Cognitive Science 1: Introduction and Welcome

1. Cognitive Science 1:Introduction and Welcome Kim Sweeney April 1, 2008

2. What is Cognitive Science? • How does the brain… make “mind”?

3. What is Cognitive Science? • How do the brain and the body… create our experience?

4. What is Cognitive Science? • How do the brain, the body, and our interactions with other people… create our knowledge?

5. What is Cognitive Science? • A young science. • UCSD’s Department of Cognitive Science was the first in the country! • An interdisciplinary science.

6. What is Cognitive Science? Philosophy Philosophy of Mind Psychology Cultural Anthropology Cognitive Science Anthropology Psycholinguistics Linguistics Neuropsychology Neuroscience Neuroethics Artificial Intelligence Computer Science

7. Who is Cognitive Science?

8. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey

9. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • New Languages • Strange Customs • Tour Guides

10. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • Buffet

11. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • Buffet • A “taste” of many different areas of research • Not all lectures will be your favorite dish. • At the end you’ll probably feel like you couldn’t possibly handle one more lecture, but after you’ve had time to digest it all you’ll feel better!

12. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • Buffet • Adventure

13. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • Buffet • Adventure (hopefully…) • You’ll end up going places you wouldn’t have imagined. • You’ll take some intellectual risks. • You’ll be nervous sometimes. • When it’s over you’ll want to do it all over again!

14. What is Cognitive Science 1 ? • Cogs1: • Journey • Buffet • Adventure • (Gilles Fauconnier, Seana Coulson, and Rafael Nuñez have all studied how metaphors work, how they influence how we understand language and how we use them to understand our world.)

15. Your Job • Do the readings • Ideally, both before and after lecture. • Come to the lectures • Body and mind. (i.e. awake, no web surfing, no texting, IMing, etc.) • Go to section • Be on time, bring your questions. Help your TA help you. • Make use of office hours • Hopefully, have fun!

16. Some landmarks… • 30% Midterm • 35% Final (comprehensive, but more from 2nd half) • 20% Section Attendance (Including Quizzes) • 15% 3 “Paperlettes”/ Impression Papers (5% each) • Required: 3 hours Experiment Participation • Extra credit (optional): up to 2 additional hours of experiments

17. Some landmarks… • 30% Midterm • 35% Final (comprehensive, but more from 2nd half) • 20% Section Attendance (Including Quizzes) • 15% 3 “Paperlettes”/ Impression Papers (5% each) • Required: 3 hours Experiment Participation • Extra credit (optional): up to 2 additional hours of experiments If you do your job, this class will NOT be difficult!

18. Where to find info about the class • Course website: www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ksweeney/COGS1/ • Lecture Schedule • Readings • Lecture Notes • Grading System • Key Words to know • Etc. • Your TA, IA or instructor • e-mails can be found on website under “information”

19. A few words about cheating. • Don’t do it. • No, really: don’t do it.

20. Cognitive Science Student Association cssa.ucsd.edu • 3rd Annual Cognitive Science Conference "The Cutting Edge of Cognitive Science" April 5, 2008 10:00am-4:00pm • Wiki with course information for students by students(there’s even a page about how to do well in this course!) • Social events (game nights, paint ball…) • Professional advice • Academic guidance

21. Changing your brain…

22. Next Class… Christine Johnson “Alien Intelligences: The Minds of Other Animals”

23. Questions? • See you on Thursday!