Undergraduate | PNP at Washington University in St. Louis

why pnp?

Many questions...

Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology (PNP) is an interdisciplinary program that provides an opportunity to examine the mind from multiple perspectives. If you choose to major in PNP, you will learn to bring some of the newest findings in science to bear on some of the oldest questions in philosophy; equally important, you will see new questions emerge and learn to pursue those as well. Examples include: Is the mind-brain a single entity, or does mind involve something beyond what the brain does? What assumptions are made by cognitive psychologists when they divide mental activity into separate processes and use response times or other measures of task performance to describe those processes? What assumptions are made by neuroscientists when they use imaging techniques to determine where in the brain a cognitive process processes is carried out? What are we to make of Chomsky's claim that language is an innate "mental organ" designed to generate an infinite number of sentences? As a PNP major you will seek answers to questions such as these in courses offered by PNP's affiliated departments.

Students can choose between two tracks in the PNP major. Students interested in the biological underpinnings of the mind can choose the Cognitive Neuroscience (CN) track, which integrates the study of higher brain functioning with behavioral research directed at understanding activities such as perceiving, attending, remembering, and acting. The Language, Cognition and Culture (LCC) track addresses the importance of language in human cognition, and the integration of cognition with one's cultural environment. The final stage in the PNP major is the depth requirement, which involves consolidating the knowledge and skills gained in your chosen track. It is highly recommended that students undertake a capstone experience as part of the depth requirement. This will allow students to engage in an independent project or study that will draw together different strands of the major, or allow for a deeper study of a particular area.