Introduction to Cognitive Science

Spring 2003

Course Texts:

Dawson: Understanding Cognitive Science

Clark: Mindware

phil6395.html

Course Requirements and Expectations:

There will be four in-class tests, a written preliminary project report, an oral project presentation and a final project. You will be expected to take all the tests and to attend each class.

Grading: Course project: 50-60%

Tests: 30-40%

Class attendance/participation: 10-20%

Course Goals:

The purpose of this course is to give students a systematic introduction to the fundamentals of cognitive science, the interdisciplinary study of the mind. It will do so by introducing students to the foundational notions of the field, and by acquainting them with some sample research projects. Students leaving the course should have a shared vocabulary and an acquaintance with some of the main foci of study.

Course Schedule:

Tues

Thurs

Week’s read’g

1/14 Jacobson: Introduction

Jacobson: Representations

D: 1&2;

C:1-29; 84-85

G: 1&2

1/21 Patel: Computationalism

Ogmen: Intro to Connectionism

D 3

C 4

G 3

1/28 Ogmen: Intro to Connectionism

Discussion

D 66-69; 85-101

C 2

G 7

2/4 Test

Jansen

D 5

C 3

2/11 Jansen

discussion of tests, project, Dawson

D 5-6

C 5

2/18 projects

Jacobson

C 6

2/25 Jacobson

TEST