CGSC 1001 Lecture 5: The Fields that Compose Cognitive Science
23 Oct 2016
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Document Summary
Broadly interested in cognitive functioning, even when it is erroneous. Methods: laboratory experimentation, statistical analysis, computer cognitive modeling. May use animals to better understand the human mind. Subfields relevant to cognitive science: cognitive psychology; human factors/human-computer interaction; evolutionary psychology; Critiques: not enough model building; dustbowl empiricism (not enough theory, there are no theoretical psychologists. They are just running methods and testing without asking important questions); Methodologically limited (cognitive science is possible because psychology won"t innovate to embrace the methods o the other fields); they underestimate the complexity of language. Subject matter: usually large questions, what our concepts mean, very broad thinking. Subject matter: how mental processes can work on machines and how computers can effectively interact with humans. Subfields: artificial intelligence (create and understand mental systems); Human-computer interaction (designing computer interfaces that humans can effectively use). Critiques: insufficiently concerned with natural intelligence; they are overly optimistic about the future of artificial intelligence.
