What is Cognitive Science?

The inter-disciplinary scientific study of the mind. There are two assumptions central to most cognitive science research. They are that the human mind or brain is a device that is: (a) computational; and (b) representational.

What are emotions from a Cognitive Science perspective?

Traditionally, Cognitive Science has been preoccupied with intellectual processes such as acquisition, storage, transformation of knowledge (information) and, generally, pays less attention to affect (this is the scientific name for feelings).

Standard Cognitive Science assumes that there are at least three levels of assessement of a system (whether biological or artificial):

- computational level: behaviour as whole
- algorightmic level: processes and representations which give rise to the behaviour
- implementational level: how the behaviour is implemented; it takes a close look at the nutsk and bolts, the 'hardware' (both living cells and circuits), if you like.

Emotion from a cognitive point of view will be assessed on these three levels:

- do emotions influence people's behaviour?
- what representations and processes are involved in an emotion?
- what is going on at the physical level?

Can Computers Have Emotions

Hot Seat Debate

The Panel
Key Questions &
Possible Answers

Here comes the science bit
Artificial Intelligence
Computer Science
Cognitive Science
Philosophy
Neuroscience

With many thanks to contributing Universities
University of Edinburgh
University of Birmingham
University of West of England

The debate took place
at 6.45 pm, 17 November 2004
Lecture Theatre F21
7 George Square

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