Agenda
Pomona College
LCS 11: Cognitive Science
Introduction
Jesse A. Harris
January 23, 2013
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What is cognitive science?
Overview of information processing in cognitive science
Overview of the course topics
Syllabus and expectations
Course structure and website
Questionnaires
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The mind is like a . . .
Cognitive science
A modern, interdisciplinary approach to a set of age-old
questions:
1. What is the mind?
2. How is the mind structured?
3. What is thought? Intelligence? Consciousness?
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The mind is like a . . .
Computational-representational understanding
of mind (CRUM)
Central hypothesis of cognitive science:
“Thinking can be best understood in terms of representational
structures in the mind and computational procedures that
operate on those structures.” (Thagard, 2005)
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Representations and processes
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Representation: The violin
was mentally represented.
Processes: The violin was
rotated mentally.
• Some cognitive procedure was
applied to the representation
and yielded another
representation.
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Representations
The famous pipe. How people reproached
me for it! And yet, could you stuff my pipe?
No, it’s just a representation, is it not? So if I
had written on my picture "This is a pipe,"
I’d have been lying!
Torczyner, Harry. Magritte: Ideas and Images. 1979. p. 71.
René Margrite, 1928-29, The Treachery of Images
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Computational-representational understanding
of mind (CRUM)
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Representations
Representations
1.
2.
3.
4.
Central hypothesis of cognitive science:
“Thinking can be best understood in terms of representational
structures in the mind and computational procedures that
operate on those structures.” (Thagard, 2005)
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Picture-like images (Locke and associationists)
Data structures (by analogy with computer)
Language-like propositional units (from philosophy)
Patterns of neural activation (by analogy with brain)
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Processes
Processes
1. Operations on representations
2. Manipulation
3. Algorithm
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Recollection test
1. How many stops between 181 St and Lincoln Center on
the 1?
2. Where would I transfer from the F to the 6?
3. What is the northernmost stop on the 4?
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Numbers
Which is bigger?
Can symbolize numbers in a variety of ways
Prisoner’s tally
XII
Roman numeral
12
Arabic numeral
1100
Binary numeral
XXXXXXXXXXXX Prisoner’s tally
Jesse A. Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Introduction
XXX
XXXXX
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Which is bigger?
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Which is bigger?
Arabic numerals
Roman numerals
35
53
MCXXX
DCCLI
Question 1
Note
What kinds of process were used in the previous problems?
Why should different types of representations of seemingly
require different kinds of processes?
MCXXX = 1000 + 100 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 1,130
DCCLI = 500 + 100 + 100 + 50 + 1 = 751
Question 2
What does this have to do with the mind anyway?
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Computational-representational understanding
of mind (CRUM)
The cognitive hexagram
Central hypothesis of cognitive science:
“Thinking can be best understood in terms of representational
structures in the mind and computational procedures that
operate on those structures.” (Thagard, 2005)
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What unites these disciplines?
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Levels of analysis
A set of shared commitments:
1. A set of research questions;
2. A set of research methods, even if they vary;
3. A set of common hypotheses, models, and theories under
consideration; and
4. A set of data or empirical findings gathered by the
methods.
Multiple levels of analysis required to understand the mind in
information processing terms (Marr, 1982):
1. Computational level: What kinds of things can the mind
do?
2. Representational level: What sorts of representations and
processes are employed by the mind?
3. Physical level: How is the mind physically realized?
What is Cognitive Science? ∼ von Eckardt 1993
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Assessment
Group questions (20%)
GQs raise issues meant to provoke close reading of the text
and thoughtful answers to spark group discussion.
Class is organizes around learning, rather than assessment,
but nevertheless . . .
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Group questions (GQs) 20%
Short response papers 40%
Final projects
40%
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GQ 1.1 from website
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Short response papers (40%)
How would you characterize what it means to be “conscious”
in intuitive terms? Try to use concrete examples. Consider the
following quote from Eagleman:
You will be asked to write 4 short responses to a reading or a
topic. They should not summarize the issue, but rather take a
concrete, defensible position within the span of 1 –2 pages.
Consciousness developed because was advantageous,
but only in limited amounts. (Eagleman, 2010: p. 6)
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Do you agree? What are some examples of the advantages
and disadvantages of consciousness?
Jesse A. Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Introduction
Randomly assigned groups of three for each module
Three DQs per module, each student (first responders)
must answer one assigned question online by 9PM the
night before class discussion.
Other two group members to read response before class
and come prepared for group discussion, formulating a
position (or disagreement) to be discussed as a class.
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Writing prompts will be provided on the webpage
Due two days after the module ends
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Final project (40%)
Course structure
Module 1: Decomposing the mind.
What can the mind do?
Module 2: Consciousness & Behavior.
What is intelligence and consciousness? How is
the mind like a computer?
Module 3: Memory.
How is information encoded, stored, and
retrieved? What types of memory are there?
Module 4: Language.
How is language represented and acquired? Is
language the same for all people and cultures?
Module 5: Vision.
How do we see what we see? What do illusions
tell us about vision?
The final project is scaffolded to help you make continual
progress throughout the term, starting with replication of
classic result.
Step 1: Prepare a paragraph on your interests and meet
with me by Friday, February 8.
Step 2: Choose group and replication.
Step 3: Present replication and classic study in class in a
5–10 minute presentation.
Step 4: Final paper (6–10 pp.) written independently, due
May 15 (seniors: May 6)
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Daily class sessions
Class sessions will vary as need be, but here is the basic
structure that I hope we adopt:
Part 1: Discussion of GQs or class reading
Part 2: Expansion of topic in class
Part 3: Preview of reading for next class
Course website:
http://pages.pomona.edu/∼jah24747/courses/lgcs11_s13/lgcs11_s13.html
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