Cogs 4100 - Philosophical Aspects of Cognitive Science Midterm Review Questions, Spring 1997

These are some questions to help you organize your thoughts.

1. What are epistemology and ontology? How are they related to our understanding of consciousness?
2. What is classical reductionism? How does it relate to Alwyn Scott's general approach?
3. In what ways might quantum theory be relevant to a study of consciousness?
4. In what ways might current forms of biochemistry and physiology necessarily be the way they are? How does Scott's notion of Immense numbers relate to this issue?
5. Can a neuron or neuronal system be modelled on a computer? Why or why not?
6. What is Burton's proposal for advancing cognitive science?
7. Briefly discuss some theories of Theories. On what sort of bases might we choose among theories, or approaches to theorizing?
8. Churchland seems to suggest that a reasonable notion of a Theory is a method or mechanism for categorizing observations or perceptions. Briefly discuss the strengths and weaknesses of this approach.

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