Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that studies how the mind and brain work to acquire and manipulate knowledge. It includes neuroscience, psychology, linguistics, and philosophy. Modern imaging technology has helped make significant progress. The interdisciplinary nature of the field helps develop theories of cognition. It has promising benefits for humanity, including better teaching methods, useful robotics, and understanding the brain to provide solutions to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or schizophrenia.
Cognitive science is an interdisciplinary field that deals with the mechanics of cognition, or how the mind and brain work to acquire and manipulate knowledge. It includes the study of human mind, animal mind and artificial intelligence. Because cognition forms the very basis of life’s organizational and survival mechanisms, cognitive science encompasses a large network of key disciplines. The various branches of this field include neuroscience, physiology, psychology, anthropology, linguistics, physics, artificial intelligence or computer science, and philosophy.
There is a popular adage about three blindfolded men describing an elephant by parts of it that any man can hear. None of the descriptions seem related, but when the blindfolds are removed, the parties can see that they were all describing different parts of the same animal. Cognitive science is the cooperative effort that realizes that each different discipline reveals some aspect of intelligence that adds to the overall understanding of how the mind manifests through the brain. As different disciplines gain understanding, they can shed light on issues found in other disciplines. The overall goal of developing theories of cognition is thus best served by the interdisciplinary nature of the field.
Modern imaging technology has helped cognitive science make significant progress. Computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have allowed scientists to map the brain in new ways. Specific areas of the brain can be linked to anatomical location, creating a better understanding of mind/body correlations.
While the desire to understand the mind and cognition dates back at least to the ancient Greek philosophers, it was only as artificial intelligence advanced that an interdisciplinary field of cognitive science evolved. The term was coined relatively recently, in 1973, by Christopher Longuet-Higgins. The journal Cognitive Science followed in 1977 and the Society for Cognitive Science was founded two years later.
Today, cognitive science is an exciting field with promising benefits for all of humanity. As scientists understand the nature of cognition, we learn, among other things, how to better apply teaching methods, advance useful robotics in computer sciences, and, through neuroscience, move one step closer to understanding the brain. This could eventually lead to healing from damage suffered from stroke or other trauma, or provide solutions to diseases such as Alzheimer’s or schizophrenia. As we move forward, it seems clear that the benefits of this field are potentially as life-supporting as cognition itself.
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