Cognitive Science: The Study of Cognitive Science: The Study of Cognition Cognition
What is Philosophy? What is Philosophy? Philos = Love of = Love of Philos Sophia = Wisdom Sophia = Wisdom Conceptual Analysis – – E.g. What is E.g. What is “ “Knowledge? Knowledge?” ” Conceptual Analysis “Justice “ Justice” ”?, ?, “ “Freedom Freedom” ”? Break down concept into simpler ? Break down concept into simpler parts. E.g. Knowledge = justified true belief. The earth is parts. E.g. Knowledge = justified true belief. The earth is flat vs vs the earth is round the earth is round flat Use of Logical Argument – – Deduction: All Deduction: All men are mortal, men are mortal, Use of Logical Argument Socrates is a man. Therefore Socrates is mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore Socrates is mortal. Induction: Every swan I’ ’ve seen has been white. ve seen has been white. Induction: Every swan I Therefore all swans are white. Therefore all swans are white. Use of “ “Gedanken Gedanken” ”(thought (thought)/intuition-experiments )/intuition-experiments Use of Applied to study of mental phenomena = Philosophy of Applied to study of mental phenomena = Philosophy of Mind Mind
Philosophy of Mind Philosophy of Mind (Some Topics) (Some Topics) What are Mental States? What are Mental States? How does the brain represent the world? How does the brain represent the world? What is consciousness? What is consciousness? Can consciousness be explained? Can consciousness be explained? Can machines think? Can machines think? Are the mind and body separate? Are the mind and body separate?
Mind-Body problem: Mind-Body problem: Dualism Dualism DUALISTS believe that mind & brain are DUALISTS believe that mind & brain are different kinds of substances, existing different kinds of substances, existing independently, but interacting (popular independently, but interacting (popular among non-scientists) among non-scientists) Rene Descartes (17 Rene Descartes (17 th th century century philosopher and mathematician) philosopher and mathematician) proposed that mind and brain interact in proposed that mind and brain interact in the pineal gland the pineal gland
Descartes’ ’ Arguments For Dualism Arguments For Dualism Descartes Argument #1 Argument #1 Body is by nature extended. Mind is by its Body is by nature extended. Mind is by its nature non-extended nature non-extended Two things that have contradictory main Two things that have contradictory main properties must be distinct. properties must be distinct. Therefore, Mind and Body are distinct Therefore, Mind and Body are distinct
Descartes’ ’ Arguments (cont.) Arguments (cont.) Descartes Argument #2 – – Short Version Short Version Argument #2 I can know with certainty the contents of I can know with certainty the contents of my mind. my mind. I cannot know with certainty the properties I cannot know with certainty the properties of external objects (bodies). of external objects (bodies). Therefore, Mind and Body are distinct Therefore, Mind and Body are distinct
Descartes’ ’ Method of Doubt Method of Doubt Descartes Begin by doubting everything that is Begin by doubting everything that is dubitable in any way in order to arrive at dubitable in any way in order to arrive at certainty certainty Try to build up certain knowledge from Try to build up certain knowledge from there there Called “ “Foundationalism Foundationalism” ” – – an an Called epistemological theory that requires all epistemological theory that requires all knowledge to be based on certainty and knowledge to be based on certainty and logical conclusions from indubitable logical conclusions from indubitable premises. premises.
Method of Doubt (Cont.) Method of Doubt (Cont.) Can I be sure my senses Can I be sure my senses provide me with accurate provide me with accurate information? information? Can I know that I’ ’m not m not Can I know that I dreaming right now? dreaming right now? Can I know that I’ ’m not a m not a Can I know that I disembodied brain in a disembodied brain in a vat? vat? Throws into doubt the Throws into doubt the entire external world, entire external world, including body (and brain) including body (and brain)
Method of Doubt (Cont.) Method of Doubt (Cont.) Evil Demon Argument Evil Demon Argument How do I know that I’ ’m not being m not being How do I know that I consistently fooled by a malevolent consistently fooled by a malevolent demon? demon? Even mathematical/logical statements Even mathematical/logical statements could be false could be false 2+2 really = 7! Squares have five sides! 2+2 really = 7! Squares have five sides!
