The goal of this course is to develop an understanding of introspection and its relation to inner speech. Both phenomena (or practices, if you prefer) are relevant for a philosophical investigation of language and mind. For example, judgments of sentence acceptability are likely to be grasped via introspection, and introspective analysis of linguistic sentences often relies on inner speech. However, despite their superficial definitions, the notions of “introspection” and “inner speech” need to be thoroughly scrutinized. This course aims to provide a keen explanatory framework for these concepts.

Introspection and inner speech are two related cognitive processes that play significant roles in understanding the mind and language. Introspection refers to the process of examining and reflecting on one's own thoughts, feelings, and mental states. It is a self-observation technique used to gain insight into one's inner experiences. Introspection allows individuals to analyze their cognitive processes, understand their emotions, and evaluate their behavior from an internal perspective.

Inner speech, also known as internal monologue or self-talk, is the silent, verbal dialogue that occurs within a person's mind. It is the process of thinking in words and sentences, as if speaking to oneself. Inner speech is a tool for self-regulation, problem-solving, planning, and reflection. It helps individuals organize their thoughts, make decisions, and process information.

On one hand, introspection relies on inner speech to articulate and explore thoughts and feelings. When individuals engage in introspection, they often use inner speech to verbalize their reflections and gain clarity. On the other hand, inner speech facilitates introspection by providing a medium for self-talk, enabling individuals to examine their internal states more clearly.

Introspection involves cognitive processes that are mediated by inner speech. For instance, when evaluating one's emotions or analyzing a past event, individuals often use inner speech to structure their thoughts and articulate their insights. Inner speech aids in cognitive processing by transforming abstract thoughts into linguistic form, making them more accessible for introspective examination.

Finally, introspection helps in making judgments and decisions by allowing individuals to reflect on their beliefs, values, and preferences. Inner speech plays a crucial role in this process by enabling internal dialogue and reasoning.

In summary, introspection and inner speech are interrelated cognitive processes that enable individuals to reflect on their thoughts and emotions, formulate judgments and make decisions, and contribute to philosophical and psychological understandings of the mind and language. A thorough analysis and explanation of these topics are the contents of this course.

Bibliographical references for the course

Gregory, D. 2017: Inner Speech. A philosophical analysis, unpublished Ph. D. thesis, available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320099624_Inner_Speech_A_Philosophical_Analysis

Spener, M. 2024: Introspection: first person access in science and agency, Oxford University Press, Oxford (UK).

Other recent essays concerning the same topics will be suggested by the instructor during the course.

Teaching methods

Lectures, critical discussions about the texts under scrutiny, and comparisons of different opinions regarding specific subjects will be conducted in this course. The lecturer may assign readings, including additional ones, to define the topics of debate for the following lesson. Additionally, students will be asked to introduce certain topics as interactive tasks among their assignments.

EVALUATION METHODS

Oral exam. 

The oral exam aims to evaluate the students' expressive competence and their understanding of the course content. Special emphasis will be given to the students' autonomy in critically assessing the topics covered. This aspect of competence will also be evaluated during the lectures, based on the students' participation in the debate on relevant issues, which may contribute up to 25% of the final score. Each student must submit a short paper (minimum 3 pages, 5400 characters, maximum 7 pages, 12,600 characters) at least one week before the exam. The topics for the paper will be agreed upon with the instructor.

During the concluding oral examination, the students will discuss both the submitted paper and the course contents, including those covered in the lectures and the textbooks. The assigned readings for the course are Gregory 2017 and Spener 2024, along with additional texts to be assigned by the instructor throughout the course.

For non-attending students, there is an additional requirement. They must study and critically discuss one or more essays/articles, which will be agreed upon with the instructor, to compensate for their absence during the course.

Final score, so defined: 50% relative to the competence of the topics discussed in the lectures and the assigned readings; 25% relative to the submitted paper and its argumentation; 25% relative to the participation of the students during the course.

Criteria for the evaluation of the exam proof

Cum Laude (30 e lode): Excellent performance, both in knowledge and critical and expressive articulation.

30 (Ottimo): Outstanding performance, comprehensive knowledge, well-structured and correctly expressed, with some critical insights.

27-29 (Buono): Good performance, extensive and satisfactory knowledge, substantially correct expression.

24-26 (Discreto): Fair performance, knowledge present in essential points but not exhaustive, and not always articulated with correctness.

21-23 (Sufficiente): Sufficient performance, knowledge sometimes superficial but a general understanding of the subject matter is evident. Expression and articulation are lacking and often inappropriate.

18-21 (Appena Sufficiente): Barely sufficient performance, knowledge is present but superficial, and the general understanding of the subject matter is not consistently demonstrated. Expression and articulation of ideas are also lacking, with significant gaps.

<18 (Insufficiente): Insufficient performance, knowledge is absent or severely lacking, lack of orientation in the discipline, poor and severely deficient expression. Exam not passed.