CODE 90691 ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025 CREDITS 6 cfu anno 1 METODOLOGIE FILOSOFICHE 8465 (LM-78) - GENOVA 6 cfu anno 2 DIGITAL HUMANITIES - INTERACTIVE SYSTEMS AND DIGITAL MEDIA 11661 (LM-92) - GENOVA SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR M-FIL/05 LANGUAGE English TEACHING LOCATION GENOVA SEMESTER 1° Semester TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB OVERVIEW The course offers an overview of the intersections between cognitive science and theories of the arts. AIMS AND CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES 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. AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES Identifying the main trends in the field of cognitive sciences. Relating them to theories of art and artistic practices. Acquire a greater ability to manage one's social interactions with a collaborative attitude, constructive communication, and dialogic skills. Demonstrate autonomy in work, the ability to handle primary literature, argumentative skills, and collaborative attitude in coordination and negotiation. PREREQUISITES None. TEACHING METHODS 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. SYLLABUS/CONTENT 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) RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY Teaching materials that will be made available on Aulaweb TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD MARCELLO FRIXIONE Ricevimento: Please write to the Professor to set an appointment ENRICO TERRONE Ricevimento: Please write to the Professor to set an appointment Exam Board MARCELLO FRIXIONE (President) ENRICO TERRONE (President) LESSONS Class schedule The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy EXAMS EXAM DESCRIPTION Oral examination ASSESSMENT METHODS Classroom presentation and oral examination. FURTHER INFORMATION 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).