The Epistemic Role of Core Cognition
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In Defense of Massive Modularity
3 In Defense of Massive Modularity Dan Sperber In October 1990, a psychologist, Susan Gelman, and three anthropolo- gists whose interest in cognition had been guided and encouraged by Jacques Mehler, Scott Atran, Larry Hirschfeld, and myself, organized a conference on “Cultural Knowledge and Domain Specificity” (see Hirsch- feld and Gelman, 1994). Jacques advised us in the preparation of the conference, and while we failed to convince him to write a paper, he did play a major role in the discussions. A main issue at stake was the degree to which cognitive development, everyday cognition, and cultural knowledge are based on dedicated do- main-specific mechanisms, as opposed to a domain-general intelligence and learning capacity. Thanks in particular to the work of developmental psychologists such as Susan Carey, Rochel Gelman, Susan Gelman, Frank Keil, Alan Leslie, Jacques Mehler, Elizabeth Spelke (who were all there), the issue of domain-specificity—which, of course, Noam Chomsky had been the first to raise—was becoming a central one in cognitive psychol- ogy. Evolutionary psychology, represented at the conference by Leda Cosmides and John Tooby, was putting forward new arguments for seeing human cognition as involving mostly domain- or task-specific evolved adaptations. We were a few anthropologists, far from the main- stream of our discipline, who also saw domain-specific cognitive pro- cesses as both constraining and contributing to cultural development. Taking for granted that domain-specific dispositions are an important feature of human cognition, three questions arise: 1. To what extent are these domain-specific dispositions based on truly autonomous mental mechanisms or “modules,” as opposed to being 48 D. -
The Idea of Universality in Linguistics and Human Rights
The Idea of Universality in Linguistics and Human Rights SPEAKER: Noam Chomsky Institute Professor; Professor of Linguistics SPEAKER: Elizabeth S. Spelke Professor of Psychology Co- Director, Mind, Brain, and Behavior Inter-faculty Initiative, Harvard University. The Idea of SPEAKERS: Universality in Noam Chomsky: Institute Professor; Professor of Linguistics Linguistics and Human Rights Elizabeth S. Spelke: Professor of Psychology Co-Director, Noam Chomsky Mind, Brain, and Behavior Inter-faculty Initiative, Harvard March 15,2005 University. Time 00:57:13 ABOUT THE LECTURE: If humans have a common, in-born capacity for language, and Audio Only: for such complex behaviors as morality, might the faculties be QuickTime – 28MB somehow linked? Noam Chomsky perceives a mere thread of MP3 - 70MB a connection. At breakneck speed, Chomsky leads us through Audio and Video: a history of language theory, concluding with the revolutionary QuickTime - 371MB model he championed: a universal grammar underpinning all WindowsMedia - 313MB languages that corresponds to an innate capacity of the human RealVideo - 101MB brain. While scientists may now have a “clearer grasp of the universals of language,” says Chomsky, notions of universality grow murky as we move “into domains of will, choice and judgment.” Chomsky cites the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights as one example of “broad cross-cultural consensus.” But he brandishes examples of how “our moral and intellectual culture….forcefully rejects universal moral judgments” -- such as continued U.S. -
Pre´Cis of the Origin of Concepts
BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES (2011) 34, 113–167 doi:10.1017/S0140525X10000919 Pre´cis of The Origin of Concepts Susan Carey Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 [email protected] Abstract: A theory of conceptual development must specify the innate representational primitives, must characterize the ways in which the initial state differs from the adult state, and must characterize the processes through which one is transformed into the other. The Origin of Concepts (henceforth TOOC) defends three theses. With respect to the initial state, the innate stock of primitives is not limited to sensory, perceptual, or sensorimotor representations; rather, there are also innate conceptual representations. With respect to developmental change, conceptual development consists of episodes of qualitative change, resulting in systems of representation that are more powerful than, and sometimes incommensurable with, those from which they are built. With respect to a learning mechanism that achieves conceptual discontinuity, I offer Quinian bootstrapping. TOOC concludes with a discussion of how an understanding of conceptual development constrains a theory of concepts. Keywords: bootstrapping; concept; core cognition; developmental discontinuity; innate primitive 1. Introduction determines the content of any given mental symbol (i.e., what determines which concept it is, what determines The human conceptual repertoire is a unique phenom- the symbol’s meaning). (In the context of theories of enon, posing a formidable challenge to the disciplines of mental or linguistic symbols, I take “content” to be the cognitive sciences. How are we to account for the roughly synonymous with “meaning.”) The theory must human capacity to create concepts such as electron, also specify how it is that concepts may function in cancer, infinity, galaxy, and wisdom? thought, by virtue of what they combine to form prop- A theory of conceptual development must have three ositions and beliefs, and how they function in inferential components. -
