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Representation in Cognitive Science Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)

Representation in Cognitive Science By Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)

Representation in Cognitive Science by Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)


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Summary

How can we think about things in the outside world? There is still no widely accepted theory of how mental representations get their meaning. In light of pioneering research, Nicholas Shea develops a naturalistic account of the nature of mental representation with a firm focus on the subpersonal representations that pervade the cognitive sciences.

Representation in Cognitive Science Summary

Representation in Cognitive Science by Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)

Our thoughts are meaningful. We think about things in the outside world; how can that be so? This is one of the deepest questions in contemporary philosophy. Ever since the 'cognitive revolution', states with meaning-mental representations have been the key explanatory construct of the cognitive sciences. But there is still no widely accepted theory of how mental representations get their meaning. Powerful new methods in cognitive neuroscience can now reveal information processing in unprecedented detail. They show how the brain performs complicated calculations on neural representations. Drawing on this cutting-edge research, Nicholas Shea uses a series of case studies from the cognitive sciences to develop a naturalistic account of the nature of mental representation. His approach is distinctive in focusing firmly on the 'subpersonal' representations that pervade so much of cognitive science. The diversity and depth of the case studies, illustrated by numerous figures, make this book quite unlike any previous treatment. It is important reading for philosophers of psychology and philosophers of mind, and of considerable interest to researchers throughout the cognitive sciences.

Representation in Cognitive Science Reviews

In this exceptional contribution to the philosophical literature on representation, Nicholas Shea has provided a shining example of what philosophy at its best can achieve. Shea has considerably advanced discussion of how best to characterize the meaning or content of representations. It should be widely read and discussed by philosophers and scientists with an interest in foundational issues in the study of behaviour. * Professor Todd Ganson, Mind *
Rich with scientific examples, this valuable book shows why we must care about the nature of representation. Both thorough and approachable, it is essential reading for anyone interested in cognitive science. * Professor Rosa Cao, Stanford University *
Both rigorous and inventive, Shea's book is an important step forward. * Professor Peter Godfrey-Smith, University of Sydney *
Nicholas Shea draws on a deep understanding both of the philosophical issues surrounding content and explanation, and of the relevant cognitive and biological sciences. The book is entirely up-to-date, original, and accessibly written - an important resource for any course in the philosophy of mind and psychology. * Professor Christopher Peacocke, Columbia University *

About Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)

Nicholas Shea is Professor of Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London and an associate member of the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Oxford. He is an interdisciplinary philosopher of mind, and of psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and cognitive science. He went into philosophy after a brief career as an intellectual property barrister, following a degree in mathematics at Oxford. He completed his MA at Birkbeck and PhD at King's College London and worked as a postdoctoral then senior research fellow in Oxford before returning to London, firstly at King's and then at the Institute of Philosophy. As well as philosophical work on mental representation, inheritance systems, consciousness, and the metaphysics of mind, he has published in scientific journals in collaboration with psychologists, cognitive neuroscientists and biologists.

Table of Contents

Part I 1: Introduction 2: Framework Part II 3: Functions for Representation 4: Correlational Information 5: Structural Correspondence Part III 6: Standard Objections 7: Descriptive and Directive Representation 8: How Content Explains Paragraph-by-Paragraph Summary

Additional information

GOR013416632
9780198866954
019886695X
Representation in Cognitive Science by Nicholas Shea (Professor of Philosophy, Professor of Philosophy, Institute of Philosophy, University of London)
Used - Very Good
Paperback
Oxford University Press
2020-10-08
304
Winner of Winner of the 2020 Lakatos Award for an outstanding contribution to the philosophy of science.
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us

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