Advanced topics in cognitive science 2500-EN-COG-OB1Z-1

The course is aimed to familiarize participants with the current
trends in research and controversies in cognitive science at the
advanced level. The course will help students (1) broaden their
knowledge of cognitive processes, their cerebral foundations, and
computational models, (2) understand the main debates within
contemporary cognitive science, (3) clarify their own research
interests, chose their educational pathway and master's seminar.
Course begins with an outline of current controversies around the
architecture of cognition, methods, and aims of cognitive science.
Further, the issues of elementary representations and cognitive
processes which enable the orientation in the physical and social
environments will be taken up, ending with the big issue of
consciousness. Then, some methodological issues concerning
current experimental methodology (especially replicability issue),
main approaches in computational modeling (deep learning,
Bayesian, predictive learning, formal modeling of brain connectivity),
and neuroimaging will be discussed. Debate on the radical
alternatives for the mainstream cognitive science („4E”: embodied,
embedded, extended and enacted cognition) is planned as
summing-up theoretical issues of cognitive science. The final
classes will be devoted to the application of cognitive science
(human/brain-computer interfaces, education, design, etc.)