Read the Full PDF
The Science on Women and Science The Science on Women and Science Christina Hoff Sommers Editor The AEI Press Publisher for the American Enterprise Institute WASHINGTON, D.C. Distributed to the Trade by National Book Network, 15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214. To order call toll free 1-800-462-6420 or 1-717-794-3800. For all other inquiries please contact the AEI Press, 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 or call 1-800-862-5801. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data The science on women and science / Christina Hoff Sommers, editor. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN-13: 978-0-8447-4281-6 ISBN-10: 0-8447-4281-3 1. Women in science. 2. Sex discrimination against women. 3. Sex differences in education. I. Sommers, Christina Hoff. Q130.S364 2009 2009022004 13 12 11 10 09 1 2 3 4 5 © 2009 by the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without permission in writing from the American Enterprise Institute except in the case of brief quotations embodied in news articles, critical articles, or reviews. The views expressed in the publications of the American Enterprise Institute are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff, advisory panels, officers, or trustees of AEI. Printed in the United States of America Contents INTRODUCTION: THE SCIENCE ON WOMEN IN SCIENCE, Christina Hoff Sommers 1 Notes 5 References 6 1WHY SO FEW WOMEN IN MATH AND SCIENCE? Simon Baron-Cohen 7 Sex Differences in the General Population 11 Female Advantage in Empathy 15 Culture and Biology 18 Conclusions 18 Notes 20 References 21 2GENDER, MATH, AND SCIENCE, Elizabeth S. -
Moira Rose (Molly) Dillon
Moira Rose Dillon Department of Psychology, New York University, 6 Washington Place, New York, NY 10003 Email – [email protected] Departmental Website – http://as.nyu.edu/psychology/people/faculty.Moira-Dillon.html Lab Website – https://www.labdevelopingmind.com Employment New York University New York, NY Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences (July 2017-present) Concurrent Positions New York University New York, NY Faculty Affiliate, Institute of Human Development and Social Change, Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (May 2019-present) Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Invited Researcher, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), Foundations of Learning (April 2021-present) Education Harvard University Cambridge, MA (August 2011-May 2017) Ph.D., Psychology (May 2017) A.M., Psychology (May 2014) Yale University New Haven, CT (August 2004-May 2008) B.A., Cognitive Science; Art (May 2008) Funding 2019-2024 National Science Foundation (PI: $1,718,437) CAREER: Becoming Euclid: Characterizing the geometric intuitions that support formal learning in mathematics (PI: $24,671) CLB: Career-Life Balance Faculty Early Career Development Program Supplement 2019-2023 DARPA (Co-PI; to NYU: $1,703,553; to Dillon: $871,874) Cognitive milestones for Machine Common Sense, Co-PI: Brenden Lake 2019-2021 Jacobs Foundation (PI: 150,000 CHF) Early Career Research Fellowship 2018-2019 Institute of Human Development and Social Change at NYU (PI: $14,848) The arc of geometric -
Society for Research in Child Development Newsletter, 2003. INSTITUTION Society for Research in Child Development
DOCUMENT RESUME ED 480 656 PS 031 539 AUTHOR Reid, Pamela Trotman, Ed.; Ehart, Bridget, Ed. TITLE Society for Research in Child Development Newsletter, 2003. INSTITUTION Society for Research in Child Development. PUB DATE 2003-00-00 NOTE 62p.; For the 2002 issues, see PS 031 538. AVAILABLE FROM Society for Research in Child Development, University of Michigan, 3131 South State Street, Suite 302, Ann Arbor, MI 48108-1623. Tel: 734-998-6574; Fax: 734-998-6569; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.srcd.org. PUB TYPE Collected Works Serials (022) JOURNAL CIT Society for Research in Child Development Newsletter; v46 nl- 4 2003 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Child Development; Coping; *Developmental Psychology; Emotional Adjustment; Financial Support; Information Dissemination; Newsletters; **Organizations (Groups); Program Descriptions; Psychological Studies; Public Policy; School Desegregation; Terrorism IDENTIFIERS Project Head Start; *Society for Research in Child Development ABSTRACT This document consists of the four 2003 issues of a newsletter disseminating information on the Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD) and providing a forum for important news, research, and information concerning advancement in child growth and development research. Each issue of the newsletter includes announcements and notices of conferences, workshops, position openings, fellowship, and member obituaries. The January issue summarizes meetings of the Consortium for Social Science Associations and the Human Development -
Dark, Beyond Deep: a Paradigm Shift to Cognitive AI with Humanlike Common Sense
