PSY333: Cognitive Psychology

The Biological Basis of Cognition

I.       Biological involvement in cognition (beyond the neuron metaphor)

1.                 Neuroscience - The study of the brain (anatomy, physiology, function)

a)    Cognitive Neuroscience

2.                 Brain imaging

3.                 Advances in physiology - especially the chemical methods.

4.                 Evolution

a)                 Basics of Theory

b)                Allows links to other animals

i)    Especially Primates

5.                 Ultimately, many believe that biology will account for cognition (this is a reductionistic position)

a)                 What is reductionism?

b)                What is the concept of emergent properties?

c)                 Are the two positions reconcilable?

II.    What is the mind and what is the brain?