95675 - Philosophy of Cognitive Science (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will acquire the most important epistemological, methodological and conceptual notions and knowledge related to the developments of cognitive science, both from an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary point of view at the intersection among philosophy of science, philosophy of mind, artificial intelligence, psychology and neuroscience, and as regards the different approaches to cognition, their evolution over time and the debate on the foundational aspects and philosophical implications arising from them.

Course contents

The course will address the main issues concerning cognitive science, both from a historical-theoretical point of view, and as regards the intertwining and connections with other disciplines connected to it or that are partially part of it. In particular, the issue of the gestation and birth of cognitive science, the status of cognitive science, the evolution of cognitive science in its phases will be dealt with. With regard to the latter, problems concerning the classical artificial intelligence, the connectionist artificial intelligence, the developments of robotics and more contemporary approaches to artificial intelligence will be addressed: all these developments will be treated from the point of view of cognitive science evolution, closely related to artificial intelligence, and with specific attention to the philosophical and epistemological aspects of the discipline. The connection between cognitive science and psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics, as well as the contemporary debate on the status of cognitive science, its methodologies, its ontologies and its scientific nature will also be treated from an epistemological point of view.

Within a constant philosophical framework of reference, the course will be divided into four parts of equivalent length:

1) Background and birth of cognitive science

2) Classical cognitive science (and related disciplines)

3) The new cognitive science (and related disciplines)

4) The relationship with other disciplines and the debate on the status of cognitive science.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory textbooks

J.L. Bermudez, Cognitive science. An introduction to the science of the mind, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2014.

A. Clark, Mindware: An introduction to the philosophy of cognitive science. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001.

 

Suggested readings:

M. Boden, Mind as Machine. A History of Cognitive Science, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 2 vols. 2006

R. Harré, Cognitive science. A Philosophical Introduction, Sage, London, 2002.

E. Margolis, R. Samuels, S.P Stich, (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of philosophy of cognitive science, Oxford University Press, USA, 2012.

L. Shapiro, Embodied Cognition, 2nd edition, Routledge, New York, 2019.

 

Further readings will be mentioned during the course.

One more book among suggested readings is mandatory for not attending students.

Teaching methods

Lectures. Debates on main topics. Personal or group presentations on a subject agreed with professor will be possible.

Classes will be in person.

Assessment methods

Student will be tested through an oral examination in which s/he will face general subjects of philosophy of cognitive science and specific subjects of fields involved in this disciplinary approach. The knowledge of the topics of the course and the capability of using them autonomously will be taken into consideration, together with the ability in producing personal remarks on the contents developed during the lessons. If it will be possible, students will be required to apply the main concepts in simple exercises.

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In particular, the achievement of the following targets will have a growing weight:

1) the completeness of the basic knowledge strictly connected to the program;

2) the appropriateness of the specific language;

3) the capability of personally re-using concepts learned during the course;

4) the capability to manage interdisciplinary reflections and argumentations;

5) the capability to apply the subjects to specific research cases and to produce autonomous and original remarks.

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1) and 2) are the lowest targets for the pass mark (18-22).

3) could give a fair evaluation, the more being so the less the learned knowledge will be mnemonic (23-26).

4) is for a good outcome (27-29).

5) is for an excellent one (30 or 30 with distinction).

 

Students with disabilities and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

 Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders have the right to special accommodations according to their condition, following an assessment by the Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD. Please do not contact the teacher but get in touch with the Service directly to schedule an appointment. It will be the responsibility of the Service to determine the appropriate adaptations. For more information, visit the page:

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Teaching tools

Slides and digital contents will be used during classes.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Bianchini