Proceedings of the European Cognitive Science Conference 2007

Proceedings of the European Cognitive Science Conference 2007 PDF Author: Stella Vosniadou
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1317705556
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 975

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Book Description
This volume contains the invited lectures, invited symposia, symposia, papers and posters presented at the 2nd European Cognitive Science Conference held in Greece in May 2007. The papers presented in this volume range from empirical psychological studies and computational models to philosophical arguments, meta-analyses and even to neuroscientific experimentation. The quality of the work shows that the Cognitive Science Society in Europe is an exciting and vibrant one. There are 210 contributions by cognitive scientists from 27 different countries, including USA, France, UK, Germany, Greece, Italy, Belgium, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, and Australia. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with current research in Cognitive Science.

The Oxford Handbook of Compositionality

The Oxford Handbook of Compositionality PDF Author: Markus Werning
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0191633291
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 765

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Book Description
In this book leading scholars from every relevant field report on all aspects of compositionality, the notion that the meaning of an expression can be derived from its parts. Understanding how compositionality works is a central element of syntactic and semantic analysis and a challenge for models of cognition. It is a key concept in linguistics and philosophy and in the cognitive sciences more generally, and is without question one of the most exciting fields in the study of language and mind. The authors of this book report critically on lines of research in different disciplines, revealing the connections between them and highlighting current problems and opportunities. The force and justification of compositionality have long been contentious. First proposed by Frege as the notion that the meaning of an expression is generally determined by the meaning and syntax of its components, it has since been deployed as a constraint on the relation between theories of syntax and semantics, as a means of analysis, and more recently as underlying the structures of representational systems, such as computer programs and neural architectures. The Oxford Handbook of Compositionality explores these and many other dimensions of this challenging field. It will appeal to researchers and advanced students in linguistics and philosophy and to everyone concerned with the study of language and cognition including those working in neuroscience, computational science, and bio-informatics.

The Making of Human Concepts

The Making of Human Concepts PDF Author: Denis Mareschal
Publisher:
ISBN: 0199549222
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 414

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Book Description
Human adults appear different from other animals in their ability to form abstract mental representations that go beyond perceptual similarity. In short, they can conceptualize the world. This apparent uniqueness leads to an immediate puzzle: WHEN and HOW does this abstract system come into being? To answer this question we need to explore the origins of adult concepts, both developmentally and phylogenetically; When does the developing child acquire the ability to use abstract concepts?; does the transition occur around 2 years, with the onset of symbolic representation and language? Or, is it independent of the emergence of language?; when in evolutionary history did an abstract representational system emerge?; is there something unique about the human brain? How would a computational system operating on the basis of perceptual associations develop into a system operating on the basis of abstract relations?; is this ability present in other species, but masked by their inability to verbalise abstractions? Perhaps the very notion of concepts is empty and should be done away with altogether. This book tackles the age-old puzzle of what might be unique about human concepts. Intuitively, we have a sense that our thoughts are somehow different from those of animals and young children such as infants. Yet, if true, this raises the question of where and how this uniqueness arises. What are the factors that have played out during the life course of the individual and over the evolution of humans that have contributed to the emergence of this apparently unique ability? This volume brings together a collection of world specialists who have grappled with these questions from different perspectives to try to resolve the issue. It includes contributions from leading psychologists, neuroscientists, child and infant specialists, and animal cognition specialists. Taken together, this story leads to the idea that there is no unique ingredient in the emergence of human concepts, but rather a powerful and potentially unique mix of biological abilities and personal and social history that has led to where the human mind now stands. A 'must-read' for students and researchers in the cognitive sciences.

Fundamentals of Cognition

Fundamentals of Cognition PDF Author: Michael W. Eysenck
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317208536
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 768

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Book Description
Is it possible to learn something without being aware of it? How does emotion influence the way we think? How can we improve our memory? Fundamentals of Cognition, third edition, provides a basic, reader-friendly introduction to the key cognitive processes we use to interact successfully with the world around us. Our abilities in attention, perception, learning, memory, language, problem solving, thinking, and reasoning are all vitally important in enabling us to cope with everyday life. Understanding these processes through the study of cognitive psychology is essential for understanding human behaviour. This edition has been thoroughly updated and revised with an emphasis on making it even more accessible to introductory-level students. Bringing on board Professor Marc Brysbaert, a world-leading researcher in the psychology of language, as co-author, this new edition includes: developed and extended research activities and "In the Real World" case studies to make it easy for students to engage with the material; new real-world topics such as discussions of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the reading problems of individuals with dyslexia, why magic tricks work, and why we cannot remember the Apple logo accurately; a supporting companion website containing multiple choice questions, flashcards, sample essay answers, instructor resources, and more. The book provides a perfect balance between traditional approaches to cognition and cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience and cognitive neuropsychology. Covering all the key topics within cognition, this comprehensive overview is essential reading for all students of cognitive psychology and related areas such as clinical psychology.