Dark, Beyond Deep: A Paradigm Shift to Cognitive AI with Humanlike Common Sense Yixin Zhua,∗, Tao Gaoa, Lifeng Fana, Siyuan Huanga, Mark Edmondsa, Hangxin Liua, Feng Gaoa, Chi Zhanga, Siyuan Qia, Ying Nian Wua, Joshua B. Tenenbaumb, Song-Chun Zhua aCenter for Vision, Cognition, Learning, and Autonomy (VCLA), UCLA bCenter for Brains, Minds, and Machines (CBMM), MIT Abstract Recent progress in deep learning is essentially based on a “big data for small tasks” paradigm, under which massive amounts of data are used to train a classifier for a single narrow task. In this paper, we call for a shift that flips this paradigm upside down. Specifically, we propose a “small data for big tasks” paradigm, wherein a single artificial intelligence (AI) system is challenged to develop “common sense,” enabling it to solve a wide range of tasks with little training data. We illustrate the potential power of this new paradigm by reviewing models of common sense that synthesize recent breakthroughs in both machine and human vision. We identify functionality, physics, intent, causality, and utility (FPICU) as the five core domains of cognitive AI with humanlike common sense. When taken as a unified concept, FPICU is concerned with the questions of “why” and “how,” beyond the dominant “what” and “where” framework for understanding vision. They are invisible in terms of pixels but nevertheless drive the creation, maintenance, and development of visual scenes. We therefore coin them the “dark matter” of vision. Just as our universe cannot be understood by merely studying observable matter, we argue that vision cannot be understood without studying FPICU. -
Susan J. Hespos
Susan J. Hespos Department of Psychology Northwestern University 2029 Sheridan Rd. Evanston, IL 60208-2710 http://www.psychology.northwestern.edu/people/faculty/core/profiles/susan-hespos.html http://sites.northwestern.edu/infantcognitionlab/ [email protected] Education 1996 Ph.D. Developmental Psychology, Emory University 1993 M.A. Cognitive Psychology, Emory University 1990 B.A. Psychology, Reed College Academic Positions 2009 – present Associate Professor of Psychology, Northwestern University Cognitive Science Program Learning Sciences Interdepartmental Neuroscience NSF Spatial Intelligence & Learning Center 2005 – 2009 Assistant Professor of Psychology, Northwestern University 2001 – 2005 Assistant Professor of Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University 1998 – 2001 Postdoctoral Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Advisor: Elizabeth Spelke 1996 – 1998 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana Advisor: Renee Baillargeon Major Professional Interest: I uncover the earliest evidence of our cognitive capacities in infancy and describe what changes over development. Through this process we gain information critical to understanding cognition in general. Academic Awards 2011 Kellogg Management Skills for Innovative University Leaders Fellowship 2006 Distinguished Teaching Award from the Undergraduate Psychology Association Northwestern University 2004 Professor of the Month, Selected by the Greek Community / Panhellenic Council Vanderbilt University 2000 McDonnell-Pew Junior Scientist Research -
Curriculum Vitae: Lucas P
LUCAS P. BUTLER Department of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology 3942 Campus Drive University of Maryland College Park, MD 20742 Email: [email protected] Phone: 202-262-2962 Lab Website: cogdevlab.umd.edu Personal Website: lucaspbutler.com EDUCATION 2012 Ph.D. in Psychology Stanford University, Stanford, CA Committee: Ellen M. Markman (chair), Herbert H. Clark, Michael C. Frank, Daniel L. Schwartz 2009 M.A. in Psychology Stanford University, Stanford, CA 2005 A.B. cum laude in Psychology Harvard University, Cambridge, MA Thesis Advisor: Susan Carey PROFESSIONAL APPOINTMENTS 2015-present Assistant Professor Department of Human Development & Quantitative Methodology University of Maryland, College Park Faculty Affiliate Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program University of Maryland, College Park Faculty Affiliate Language Science Center University of Maryland, College Park 2012-2014 Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Research Fellow Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany Advisor: Michael Tomasello AWARDS & HONORS 2018 Excellence in Scholarship Award, University of Maryland College of Education 2017 Research and Scholarship Award, University of Maryland 2016 Rising Star Award, Association for Psychological Science 2015-2016 SPARC Assistant Professor Award, University of Maryland Curriculum Vitae: Lucas P. Butler 2 2012-2014 Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 2011 Student Travel Award, Society for Research in Child Development 2011 Norman H. Anderson Research Fund, Stanford University 2011 Dissertation Research Award, American Psychological Association 2009-2012 Graduate Research Fellowship, National Science Foundation 2007-2008 Sidney Siegel Fellowship, Stanford University 2005 Harvard Psychology Faculty Prize for Distinguished Honors Thesis 2005 Jerome Kagan Undergraduate Research Award, Harvard University PUBLICATIONS *Student author †Authors contributed equally Books Butler, L. -
Curriculum Vitæ
