A. Fundamentals

1. Science and Cognitive Science

The convergence of linguistics, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, philosophy, and biology on a unified account of  the representation-machine. Cognitive science and scientific metatheory. READING: Green, Chs. 1 & 2

2. Six Principles of Cognitive Science

Levels of explanation. Relations across levels. Inside/outside. Representation. Computation.  Architecture. READING: Sterelny, Representation and Computation (reserve)

B. Details of the Device

3. Computation

Physical devices and virtual machines. Learnability and computability. READING: von Eckhardt, The Computational Assumption (reserve); Green, Ch. 3;

4. Brain as Wetware

Brain and neuron structure and function. How we crash at our joints. Loss of representation vs. loss of access to representations. READING: None

5. Cognition

Limits of the information processor. Input devices. Kinds of memory. Kinds of mental content. Activities of the processor. READING: Review Green, Ch. 3

EXAMINATION #1

Course