This course is part of the UBC Future Global Leaders on-campus program for high school students ages 15–18. Combines morning classes and afternoon pre-university workshops.
What is a mind? Can machines think? This immersive course introduces some of the most exciting questions at the intersection of philosophy, psychology and artificial intelligence. Through interactive activities, thought experiments and accessible readings, you explore theories of the mind, the nature of consciousness, and debates about animal sentience and AI. You examine classic puzzles like the Chinese Room and the “zombie argument,” learn how scientists and philosophers study the mind, and discuss real-world issues ranging from AI decision-making to whether other animals might have experiences like ours. No background in philosophy is required.
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Explain major theories about what the mind is and how it works
- Evaluate debates about AI and consciousness
- Analyze thought experiments about perception, awareness and reality
- Think critically about how technology and science shape our understanding of ourselves
This course is perfect for students interested in philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, debates about AI, or the nature of conscious experience.
ALEXANDRA JEWELL, PhD, is a philosopher specializing in philosophy of mind, cognitive science, phenomenology, and the philosophy of psychiatry. She is a sessional lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at UBC and has also taught in UBC’s Cognitive Systems program and the Department of Philosophy at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on reconceptualizing mental disorders (particularly anxiety disorders) as disruptions to basic structures of selfhood and world-experience, integrating insights from phenomenology, cognitive science, and philosophy of psychiatry.
Course format
This course is held on the UBC Vancouver campus. You attend class from 9am–12pm and university preparation workshops from 1:30–3pm, Monday through Friday. University preparation workshops prepare you for success at university and improve your chances of getting into the university and career of your choice.
Choose to live in a student residence on campus or commute daily to UBC Vancouver:
Commuter Option includes lunch in residence dining hall, Monday through Friday, and UBC Recreation Card.
Residence Option includes private room and full board, airport pick-up and drop-off, local medical insurance for all international students (and custodianship if required for visas), weeknight and weekend social activities (e.g., trips to Grouse Mountain, Granville Island and Robson Street), and UBC Recreation Card.
Cost details
|
Fees per two-week course (including workshops)* |
Residence option |
Commuter option |
|
International students |
$5,270 CAD |
$2,620 CAD |
|
Canadian students (including Permanent Residents) |
$4,590 CAD |
$1,940 CAD |
*All fees are subject to change
To register
A Family Account in UBC’s Lifelong Learning registration system is required to register for UBC Future Global Leaders on-campus.
After you add the course to your cart and go to check out, you’re asked to create a new Family Account or log in if you already have a Family Account.
A parent or guardian needs to set up the Family Account with their primary email address. After the account is created, the parent/guardian adds the student as a family member to their Family Account using the student’s primary email address (the student’s email address cannot be the same as the parent/guardian email address).
Add the student to the course session in your cart and complete the checkout process.
After completing the checkout process, and while logged into your Family Account, select New Application to access the FGL information package. Your registration is not final until the information package has been completed and submitted. You may partially complete the information package and return to it at any time within your Family Account.
If you are located in Russia, you will need a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create a Family Account, register for a course, fill out the information package and complete payment. If you do not have a VPN or need assistance, please contact us.