This class will be on the foundations of cognitive science. The course will revolve around the following main themes: (i) What are the empirical and philosophical advantages and disadvantages of the major ways of modeling the "mind as a computer", i.e., as an information processing system? (ii) How should we characterize the computational processes and representations of the mind? Is there a language of thought, i.e., a representational system that enables ‘thinking’ and if so, what are its basic architectural properties? Does the language of thought differ across cognitive domains such as linguistic vs spatial cognition? (iii) What can we learn about the computational architecture of the mind, and the properties of the language(s) of thought, from recent debates between Rationalist vs. Empiricist accounts of human learning both in general and across specific domains such as acquisition of natural languages, numerical knowledge, and intuitive' physics, and from recent developments of LLMs?
<aside> 💡 Many of these debates have a rich tradition in the philosophy of cognitive science, and have been shaped by ‘classics’ that, for good reason, are canonically read and taught on this topic. At the same time, recent years have seen an uptick of exciting work on foundational questions in the philosophy of cognitive science by junior philosophers and cognitive scientists. The aim of this class is, on the one hand, to give students a profound understanding of many of the classical debates and issues in the philosophy of cognitive science, especially since philosophy of cognitive science classes aren’t taught too often in pre-PhD curricula. On the other hand, a focus of the class is on highlighting new work and developments on these foundational questions and evaluate the extent to which these new developments have shed new light on these classical debates.
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For each seminar, draft a one page (500 words maximum) reflection piece that (i) develops at least one important criticism of a paper; (ii) isolates a point or idea in the paper as important, astute, worth developing; and (iii) presents a question you want greater clarity on or that has been bypassed within the dialectic. Send it to us before midnight the night before the seminar. These pieces will not be formally graded, but will be distributed to others taking the course. You may skip two submissions for any reason. But you must turn in one prior to each of the other seminars to receive a grade in the course.
Students will give two presentations:
The term paper should be between 4,000 to 6,000 words. You can choose any topic in the course, including the topic that you did your presentation on. The paper should include both exposition of a theory, but also critical engagement. This can be either presenting novel considerations/evidence to support a theory, or theoretical modification or reconstruction of parts of a theory.
Academic Integrity: Each student in this course is expected to abide by The University of Massachusetts Amherst Academic Honesty Policy.
Accommodations for students with disabilities: The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to making reasonable, effective and appropriate accommodations to meet the needs of students with disabilities and help create a barrier-free campus. If you have a documented disability on file with Disability Services (www.umass.edu/disability),) you may be eligible for reasonable accommodations in this course. If your disability requires an accommodation, please notify the instructor as early as possible in the course so that we may make arrangements in a timely manner.
Inclusivity statement: Our members represent a rich variety of backgrounds and perspectives. The Philosophy Department is committed to providing an atmosphere for learning that respects such diversity. While working together to build this community we ask all members to: (i) share their unique experiences, values and beliefs, (ii) be open to the views of others, (iii) honor the uniqueness of their colleagues, (iv) appreciate the opportunity that we have to learn from each other in this community, (v) value each other’s opinions and communicate in a respectful manner (vi) keep confidential discussions that the community has of a personal (or professional) nature,(vii) use this opportunity together to discuss ways in which we can create an inclusive environment in this course and across the UMass Amherst community.
Class Attendance Policy: Students are expected to attend classes regularly. Unless requested by UMass Amherst Disabilities Services, or consulted with the instructor before hand, the use of computers, phones, and tablets is not allowed in class, except for presentations, notes, etc. This requirement is not intended to be punitive, but rather to aid your understanding and the understanding of those around you of the content of Lectures and Discussions.