Introduction to Cognitive Science
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Syllabus
| Instructor: Dr. Charles Wallis | Office Phone: 985-5344 |
| Office: MHB 908 | 
Email: cwallis@csulb.edu |
| Wallis' Office Hours: M,T,W,TH 11am-12pm |
Course web site: http://www.csulb.edu/~cwallis/482/482.html
Labs web site: http://www.csulb.edu/~cwallis/482/labs.html
Books
Required |
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Optional |
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Course Description:
This course introduces students to the basics of Cognitive Science including elements of Philosophy, Computer Science, Cognitive Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics.
Serving as an independent introduction to the field of Cognitive Science, the course will focus upon on the historical development, foundational philosophical presuppositions, and
a selection of core topics in Cognitive Science. In addition to
covering the theoretical contributions of the various disciplines of Cognitive
Science, the course provides students with an introduction to the underlying theoretical framework of Cognitive Science,
including its central problems, explanatory structure, and
experimental methodologies.
I focus primarily upon ways in which Cognitive Scientists explain human and
animal abilities through the hypothesis of various types of representational structures and computational processes.
Additionally, students participate in several labs designed to promote active learning and
give students a deeper understanding of the
foundational presuppositions and methodology of Cognitive Science.
Readings and Schedule (Approximate):
Wk 1: Introductory Lectures: Historical Developments Converging on Cognitive
Science
Doings: Labor Day Hot Dog
Hangover
Wk 2: Introductory Lectures:
Computation, Representation, and Explanatory Structure
Readings: Mind Chapter 1, Simon,
and Cummins (optional)
Haugeland
(optional)
Doings: Friday, September 12th: Instructor Drop Deadline - High Noon
Wk 3: General Problem Solving, Rules, & Learning
Readings: Mind Chapter 3, Anderson and Pinker
Doings: 1 lab from set #1 completed (2 for grads), Test #1 handed out
Monday, September 15th: Deadline for students to add and drop using MyCSULB
and to drop without a `W' grade
Wk 4: Deductive Reasoning & Logic, Inductive Reasoning & Statistics
Readings: Mind Chapter 2, Johnson-Laird and Byrne
Wk 4: Concepts & Memory
Readings: Mind Chapter 4, Medin,
and Markman
Doings: Paper topic proposals due
Wk 5: Analogies
Readings: Mind Chapter 5, Gentner and Markman
Doings: Test #1 due
Wk 6: Review of test #1, catch-up
Wk 7: Images: Sensation, Representation, & Inference
Readings: Mind Chapter 6, Glasgow and Papadias pt 1, Glasgow and Papadias pt 2,
Schwartz et al
Doings:
Columbus Day Monday October 13th Campus Open
Wk 8: The Visual Pathway & The Link Between Seeing and
Moving
Readings:
Schwartz et al,
Kosslyn
Image Article (optional)
Doings: Test #2 handed out
Wk 9: Neural Networks, Neural Systems, & Cognition Through
Statistically Driven Association
Readings: Mind Chapter 7, Rumelhart,
Smolensky (optional)
Doings: 1 lab from set #2 completed (2 for grads),
Sources for paper due
Wk 10: Neural Networks, Neural Systems, & Cognition Through
Statistically Driven Association
Readings: Mind Chapter 8, Rumelhart,
Smolensky (optional)
Doings:
Wk 11: Emotions, Reason, and Consciousness
Readings: Mind Chapter 9, Block, Dennett,
Dennett
(Optional), and Blair (Optional)
Doings: Tuesday November 11th Veterans Day no class
Test #2 due Thursday November 13th
Wk 12: Emotions, Reason, and Consciousness
Readings: Mind Chapter 9, Block, Dennett,
Dennett
(Optional), and Blair (Optional)
Doings: Friday, November 21st: Last day to drop class w/o
Dean's approval.
Wk 13: Emotions and Consciousness
Readings: Mind Chapter 9, Block, Dennett,
Dennett
(Optional), and Blair (Optional)
Thanksgiving
Holiday Nov. 26th-30th No Class 
Wk 14: Physical & Social Environments: Social Cognition, Nature vs
Nurture, & Externalizing Cognition
Readings: Mind Chapter 10, Mackworth,
Adolphs,
Adolphs
(Optional)
Doings: Student papers from your small group
Evaluation
Form
Wk 15: Dynamic Systems: An Alternative
Account of Cognition
Readings: Mind Chapter 11, Van Gelder,
and Eliasmith
Doings: 1 lab from set #3 completed, Student Paper Fair
12/13
Friday, December 12th: Last day to drop
a class (three signatures required)
Wk 16:Finals Week
Doings: lab from set #4 completed December 16th 12:30-2:30
Finals Week Final and paper due during finals period for this class: 12/16 12:30-2:30.
Evaluations:
Evaluations will be based upon two take-home tests based upon questions handed out two weeks earlier (test #1: 10%, test #2: 15%) and a final (15%), Four labs [on lab from each lab set (30%), and a 10-17 page final paper (30%) on a topic of the student's choosing (in consultation with me).
Make-up exams:
I try to be flexible with regard to deadlines for assignments. For
instance, I generally permit extensions of deadlines, make-up
exams, etc.. for serious illness, personal tragedies, and religious holidays not
recognized in the University calendar. In some cases, I may require a physicians' note
for illness. If you cannot meet a deadline, it is your
responsibility to send me an e-mail or a message on my voicemail (985-5344)
within 4 hours either prior to or after the deadline. Your message must include
contact information, such as a telephone number or e-mail address where I can reach you
to arrange appropriate accommodation.
Cheating and Plagiarism: The
CSULB Policy on Cheating and Plagiarism will be followed strictly. (See 2005-6 Catalog, pp. 75-6.) Students who have any questions or uncertainty whatsoever about this policy are responsible for meeting individually with the instructor to discuss the policy.
All tests and papers are submitted to Turnitin for evaluation. Students
discovered cheating or plagiarizing on any exam, quiz, or other course element will be FAILED for the COURSE and will be reported to the Office of Judicial Affairs for possible probation, suspension, or expulsion.
Withdrawals: I follow the university policy on withdrawals. I have no disinclination towards signing withdrawal forms up until the last date allowed by the university policy.
Disabilities: I am happy to accommodate any students with disabilities. It is the student's responsibility to inform me of their disability and need for accommodation. The office of Disabled Student Services (5-5061) serves as an information source and evaluates students’ needs. DSS often proctors tests for students with disabilities.
Goals:
I have four basic goals for this
course: (1) Students learn to read and evaluate scholarly journal articles from
the some of the core disciplines of Cognitive Science; Philosophy, Psychology, and Computer Science. (2)
Students gain significant insight into many of the research areas, theories, and
methodologies found in Cognitive Science and its constituent academic
disciplines. (3) Students gain an sense of the potential impact of
research in Cognitive Science upon their lives, conceptions of self, and
societies. (4) Students improve their writing abilities.
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