Moses - Introduction to Embodied Cognitive Science

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Diese Modulbeschreibung gilt nicht im aktuellen Semester.

Die Modulbeschreibung gilt nur für den Zeitraum WiSe 2020/21 - WiSe 2021/22. Die Version für das aktuelle Semester (SoSe 2024) finden Sie hier: Modulbeschreibung des SoSe 2024

Module / Version:
#50930 / #1

Validity:
WiSe 2020/21 - WiSe 2021/22

Default display language:
English

Module title:
Introduction to Embodied Cognitive Science

Credits:
6

Responsible person:
Sanches Sanchez, Guilherme

Grading:
benotet

Type of exam:
Portfolioprüfung

Zugehörigkeit

Faculty:
Fakultät V

Institute:
Institut für Psychologie und Arbeitswissenschaft

Area of expertise:
35321200 FG Biopsychologie und Neuroergonomie

Prüfungsausschuss:
Human Factors

Kontakt

Office:
KWT 1

Contact person:
Sanches Sanchez, Guilherme

E-mail address:
sanchessanchez@tu-berlin.de

Website:

https://www.bpn.tu-berlin.de/menue/team/guilherme_sanches_de_oliveira/

Learning Outcomes

The main goal of this course is to help students understand some of the key theories and methods that make up contemporary embodied cognitive science. By the end of the course students should be capable of demonstrating this understanding through their ability to: (1) recognize and explain the main historical antecedents and conceptual foundations of embodied cognitive science, including: behaviorism and the cognitive revolution; the phenomenological and pragmatist perspectives; the computational theory of mind and criticisms of classical computationalism; connectionism and its philosophical implications. (2) describe central concepts and ideas at work in the different lines of research within embodied cognitive science, including: conceptual and motor grounding; distributed cognition, wide computationalism, and the extended mind; anti-representationalism in evolutionary robotics and dynamical systems theory; the enactive approach and central elements such as autonomy, sense-making and autopoiesis; ecological psychology and central elements such as its theory of direct perception and of affordances. In the process of working toward the learning outcomes above, students will also accomplish another central goal of the course, which is to hone their critical thinking, argumentation and writing skills, as evidenced by their ability to: (3) critically assess an argument, and provide reasons for the success/failure of the argument (4) make an effective oral presentation; (5) write well-organized, effective, and focused essays critiquing, defending and/or advancing a position on a particular issue.

Content

An increasingly popular trend in the sciences of the mind is to emphasize the ways in which cognition is embodied, embedded, situated, extended, distributed, enactive, ecological, etc. This course combines lectures and seminars to provide an introduction to these and other approaches that fall under the umbrella of “embodied cognitive science.” The first part of the course will be lecture-based and will focus on the history and the theoretical and methodological foundations of embodied cognitive science. Having covered the basic concepts and approaches, in the second part we will turn to discussion-based seminars on cutting-edge topics in embodied cognitive science, with a special focus on the nature of affordances and their relation to the environment and to sociocultural practices.

Module Components

Pflichtgruppe:

All Courses are mandatory.

Course Name	Type	Number	Cycle	Language	SWS	VZ
Introduction to Embodied Cognitive Science	IV	3532 L 10960	WiSe	English	4

Workload and Credit Points

Introduction to Embodied Cognitive Science (IV):

Workload description	Multiplier	Hours	Total
Attendance	15.0	4.0h	60.0h
Pre/post processing	15.0	8.0h	120.0h
			180.0h(~6 LP)

The Workload of the module sums up to 180.0 Hours. Therefore the module contains 6 Credits.

Description of Teaching and Learning Methods

During Part 1 of the course, students will be responsible for: - Watching weekly online lectures (asynchronous, pre-recorded); - Reading the texts assigned; - Taking a brief online quiz about the lecture and reading materials; - Attending and participating in online discussion session (synchronous, live video). During Part 2 of the course, students will be responsible for: - Reading the texts assigned; - Attending and participating in online seminar meetings (synchronous, live video); - Making a short presentation (approx. 20 minutes) about one of the assigned texts, which will be followed by group discussion.

Requirements for participation and examination

Desirable prerequisites for participation in the courses:

Students of all backgrounds are welcome. Basic knowledge and previous course experience in cognitive science, psychology, philosophy or related areas is desirable but not required.

Mandatory requirements for the module test application:

This module has no requirements.

Module completion

Grading

graded

Type of exam

Portfolio examination

Type of portfolio examination

100 Punkte insgesamt

Language

English

Test elements

Name	Points	Categorie	Duration/Extent
Written weekly quizzes in Part 1	30	written	10 minutes each (x9)
Oral presentation in Part 2	35	oral	20 minutes
Written essay after end of Part 2	35	written	2500-3500 words

Grading scale

Notenschlüssel »Notenschlüssel 2: Fak IV (2)«

Gesamtpunktzahl	1.0	1.3	1.7	2.0	2.3	2.7	3.0	3.3	3.7	4.0
100.0pt	95.0pt	90.0pt	85.0pt	80.0pt	75.0pt	70.0pt	65.0pt	60.0pt	55.0pt	50.0pt

Test description (Module completion)

To earn credit for the course, in addition to (1) completing weekly written quizzes during part 1 and (2) making an oral presentation during part 2, students will also (3) submit a short essay of approximately 2500-3500 words on the topic of the course (detailed instructions will be provided).

Duration of the Module

The following number of semesters is estimated for taking and completing the module:
1 Semester.

This module may be commenced in the following semesters:
Wintersemester.

Maximum Number of Participants

The maximum capacity of students is 20.

Registration Procedures

To register, contact me at sanchessanchez@tu-berlin.de. Please mention "Embodied Cognition course" in the subject of your email and send a short description of your background and interest in the course.

Recommended literature
No recommended literature given

Assigned Degree Programs

Semester:

Zeige auch ausgelaufene Studiengänge und StuPOs

This module is used in the following Degree Programs (new System):

	Studiengang / StuPO	StuPOs	Verwendungen	Erste Verwendung	Letzte Verwendung
This module is not used in any degree program.

Miscellaneous

Course content available at: https://isis.tu-berlin.de/course/view.php?id=21823

Introduction to Embodied Cognitive Science