Complex Worlds From Simpler Nervous Systems
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Complex Worlds from Simpler Nervous Systems
Examining the surprisingly complex perceptual abilities of so-called "simpler" animals, including jumping spiders, bees, praying mantids, butterflies, cockroaches, bladder grasshoppers, crayfish, mantis shrimps, octopuses, and toads.
A Mark of the Mental
Drawing on insights from causal theories of reference, teleosemantics, and state space semantics, a theory of naturalized mental representation. In A Mark of the Mental, Karen Neander considers the representational power of mental states—described by the cognitive scientist Zenon Pylyshyn as the “second hardest puzzle” of philosophy of mind (the first being consciousness). The puzzle at the heart of the book is sometimes called “the problem of mental content,” “Brentano's problem,” or “the problem of intentionality.” Its motivating mystery is how neurobiological states can have semantic properties such as meaning or reference. Neander proposes a naturalistic account for sensory-perceptual (nonconceptual) representations. Neander draws on insights from state-space semantics (which appeals to relations of second-order similarity between representing and represented domains), causal theories of reference (which claim the reference relation is a causal one), and teleosemantic theories (which claim that semantic norms, at their simplest, depend on functional norms). She proposes and defends an intuitive, theoretically well-motivated but highly controversial thesis: sensory-perceptual systems have the function to produce inner state changes that are the analogs of as well as caused by their referents. Neander shows that the three main elements—functions, causal-information relations, and relations of second-order similarity—complement rather than conflict with each other. After developing an argument for teleosemantics by examining the nature of explanation in the mind and brain sciences, she develops a theory of mental content and defends it against six main content-determinacy challenges to a naturalized semantics.
Animal Cognition 101
Author: Erin Colbert-White, PhD
language: en
Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
Release Date: 2019-07-09
This concise overview provides a scientific yet highly accessible introduction to the science of animal cognition. Written for undergraduate college courses as well as any interested reader, it encompasses the history of animal cognition studies, essential theories and methodology, and the latest findings and controversies in animal consciousness and communication. The book challenges myths and preconceived notions about animal cognition by explaining the scientific theories, the perils of anthropomorphism, and the value of knowing a species’ natural history before making assumptions or drawing conclusions. Each chapter includes an Animal Spotlight and a Human Application section. The Animal Spotlight highlights individual animals—the “rock stars” of animal cognition—that have made significant contributions to the field. Reminding us that we too are animals, the Human Application sections connect topics in animal cognition to human behavior and cognition. Additionally, the book provides ideas for readers to conduct their own investigations into animal cognition. Key Features Provides a scientific yet accessible introduction to animal cognition studies Examines the development of the field, its theories and methods, and the latest findings and controversies Addresses animal consciousness, communication, social cognition, and cognitive flexibility Highlights individual animals that have made significant contributions to the field Connects topics in animal cognition to human behavior and cognition Provides ideas for readers to conduct their own investigations into animal cognition