What is Cognitive Science?

The main concern of cognitive science is the construction of models of human thinking - models which detail the processes intervening between environmental stimuli and behaviour. A shared assumption is that the mind is representational in nature and that cognitive processes can be described in terms of their function, without reference to a neural substrate. During the 1960's and 70's, cognitive science emerged from the neighbouring fields of linguistics, psychology, computer science, philosophy, neuroscience and anthropology, as a multidisciplinary effort centred around a number of common problems and the computer as a research tool. In cognitive science, the computer has been used in order to simulate cognitive processes. Today, the area still borrows from its neighbouring disciplines, but generally takes a broader perspective on cognition, and uses a wider range of methodologies.

Lund University Cognitive Science

The department in Lund was founded in 1988 by professor Peter Gärdenfors and presently houses three postdocs and fifteen Ph.D. students. Our students come from a number of different areas which is also reflected in the varied and dynamic research being conducted at the department. Courses are offered at the department at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and our weekly seminars and occasional guest lectures are open to the interested public.

Lund University Cognitive Science is one of three groups at the Department of Philosophy.