Cog Sci Lab micro FAQ:

Q: What is Cognitive Science?

A: Cognitive Science is an interdisciplinary study of the mind. The contributing disciplines are Philosophy, Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science, Linguistics, and Anthropology.

Q: What are philosophers doing with a laboratory?

A: The traditional philosophical methodologies of conceptual analysis and thought experiments have been augmented by computer simulations (prosthetically enhanced thought experiments) and, in some cases, even the collection of empirical data. The lab houses our research equipment, provides a space for meetings of The Cognitive Science Student Research Group, and provides an arena for demonstrations to students in Cognitive Science related courses. To find out more about these and other Lab activities, explore the links to the left.

Q: What is that weird symbol in the upper left-hand corner of the web page?

A: That is the "Cyberbrain", the logo for the Cognitive Science Lab designed by Prof. Pete Mandik, who was an illustrator and cartoonist in a former life. The Cyberbrain is supposed to resemble an electronic version of the two hemispheres of the human brain, thus symbolizing our interest in computer simulations of artificial neural networks. Also, the two halves of the Cyberbrain symbolize the twin contributions of the humanities and the sciences toward an understanding of human cognition.