Professional Development for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning

Professional Development for Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning PDF Author: Olia E. Tsivitanidou
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319914065
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 277

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Book Description
​This book examines the implementation of inquiry-based approaches in science teaching and learning. It explores the ways that those approaches could be promoted across various contexts in Europe through initial teacher preparation, induction programmes and professional development activities. It illustrates connections between scientific knowledge deriving from the science education research community, teaching practices deriving from the science teachers’ community, and educational innovation. Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning (IBST/L) has been promoted as a policy response to pressing educational challenges, including disengagement from science learning and the need for citizens to be in a position to evaluate evidence on pressing socio-scientific issues. Effective IBST/L requires well-prepared and skilful teachers, who can act as facilitators of student learning and who are able to adapt inquiry-based activity sequences to their everyday teaching practice. Teachers also need to engage creatively with the process of nurturing student abilities and to acquire new assessment competences. The task of preparing teachers for IBST/L is a challenging one. This book is a resource for the implementation of inquiry-oriented approaches in science education and illustrates ways of promoting IBST/L through initial teacher preparation, induction and professional development programmes.

Strategic Marketing Issues in Emerging Markets

Strategic Marketing Issues in Emerging Markets PDF Author: Atanu Adhikari
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 9811065055
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
This book presents a collection of articles addressing a range of marketing strategies unique to emerging economies. It describes the component of strategic and tactical marketing, including the marketing mix, segments and targeting, product and market orientation, employing the Internet and social media, penetration and loyalty strategies and innovation, and other strategy issues in the marketing context. In addition, the book focuses on creating, communicating, and delivering customer value to emerging market consumers through diverse marketing strategies, processes, and programs in the context of emerging markets’ dynamics, consumer diversity, and competitors. Bringing together contributors from industry and academia to explore key marketing issues prevalent in India and other emerging economies, the book offers a unique and insightful read for a global audience. "This book, edited by Dr. Atanu Adhikari, offers important analytical and managerial insights into consumer behavior, firm strategy, market dynamics and marketing instruments (price, promotion, distribution and product). While marketing and management disciplines have developed useful empirical generalizations, the context is critical. This book does exactly that -- place the generalized results in the context of emerging markets and India. Accordingly, this is a valuable resource for scholars and practitioners." -- Dr. Gurumurthy Kalyanaram, Professor, City University of New York, USA and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India; US Editor, International Journal of Learning and Change; and President, MIT South Asian Alumni Association "This book is a must-read for anyone interested in marketing to less-developed countries. While the focus of the chapters is on India, the lessons learned can be generally applied. The 32 chapters represent comprehensive coverage of nearly every topic related to marketing with many examples. Any manager interested in doing business in emerging markets, Professors who want a better knowledge of these markets, or students who want an excellent reference should acquire this book." -- Dr. Russell S. Winer, William Joyce Professor of Marketing, Stern School of Business, New York University, USA.

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow PDF Author: Lillian Hoddeson
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262552647
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 401

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Book Description
The first full-length biography of a brilliant, self-taught inventor whose innovations in information and energy technology continue to shape our world. The Economist called Stanford R. Ovshinsky (1922–2012) “the Edison of our age,” but this apt comparison doesn't capture the full range of his achievements. As an independent, self-educated inventor, Ovshinsky not only created many important devices but also made fundamental discoveries in materials science. This book offers the first full-length biography of a visionary whose energy and information innovations continue to fuel our post-industrial economy. In The Man Who Saw Tomorrow, Lillian Hoddeson and Peter Garrett tell the story of an unconventional genius with no formal education beyond high school who invented, among other things, the rechargeable nickel metal hydride batteries that have powered everything from portable electronics to hybrid cars, a system for mass-producing affordable thin-film solar panels, and rewritable CDs and DVDs. His most important discovery, the Ovshinsky effect, led to a paradigm shift in condensed matter physics and yielded phase-change memory, which is now enabling new advances in microelectronics. A son of the working class who began as a machinist and toolmaker, Ovshinsky focused his work on finding solutions to urgent social problems, and to pursue those goals, he founded Energy Conversion Devices, a unique research and development lab. At the end of his life, battered by personal and professional losses, Ovshinsky nevertheless kept working to combat global warming by making solar energy “cheaper than coal”—another of his many visions of a better tomorrow.