What we know for sure What we know for sure Even if I’ ’m being fooled. Even if I m being fooled. Even if I’ ’m dreaming, m dreaming, Even if I there is something that is being fooled and there is something that is being fooled and something that is dreaming. something that is dreaming. The thing that THINKS exists. Cannot doubt The thing that THINKS exists. Cannot doubt that, or be fooled into thinking that I exist. To that, or be fooled into thinking that I exist. To doubt, to be fooled, is to think. doubt, to be fooled, is to think. “Cogito Ergo Sum Cogito Ergo Sum” ” = = “ “I think therefore I am I think therefore I am” ” “ I can know with certainty the way things seem to I can know with certainty the way things seem to me to be me to be
The Thinker (Cognizer Cognizer) ) The Thinker ( "But what am I then? A thinking being. What is a thinking being? A being which doubts, which understands, which conceives, which affirms, which denies, which wills, which rejects, which imagines also, and which perceives."
Alternatives to Dualism (“ “Monism Monism” ”) ) Alternatives to Dualism ( – e.g. e.g. Physicalism Physicalism – Dualism – – Mental state x, e.g. Pain = property Mental state x, e.g. Pain = property Dualism of immaterial mind substance. Doesn’ ’t get t get of immaterial mind substance. Doesn you very far scientifically! you very far scientifically! Identity Theory – – Mental state x = Brain state Mental state x = Brain state Identity Theory x. (e.g. Pain = c-fibers firing) Analogy: Water x. (e.g. Pain = c-fibers firing) Analogy: Water = H2O = H2O Eliminativism -- --“ “Folk Psychological Folk Psychological” ” terms terms Eliminativism such as belief, desire, feeling of pain, etc. such as belief, desire, feeling of pain, etc. don’ ’t point to anything real, and should be t point to anything real, and should be don eliminated from our language. Like eliminated from our language. Like “phlogiston phlogiston” ” – – 17 17 th th century theory of century theory of “ combustion. combustion.
Behaviorism Behaviorism Behaviorism – – All thinking and feeling is All thinking and feeling is Behaviorism behavior. Mental state x = Behavioral state x. behavior. Mental state x = Behavioral state x. (e.g. Pain = Touching hot stove flinching and flinching and (e.g. Pain = Touching hot stove saying “ “ouch) -- stimulus/response pairings ouch) -- stimulus/response pairings saying When we attribute a mental state to someone, When we attribute a mental state to someone, we are not saying that he or she is in a particular we are not saying that he or she is in a particular internal state or condition. Instead, we are internal state or condition. Instead, we are characterizing the person in terms of what he or characterizing the person in terms of what he or she might do in particular situations or she might do in particular situations or environmental interactions. environmental interactions. Testable and amenable to experimentation Testable and amenable to experimentation
Problems with the alternatives Problems with the alternatives Identity Theory: Only Identity Theory: Only biological beings like biological beings like us with brains like us with brains like ours can have mental ours can have mental states. states. Behaviorism: I/O Behaviorism: I/O states do not account states do not account for all mentality – – for all mentality seems to define seems to define mental states out of mental states out of existence existence
Functionalism Functionalism 4. Functionalism – –Mental state x = functional state x. I/ Mental state x = functional state x. I/Int Int/O /O 4. Functionalism state (e.g. Pain = hot stove regret and worry about regret and worry about state (e.g. Pain = hot stove hand flinching and saying flinching and saying “ “ouch ouch” ”) ) hand Multiple realizability realizability – – e.g. clocks e.g. clocks – – function of telling time function of telling time Multiple can be realized in many different ways. Analog watch, can be realized in many different ways. Analog watch, digital clock, sundial. digital clock, sundial. A.I. is based on this theory: Brain is hardware – – mind is mind is A.I. is based on this theory: Brain is hardware program – – same program can run on different platforms. same program can run on different platforms. program Consequence of the theory: Computers can have minds – – Consequence of the theory: Computers can have minds just need to instantiate right function. just need to instantiate right function.
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