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    Overview

    Humans uniquely are the big-brained animals with language. Explore what language is, how your mind makes it happen, and thereby what it means to be human.

    Soon we will talk to artificial minds: Minds that were created by human design, not natural evolution. In this paper, we will take perspectives from neuroscience, biological anthropology, literary studies, and computer science all to understand human language and, thereby, humans. What does our language ability tell us about how our minds differ from those artificial ones? 

    About this paper

    Paper title Language, Brain, and Being Human
    Subject Linguistics
    EFTS 0.1500
    Points 18 points
    Teaching period(s) Semester 2 (Distance learning)
    Semester 2 (On campus)
    Domestic Tuition Fees ( NZD ) $981.75
    International Tuition Fees Tuition Fees for international students are elsewhere on this website.
    Restriction
    LING 240
    Schedule C
    Arts and Music
    Contact

    hunter.hatfield@otago.ac.nz

    Teaching staff

    Dr Hunter Hatfield

    Textbooks

    All course materials available online.

    Graduate Attributes Emphasised
    Interdisciplinary perspective, Scholarship, Communication, Critical thinking, Teamwork.
    View more information about Otago's graduate attributes.
    Learning Outcomes
    • Summarise arguments from complex resources
    • Differentiate theories of the human mind and language
    • Propose a model of the human language faculty
    • Assess and evaluate competing theories of language evolution

    Timetable

    Semester 2

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught through Distance Learning
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Semester 2

    Location
    Dunedin
    Teaching method
    This paper is taught On Campus
    Learning management system
    Blackboard

    Lecture

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend
    A1 Tuesday 14:00-14:50 29-35, 37-42
    Thursday 14:00-14:50 29-35, 37-42

    Tutorial

    Stream Days Times Weeks
    Attend one stream from
    A1 Monday 14:00-14:50 30-31, 33-35, 38-39, 41
    A2 Monday 15:00-15:50 30-31, 33-35, 38-39, 41
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