MEDSCI 100G Human Mind and Body Relationships
Description
Humans share with other living things the features of physical self-generation and adaptation to the environment. Humans also live in a mental (mind) world and maintain relationships with our perceived environments. Minds and bodies mutually affect one another. This mind/body dance, which is explored in this course, is what gives rise to all of human behaviour from simple daily activities to the highest forms of creativity.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Recognise how we perceive and distinguish things in our world using our senses, our expectations and our explanations.
- Describe and discuss the components that make up living things and the way they are organised to remain living.
- Understand and explain how our musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, digestive and nervous systems work within our bodies to keep us alive in our ever-changing environments.
- Critically reflect on on what it means to have a sense of self and what aspects of our lives might have contributed to the development of each of our particular selves.
- Describe, analyse and consider the role of other people in the development of our own minds and the degree to which events in our lives affect how our bodies function and how we think, feel and behave.
- Understand and explain how our expectations affect how medicines and even life events affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviours in phenomena such as placebo and nocebo effects.
- Critically reflect on the fact that because humans are a social species, each of us has an impact on the minds and bodies of those we interact with and consider how knowing this can help us live together more constructively.
Student Feedback
“The course was fascinating and stimulating. Well worth it.”
“Very enjoyable. I would recommend it to just about anyone.”
“It has made me want to take other subjects associated with it in my degree.”
“Made me really think about what we were learning.”
“The lecturers are really enthusiastic about their job which is the best thing – I love 'em!”
“The course helped me broaden my view.”
“Extremely interesting and stimulating and helped me in the field of my degree.”