Using Games and Simulations for Teaching and Assessment

Using Games and Simulations for Teaching and Assessment PDF Author: Harold F. O'Neil
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317814673
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
Incorporates several innovative and increasingly popular subject areas, including the gamification of education, assessment, and STEM subjects Combines research and authorship from both civilian and military worlds as well as interdisciplinary fields Rigorously defines and analyzes the criteria of selecting, designing, implementing, and evaluating emerging educational technologies while offering implications for future use

Systems Neuroscience

Systems Neuroscience PDF Author: Albert Cheung-Hoi Yu
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319945939
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 313

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Book Description
This edition of Advances in Neurobiology brings together experts in the emerging field of Systems Neuroscience to present an overview of this area of research. Topics covered include: how different neural circuits analyze sensory information, form perceptions of the external world, make decisions, and execute movements; how nerve cells behave when connected together to form neural networks; the relationship between molecular and cellular approaches to understanding brain structure and function; the study of high-level mental functions; and studying brain pathologies and diseases with Systems Neuroscience. A hierarchy of biological complexity arises from the genome, transcriptome, proteome, organelles, cells, synapses, circuits, brain regions, the whole brain, and behaviour. The best way to study the brain, the most complex organ in the body composed of 100 billion cells with trillions of interconnections, is with a Systems Biology approach. Systems biology is an inter-disciplinary field that focuses on complex interactions within biological systems to reveal 'emergent properties' - properties of cells and groups of cells functioning as a system whose actual and theoretical description is only possible using Systems Biology techniques.

From Is to Ought: The Place of Normative Models in the Study of Human Thought

From Is to Ought: The Place of Normative Models in the Study of Human Thought PDF Author: Shira Elqayam
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889198960
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 189

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Book Description
In the study of human thinking, two main research questions can be asked: “Descriptive Q: What is human thinking like? Normative Q: What ought human thinking be like?” For decades, these two questions have dominated the field, and the relationship between them generated many a controversy. Empirical normativist approaches regard the answers to these questions as positively correlated – in essence, human thinking is what it ought to be (although what counts as the ‘ought’ standard is moot). In contemporary theories of reasoning and decision making, this is often associated with a Panglossian framework, an adaptationist approach which regards human thinking as a priori rational. In contrast, prescriptive normativism sees the answers to these two questions as negatively correlated. Normative models are still relevant to human thought, but human behaviour deviates from them quite markedly (with the invited conclusion that humans are often irrational). Prescriptive normativism often results in a Meliorist agenda, which sees rationality as amenable to education. Both empirical and prescriptive normativism can be contrasted with a descriptivist framework for psychology of human thinking. Following Hume’s strict divide between the ‘is’ and the ‘ought’, descriptivism regards the descriptive and normative research questions as uncorrelated, or dissociated, with only the former question suitable for psychological study of human behaviour. This basic division carries over to the relation between normative (‘ought’) rationality, based on conforming to normative standards; and instrumental (‘is’) rationality, based on achieving one’s goals. Descriptivist approaches regard the two as dissociated, whereas normativist approaches tend to see them as closely linked, with normative arguments defining and justifying instrumental rationality. This research topic brings together diverse contributions to the continuing debate. Featuring contributions from leading researchers in the field, the e-book covers a wide range of subjects, arranged by six sections: The standard picture: Normativist perspectives In defence of soft normativism Exploring normative models Descriptivist perspectives Evolutionary and ecological accounts Empirical reports With a total of some 24 articles from 55 authors, this comprehensive treatment includes theoretical analyses, meta-theoretical critiques, commentaries, and a range of empirical reports. The contents of the Research Topic should appeal to psychologists, linguists, philosophers and cognitive scientists, with research interests in a wide range of domains, from language, through reasoning, judgment and decision making, and moral judgment, to epistemology and theory of mind, philosophical logic, and meta-ethics.