discuss a particular article or reading selection. (If you have an activity to complete, we will discuss that, though).

The textbook by Golub was selected because it provides many illustrations of a modern Arational@ approach to judgment and decision making; I think it will help you understand someof the ideas about rational minds that come from cognitive psychology. As you can see from the attached outline, different sections of the book apply more particularly to one topic or another. The textbook by Showalter was selected because it provides a particular viewpoint on irrationality that applies to many different topics that we will cover in the latter half of the course. Thus, the most useful way to approach Showalter=s book for the course is to read it in its entirety about the time we start section IV. As you will note, Professor Showalter has agreed to come talk to us in November about her book.

You will be asked to complete a variety of small assignments outside of class as a means of gathering material for our discussions. You will be expected to write a 15-20 page paper on a topic of your own choice that is related to one or more issues we discuss in the class. There will also be a final exam, designed to give you practice in writing a timed, themed essay, which is a skill that will be important to you if you plan further graduate study. If no one is going to do any more graduate work, we may eliminate this requirement.

Rational & Irrational Minds

Fall 1997

Dr. Whitlow

Course Outline

I. Introductory Considerations

Sept. 8 A. Descartes and the Nature of Mankind

Reading 1A, 1B

II. Modern Views of How People Reason and Judge

Sept. 15 A. The Purview of Rational Thinking

Golub, Ch. 0, 1-A

Reading 2A, 2C

Sept. 22 B. The structure of rational arguments

Golub, Ch. 1-B, 1-C, 2

III. Rational and Irrational Thoughts on Risk

Sept. 29 A. Judgments under uncertainty

Golub, Ch. 4

Reading 3A

Oct. 6 B. The perception of risk

Golub, Ch. 5

Reading 3B, 3C

IV. Rational and Irrational Minds in Other Cultures

Oct. 13 A. Assessing Aprimitive@ minds

Reading 4A, 4E

Oct. 20 B. Possession & Ecstatic Experiences

Reading 4B, 4C, 4D

V. Rationality and Irrationality in the Clinic

Oct. 27 A. AOrganic@ Disorders

Reading 5A, 5B

Nov. 3 B. Psychological Disorders

1. Dissociative Disorders

Reading 5C

2. Sociopathology

Reading 5D, 5E

Nov. 10 C. Modern Manifestations

Showalter, Hystories

Nov. 17 D. The Logic of Abnormality

VI. Rational and Irrational Groups

Nov. 24 A. Mass Hysteria

Reading 6A

VII. Rational and Irrational Behavior in the Eyes of the Law

Dec. 1 A. Insanity in the Law

Reading 7A, 7B

B. Rational Law

VIII. Rational and Irrational Creatures, Real & Virtual

Dec. 8 A. Rationality of the Animal Mind

Dec. 15 ********** Final Examination *****************