The course offers an overview of the intersections between cognitive science and theories of the arts.
Cognitive science has deeply redefined paradigms and models of mental processes of perceptual and cognitive processes. The traditional philosophical problems concerning the relationships between bodily and mental experiences, the mutual interaction of intelligence and emotions, the mobile and often contradictory status of artistic products, their meaning and their use have acquired radically new dimensions. The dialogue between aesthetics, neuroscience and philosophy of mind enhables mutual fertilization between technological innovation and its possible applications to the arts, entertainment and rehabilitation.
None.
Alternation between themes of cognitive science and their applications to the artistic field
The course will combine lectures delivered by the instructor with classroom presentations given by attending students.
1. The emergence of classical cognitive science From behaviorism to cognitive science Examples of mental representations (grammars, mental models) Functionalism Propositional attitudes and Common Sense Psychology Cognitive science and emotions Functionalism and qualia Limitations of behaviorism in explaining art Usefulness of functionalism in explaining art Case study: fiction imagination emotions 2. Visual perception Visual perception 1: Marr Visual perception 2 Gibson Dorsal system and ventral system Case study: pictorial perception 3. Connectionism AI models are not necessarily models of cognition Case study: image recognition and generation by deep learning 4. Robotics and cognition of the 4Es New Robotics Braitenberg 4E cognition Case study: intereactivity in baroque fresco and haptic arts 5. Modularity and evolutionism "Fodorian" vs. "massive" modularism Modularism and evolutionary psychology Problems of adaptive explanations Case study: evolutionary aesthetics 6. Cognitive science and neuroscience Neuroscience as a new horizon for cognitive science Case study: neuroaesthetics 7. Language and communication Syntax vs. semantics Compositionality of meaning Frege and antipsychologism Fodor and compositionality in the mind Pragmatics Grice and speakers' intentions, maxims, implicatures Case study: the limits of the art/language analogy Case study: pragmatics and the arts (e.g. poetry, film, conceptual art)
Teaching materials that will be made available on Aulaweb
Ricevimento: Thursday 2-4 p.m. DAFIST, Philosophy section, Via Balbi 4, 2nd floor
Ricevimento: Please write to the Professor to set an appointment
MARCELLO FRIXIONE (President)
MARIA CRISTINA AMORETTI
ENRICO TERRONE (President Substitute)
Tuesday, September 26th
https://corsi.unige.it/9913/p/studenti-orario
Oral examination
Classroom presentation and oral examination.
Students with disabilities or learning disorders are allowed to use specific modalities and supports that will be determined on a case-by-case basis in agreement with the Delegate of the Engineering courses in the Committee for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities. Students are invited to contact the teacher of this course and copy the Delegate (https://unige.it/commissioni/comitatoperlinclusionedeglistudenticondisabilita.html).
