Handbook of Cognitive Science

The Handbook of Cognitive Science provides an overview of recent developments in cognition research, relying upon non-classical approaches. Cognition is explained as the continuous interplay between brain, body, and environment, without relying on classical notions of computations and representation to explain cognition. The handbook serves as a valuable companion for readers interested in foundational aspects of cognitive science, and neuroscience and the philosophy of mind. The handbook begins with an introduction to embodied cognitive science, and then breaks up the chapters into separate sections on conceptual issues, formal approaches, embodiment in perception and action, embodiment from an artificial perspective, embodied meaning, and emotion and consciousness. Contributors to the book represent research overviews from around the globe including the US, UK, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, France, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

ContentsPreface List of Contributors 1 Directions for an Embodied Cognitive Science: Toward an Integrated Approach Cognitivism in a Blind Alley Alternative Approaches to Cognitivism Post-Cognitivism in the Making: Common Ground and Conceptual Issues Scaling up: Higher Level Cognitive Processes AcknowledgmentsSection I The Interactive Architecture of Cognition: Conceptual Issues 2 Is Embodiment Necessary? Critiques Interactive Representation What Kind of Embodiment? Conclusion 3 Embodiment and Explanation Three Threads The Separability Thesis Beyond Flesh-Eating Functionalism Ada, Adder, and Odder A Tension Revealed Participant Machinery and Morphological Computation Quantifying Embodiment Conclusions Acknowledgments 4 Can a Swarm be Embodied? Introduction Three Examples of Swarms Artifi cial Swarms and Strong Embodiment Is a Living Swarm an Embodied Entity? Conclusion Section II Robotics and Autonomous Agents 5 CajunBot: A Case Study in Embodied Cognition Introduction CajunBot and the DARPA Grand Challenge, 2005 CajunBot Sensor Systems Path Planning Steering Control Simulations CajunBot Performance and Results Conclusion Acknowledgments 6 The Dynamics of Brain-Body-Environment Systems: A Status Report Introduction Experimental Accomplishments Theoretical Accomplishments Outstanding Challenges 7 The Synthetic Approach to Embodied Cognition: A Primer Introduction Basics Body Dynamics and Morphology Information Self-Structuring Learning and Development Case Study 1: Embodied Categorization Case Study 2: Application of Embodied Cognition to Prosthetics Discussion: The Interaction of Physical and Information Processes Conclusion 8 Animate Vision, Virtual Environments, and Neural Codes Embodied Intelligence An Avatar Control System Design Summary: The Advantages of Embodied Cognition Section III Perceiving and Acting 9 Ecological Psychology: Six Principles for an Embodied-Embedded Approach to Behavior Ecological Principle I: Organism-Environment Systems are the Proper Units of Analysis Ecological Principle II: Environmental Realities Should Be Defined at the Ecological Scale Ecological Principle III: Behavior Is Emergent and Self-Organized Ecological Principle IV: Perception and Action are Continuous and Cyclic Ecological Principle V: Information Is Specificational Ecological Principle VI: Perception Is of Affordances Conclusion 10 Seeing What We Can Do: Insights into Vision and Action Through Observations of Natural Behavior Introduction Methods of Assessing Visual Processes in Isolation and in Concert Isolating Visual Processes Within an Embodied Context Trade-Offs Between Gaze and Working Memory Use Bridging the Gap Between Laboratory Experiments and Natural Behavior Future Directions of Research in Embodied Visual Cognition 11 Why We Don't Mind to be Inconsistent Introduction Detecting Attributes Spatial Perception Inconsistent Action Combining Information Conscious Perception Section IV A Dynamic Brain 12 Neuronal and Cortical Dynamical Mechanisms Underlying Brain Functions Introduction How to Build a Suitable Neuronal Model for a Psychological Experiment Calculating the f MRI Signal for an Example Set Shifting Model Response Times and Error Rates in an Example Set Shifting Task Summary and Back to "color phi? 13 Dynamic Field Theory as a Framework for Understanding Embodied Cognition Dynamical Systems Dynamic Neural Fields and Peaks as Units of Representation Interactions Between Multiple Activation Peaks Preshape in Dynamic Neural Fields Categorical Behavior from Continuous Representations Embodying Dynamic Neural Fields on Autonomous Robots Conclusions 14 A Lazy Brain? Embodied Embedded Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Introduction Overview The Computational Unfeasibility of a Brain in Complete Control Ignorantly Successful in a User-Friendly Environment Generating Research Questions for Cognitive Neuroscience and Robotics ConclusionSection V Embodied Meaning 15 The Role of Sensory and Motor Information in Semantic Representation: A Review Introduction Direct Versus Indirect Engagement A Brief Review of the Evidence Conclusions 16 Embodied Concept Learning How Concepts Are Learned Evidence for Embodied Concepts Learning Basic Words/Concepts Learning and Using Abstract and Technical Words and Concepts Conclusions 17 Mathematics, the Ultimate Challenge to Embodiment: Truth and the Grounding of Axiomatic Systems Mathematics, a Real Challenge to Embodiment Everyday Embodied Mechanisms for Human Imagination Mathematical Abstraction: The Embodiment of Axioms, Sets, and Hypersets Everyday Abstraction: The Embodiment of Spatial Construals of Time and Their "Axioms? Conclusion 18 Embodiment for Education Why Education? Embodied Mathematics Embodied Reading PM and IM and Vocabulary Acquisition PM and IM in Science Exposition Conclusions Section VI Scaling-Up 19 How Did We Get from There to Here? An Evolutionary Perspective on Embodied Cognition Introduction Flexibility and Resemblance: Keys to Off-Line Embodiment? Future Directions 20 Thinking with the Body: Towards Hierarchical, Scalable Cognition Introduction Separating Mind and Body The Phenomenon of Control Control from Body to Mind Integration Is Key Conclusions Acknowledgments 21 On the Grounds of (X)-Grounded Cognition The Massive Redeployment Hypothesis Implications of MRH for X-Grounded Cognition Conclusion Acknowledgments Section VII Emotion and Social Interaction 22 Understanding Others: Embodied Social Cognition An Embodied Approach Implicit Simulation or Embodied Practices Conclusion 23 Getting to the Heart of Emotions and Consciousness Introduction: Descriptive Foundations and Animation On the Distinction Between Behavior and Movement Concepts Emanating from Movement Affective Feelings Dynamic Congruency Index