Cognitive Science: An Introduction to Mind and Brain

"Cognitive Science" is a major new guide to the central theories and problems in the study of the mind and brain. The authors clearly explain how and why cognitive science aims to understand the brain as a computational system that manipulates representations. They identify the roots of cognitive science in Descartes - who argued that all knowledge of the external world is filtered through some sort of representation - and examine the present-day role of Artificial Intelligence, computing, psychology, linguistics and neuroscience. Throughout, the key building blocks of cognitive science are clearly illustrated: perception, memory, attention, emotion, language, control of movement, learning, understanding and other important mental phenomena. "Cognitive Science" presents a clear, collaborative introduction to the subject. It is the first textbook to bring together all the different strands of this new science in a unified approach. It includes illustrations and exercises to aid the student.