| CODE | LAS2060 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Decoding the Human Brain | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | H - Higher Level | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 6 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Centre for the Liberal Arts and Sciences | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | From the trepanation of ancient cultures to the implantable devices that are being advertised as “the new way to interact with machines;” the human brain is often advertised as the biological final frontier. The mysterious organ which, if understood, can unlock unthought of potential. The brain is the biological object that links “the self” to the world around us. Pain, pleasure, breathing, love, and hate are all human processes that would not exist without our brains. This study-unit will take you through the history of our understanding of the neurosciences, we will discuss prevalent myths and misconceptions in popular culture, we will learn about its structure and function and finally will discuss cutting edge research being done on this mysterious organ. The study-unit will also explore some of the main western philosophical theories and arguments about the notions of the mind and brain that have informed discussions and debates both on a theoretical and practical level. We will primarily focus on the normal functioning of the brain, however, neurological and psychiatric pathologies will occasionally be referred as ways to gain insight into the organ of “the self,” the brain. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand the history of the Neurosciences; - Grasp the basics of the anatomy and physiology of the human brain; - Become aware of how the structure and function of human brain can be measured; - Appreciate different technologies related to the brain; - Recognize the impact of disease on the brain; - Discuss the future of Neuroscience. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Distinguish between valid, scientific statements about the human brain and “media hype”; - Name and identify the various parts of the human brain; - Present complex ideas about the human brain in an understandable format. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: - Ros H and Farinella M (2013), Neurocomic, Nobrow - Sacks O (1985), The man who mistook his wife for a hat and other clinical tales, Summit Books. - Journal of the History of the Neurosciences. - Kaku M (2014), The Future of the Mind: The Scientific Quest To Understand, Enhance and Empower the Mind, Doubleday. - Feser E. (2007), Philosophy of Mind : A Beginner's Guide, Oneworld Publications. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Nina Attard Montalto Claude Julien Bajada (Co-ord.) Liam Butler Jurgen R. Gatt Francois Zammit |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2024/5. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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