Current debate in cognitive science, from robotics to analysis of vision, deals with problems like the perception of form, the structure and formation of mental images and their modelling, the ecological development of artificial intelligence, and cognitive analysis of natural language. It focuses in particular on the presence of a hierarchy of intellectual constructions in different formats of representation. These diverse approaches, which share a common assumption of the inner nature of representation, call for a new epistemology - even a new psychophysics - based on a theory of reference which is intrinsically cognitive. As a contribution to contemporary research, the reading presents the core of theories developed in Central Europe between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by philosophers, physicists, psychologists and semanticists who shared a dynamic approach and a pronounced concern with problems of interaction and dependence. These theories offer innovative solutions to some of the epistemological and philosophical problems currently at the centre of debate, like part-whole, theory of relations, and conceptual and linguistic categorization.

Cognitive Design for Artificial Minds explains the crucial role that human cognition research plays in the design and realization of artificial intelligence systems, illustrating the steps necessary for the design of artificial models of cognition. It bridges the gap between the theoretical, experimental, and technological issues addressed in the context of AI of cognitive inspiration and computational cognitive science. Beginning with an overview of the historical, methodological, and technical issues in the field of cognitively inspired artificial intelligence, Lieto illustrates how the cognitive design approach has an important role to play in the development of intelligent AI technologies and plausible computational models of cognition. Introducing a unique perspective that draws upon Cybernetics and early AI principles, Lieto emphasizes the need for an equivalence between cognitive processes and implemented AI procedures, in order to realize biologically and cognitively inspired artificial minds. He also introduces the Minimal Cognitive Grid, a pragmatic method to rank the different degrees of biological and cognitive accuracy of artificial systems in order to project and predict their explanatory power with respect to the natural systems taken as a source of inspiration. Providing a comprehensive overview of cognitive design principles in constructing artificial minds, this text will be essential reading for students and researchers of artificial intelligence and cognitive science.

Cognitive Psychology: Theory, Process, and Methodology introduces readers to the main topics of study in this exciting field through an engaging presentation of how cognitive processes have been and continue to be studied by researchers. Using a reader-friendly writing style and focusing on methodology, authors Dawn M. McBride and J. Cooper Cutting cover such core content as perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning and problem solving, and cognitive neuroscience. Updates to the Second Edition include a reorganization of long-term memory topics to improve readability, revised pedagogical tools throughout, a refreshed visual program, and additional real-life examples to enhance understanding.

Although consciousness is at the very center of who we are, its exact nature continues to confound modern science. From where does consciousness originate? At our core, are we material bodies or immaterial conscious minds? Many assume that consciousness is a product of our complex brains, a product of evolution—and yet, there is no evolutionary reason that a mechanical function of the brain should allow us to enjoy the beauty of a sunrise or become intoxicated with the smell of rain on dry earth. If consciousness is not the product of sophisticated human brains, might the nonhuman living world be conscious? If so, where does that place us in relation to the rest of life on Earth—and what does this imply about our domination and plundering of the natural world for resources? Dr. James Cooke is no stranger to intricate and existential questions such as these, and he confronts them head-on in his compelling, inventive, revolutionary new book, The Dawn of Mind. Weaving together cutting-edge science and the contemplative insights that arise from mystical experience, as occurs with meditation and the emerging therapeutic paradigm of psychedelic medicine, Cooke radically redraws our understanding of what it truly means to be who we are. Though Cooke approaches the question of consciousness from a rigorous, scientific stance, his first foray into the study of consciousness was an intensely personal one. On a bus ride through Colchester, the ancient Roman capital of Britain, Cooke spontaneously felt himself feeling intensely and fully connected with the natural world around him; his sense of self fell away entirely. This transcendent moment inspired years of scientific study and the contemplative exploration of personal mystical experiences, leading Cooke to a stunning revelation: our sense of self is not an objective fact but an illusion, a survival technique we use to try and find order in a disorderly world. We each construct a boundary between ourselves and the natural world, constantly simulating what will happen around us in order to survive and navigate our surroundings. (Consider this: how long would you make it if you were crossing a busy street and only reacted to an oncoming car reflexively, once you felt its touch on your skin?) Unlike the self, however, consciousness is no such illusion, and is the product of the very same survival process – it is the simulation in which our sense of self appears. Of course, we aren’t the only creatures who function in this way. According to Cooke, consciousness is not complex brain function that only we possess but a deeply embodied phenomenon, an essential feature of being a living thing. Sure, we aren’t conscious in the same way as a tree or a worm, but as living things we are all conscious; just maybe, this notion of our dominion over all other life on earth was a ruse all along. Understanding consciousness in this way is not just some theoretical exercise. As climate change amplifies by the day, a growing chorus of voices insists that our fundamental disconnect from nature is at the root of our ecological crisis. Healing the divide between nature and consciousness may be the key to extricating ourselves from this dire predicament.

The development of cognitive science is one of the most remarkable and fascinating intellectual achievements of the modern era. It brings together psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, computing, philosophy, linguistics, and anthropology in the project of understanding the mind by modelling its workings. Oxford University Press now presents a masterful history of cognitive science, told by one of its most eminent practitioners.

Cognitive Psychology: Theory, Process, and Methodology engages students in the key topics of study by making connections to situations and encounters in their day-to-day lives. Employing a student-friendly and personal writing style, with a focus on methodology, Dawn M. McBride, J. Cooper, and new coauthor Corinne Zimmerman, cover essential topics such as perception, attention, memory, language, reasoning and problem solving, and cognitive neuroscience. Updates to the Third Edition include a reorganization of core chapters, new research and citations, a new chapter on cognitive development, and a fully executed plan to include more diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout. This title is accompanied by a complete teaching and learning package. Contact your SAGE representative to request a demo. Digital Option / Courseware SAGE Vantage is an intuitive digital platform that delivers this text’s content and course materials in a learning experience that offers auto-graded assignments and interactive multimedia tools, all carefully designed to ignite student engagement and drive critical thinking. Built with you and your students in mind, it offers simple course set-up and enables students to better prepare for class. Learn more. Assignable Video with Assessment Assignable video (available with SAGE Vantage) is tied to learning objectives and curated exclusively for this text to bring concepts to life. Watch a sample video now. LMS Cartridge: Import this title’s instructor resources into your school’s learning management system (LMS) and save time. Don’t use an LMS? You can still access all of the same online resources for this title via the password-protected Instructor Resource Site. Learn more.