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School of Engineering and Informatics (for staff and students)

Philosophical Foundations of COGS (C8808)

Philosophical Foundations of Cognitive Science

Module C8808

Module details for 2023/24.

15 credits

FHEQ Level 5

Module Outline

This module examines various philosophical foundational issues in cognitive science by focussing on the nature and role of computation and representation in cognitive scientific explanations. In particular, the module asks the question: can our everyday way of understanding the mind, in terms of beliefs, desires and intentions, serve as a foundation for a scientific understanding of mind? The module then analyses various answers that have been given to this question.

Library

Clark, A. (2001) Mindware: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Cognitive Science. OUP.

Module learning outcomes

Describe the way(s) in which cognitive science aims to integrate the mind into the natural world.

Critically discuss the relative merits of representational and non-representational accounts of cognition.

Synthesise arguments for, and counterarguments to, the elimination of the propositional attitudes from a science of the mind.

Explain the relative merits of symbolic and sub-symbolic accounts of cognition.

TypeTimingWeighting
Coursework30.00%
Coursework components. Weighted as shown below.
EssayT1 Week 7 100.00%
Computer Based ExamSemester 1 Assessment70.00%
Timing

Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.

Weighting

Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.

TermMethodDurationWeek pattern
Autumn SemesterLecture1 hour11111111111
Autumn SemesterSeminar1 hour11111111111

How to read the week pattern

The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.

Dr Simon Bowes

Assess convenor
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