Cognitive Science 1:
Introduction and Welcome
Kim Sweeney
April 1, 2008
What is Cognitive Science?
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How does the brain…
make “mind”?
What is Cognitive Science?
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How do the brain and the body…
create our experience?
What is Cognitive Science?

How do the brain, the body, and our
interactions with other people…
create our knowledge?
What is Cognitive Science?

A young science.
 UCSD’s Department of Cognitive Science was the
first in the country!
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An interdisciplinary science.
What is Cognitive Science?
Cultural Anthropology
Psychology
Anthropology
Psycholinguistics
Linguistics
Neuropsychology
Neuroethics
Artificial Intelligence
Neuroscience
Computer Science
Cognitive Science
Philosophy of Mind
Philosophy
Who is Cognitive Science?
What is Cognitive Science 1 ?
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Cogs1:
 Journey
What is Cognitive Science 1 ?

Cogs1:
 Journey
– New Languages
– Strange Customs
– Tour Guides
What is Cognitive Science 1 ?

Cogs1:
 Journey
 Buffet
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!
What is Cognitive Science 1 ?

Cogs1:
 Journey
 Buffet
 Adventure
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!
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.)
Your Job

Do the readings
– Ideally, both before and after lecture.

Come to the lectures
– Body and mind.
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(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
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Hopefully, have fun!
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
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Some landmarks…

30% Midterm
If you do your job, this
35% Final (comprehensive,
but more from 2nd half)
class will NOT be
20% Section Attendance (Including Quizzes)
difficult!
15% 3 “Paperlettes”/ Impression Papers (5% each)
Required: 3 hours Experiment Participation

Extra credit (optional): up to 2 additional hours of experiments

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Where to find info about the class
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Course website:
www.cogsci.ucsd.edu/~ksweeney/COGS1/
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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”
A few words about cheating.

Don’t do it.
 No,
really: don’t do it.
Cognitive Science Student Association
cssa.ucsd.edu
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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!)
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Social events (game nights, paint ball…)
Professional advice
Academic guidance
Changing your brain…

Next Class…
Christine Johnson
“Alien Intelligences:
The Minds of Other Animals”
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Questions?

See you on Thursday!