TANIA LOMBROZO Curriculum Vitae December 2018 CONTACT INFORMATION Department of Psychology Princeton University Peretsman Scully Hall Princeton, NJ 08540 E-mail: [email protected] EDUCATION 2006 - Ph.D. in Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. Thesis: Understanding explanation: Studies in teleology, simplicity, and causal knowledge. (Advisor: Susan Carey) 2004 - A.M. in Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA. 2002 - B.S. in Symbolic Systems (with distinction), Stanford University, Stanford, CA. B.A. in Philosophy (with distinction), Stanford University, Stanford, CA. Thesis: Optimality and teleology in adaptationist explanations of cognition. (Advisor: Peter Godfrey-Smith) PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS 2018 – Professor, Department of Psychology, Princeton University Associated Faculty, Department of Philosophy, Princeton University Faculty Associate, University Center for Human Values 2017 – 2018 Professor (Class of 1944 Chair), Department of Psychology, UC Berkeley Affiliate Faculty Member, Department of Philosophy, UC Berkeley 2013 – 2017 Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, UC Berkeley Affiliate Faculty Member, Department of Philosophy, UC Berkeley 2006 – 2013 Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, UC Berkeley Affiliate Faculty Member, Department of Philosophy, UC Berkeley HONORS & AWARDS American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Fellow, Fall 2017 American Psychological Association (APA) Distinguished Scientific Award for Early Career contributions to psychology, awarded August, 2016 Roger N. Shepard -
Caleb Everett Proceedings of the 37Th Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (2013), Pp
Linguistic relativity and numeric cognition: New light on a prominent test case Author(s): Caleb Everett Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Berkeley Linguistics Society (2013), pp. 91-103 Editors: Chundra Cathcart, I-Hsuan Chen, Greg Finley, Shinae Kang, Clare S. Sandy, and Elise Stickles Please contact BLS regarding any further use of this work. BLS retains copyright for both print and screen forms of the publication. BLS may be contacted via http://linguistics.berkeley.edu/bls/. The Annual Proceedings of the Berkeley Linguistics Society is published online via eLanguage, the Linguistic Society of America's digital publishing platform. Linguistic Relativity and Numeric Cognition: New Light on a Prominent Test Case CALEB EVERETT1 University of Miami Introduction The past two decades have seen both a resurgence and transformation of research on linguistic relativity. This is due in large part to the influential work of re- searchers such as Lucy (1992a, 1992b) and Levinson (1997, 2003, inter alia). Research on linguistic relativity has morphed from the Whorfian (1956), often anecdotally based enterprise, into one that is oriented around experiments of various sorts conducted among speakers of different languages. These languages are frequently the topic of inquiry because of some specific grammatical features they contain, features that potentially affect speakers cognitive orientations vis-à- vis a given semantic domain. Research of this type has resulted in evidence for language-mediated or influenced thought in a wide array of nonlinguistic tasks related to numeric cognition (De Cruz and Pica 2008, Pica et al. 2004), gender perception (Konishi 1993, Flaherty 2001), spatial and directional construal (Levinson 2003), substance classification (Lucy and Gaskins 2001, Imai and Mazuka 2007), the perception of time (Boroditsky et al. -
Neuroeducation: Learning, Arts, and the Brain
NEUROEDUCATION: LEARNING, ARTS, AND THE BRAIN Findings and Challenges for Educators and Researchers from the 2009 Johns Hopkins University Summit About The Johns Hopkins University School of Education Department of Interdisciplinary Studies in Education Neuro-Education Initiative Bringing Together Researchers, Educators, and Stakeholders Located at The Johns Hopkins University School of In partnership with The Dana Foundation and Education, the Neuro-Education Initiative (NEI) as a follow-up to the Dana Arts and Cognition bridges the gap between the brain sciences and Consortium, NEI hosted its inaugural national education by bringing together an interdisciplinary summit in May 2009 on the topic of Learning, Arts, group of researchers, educators, and stakeholders and the Brain. This publication captures the spirit of to explore the intersection and application of brain collaboration among summit participants who repre- research in education and to support potential areas sented a wide array of disciplines among the research, of translational research. academic, arts and educational practitioner commu- Supported by the Johns Hopkins University’s nities. Future summits will build on this spirit of Brain Science Institute, the Neuro-Education discovery and communication to bring the practical Initiative spearheads collaborative projects among needs of educators and stakeholders to the research research and educational faculty from across the community and the exciting discoveries of the brain University and beyond to advance the science of sciences to those who teach and nurture children. learning. Such projects include national summits For more information and future events visit and conferences on topics relevant to education, www.education.jhu.edu/nei; or contact the Neuro- graduate programs, and research initiatives to bring Education Initiative Co-Directors Mariale Hardiman new knowledge to inform educational practices at [email protected] or Susan Magsamen at and policies.