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Centre for Cognitive Science (COGS)

Seminars

COGS Seminars provide a forum for internationally recognised researchers from all corners of cognitive science research to present and discuss their latest findings. All are welcome to attend.

Spring 2025

Tuesdays 16:00-17:30

DateSeminarVenue

Feb 5th

The Thinking Game
An exclusive screening of a film directed by Greg Kohs

Abstract: The Thinking Game takes you on a fascinating journey into the heart of DeepMind, one of the world’s leading AI labs, as it strives to unravel the mysteries of artificial general intelligence (AGI).Inside DeepMind’s London headquarters, founder Demis Hassabis and his team are relentlessly pursuing the creation of AI that matches or surpasses human abilities on a wide range of tasks. Filmed over five years, the documentary puts viewers in the room for the pivotal moments of this quest, including the groundbreaking achievement of AlphaFold, a program that solved a 50-year grand challenge in biology. This film captures the exhilaration of historic breakthroughs like AlphaFold, the crushing weight of disappointment during setbacks, and the unwavering pursuit of knowledge that defines Demis’ commitment to scientific innovation. This film invites viewers to witness one of the most important scientific adventures of our time, exploring the potential of AGI to reshape our world.

Chichester 1 Lecture Theatre

Passcode: 889984

Feb 18

The cognitive foundations of the attention economy
Jelle Bruineberg
Copenhagen

Abstract: Herbert Simon’s slogan that information abundance implies attention scarcity is generally taken to be foundational to the very concept of the attention economy, the economic system in which human attention is the scarce resource. My first aim in this talk is to assess how fitting Simon’s framework is for understanding attending in the attention economy. I will argue that it is not, and in the second half will draw upon predictive processing and other more action-oriented frameworks to better understand the challenges faced by human attention in the attention economy.

online

Passcode: 924265

Feb 25

Out-Of-Distribution Thinking: Philosophical Insights From Machine Learning
Simon McGregor
Sussex

Abstract: Why do people struggle to agree on metaphysical questions? In this talk, I propose the hypothesis that metaphysical reasoning in humans resembles "out-of-distribution" (OOD) generalisation in machine learning (ML). According to this hypothesis, our conceptual structures are well-enough aligned for practical purposes because there are strong external pressures (from embodied experience and social context) towards convergence in our everyday conceptual practices. Unfortunately, our conceptual practices in metaphysical domains are only weakly constrained by those forces; in consequence, sophisticated thinkers can disagree profoundly (and apparently irresolvably) on highly abstract conceptual questions.
This hypothesis has pragmatic consequences for how we approach philosophy. In particular, if our concepts of "truth" and "reality" turn out to be underconstrained when applied in a metaphysical domain, then there is nothing to reliably anchor metaphysical disagreements to, at least if we see them as candidates for truth evaluation. This might incline some to eliminativism about metaphysics, but I argue instead for adopting a flexible, pluralistic approach.

Pevensey 1-2D4

Passcode: 183366

Mar 4

tba
Richard Heersmink
Tilburg

Abstract: Tba

online

Passcode: 068196

Mar 11

tba
Peter Lush
Sussex

Abstract: tba

Pevensey 1-2D4

Passcode: 614864

Mar 18

tba
Jeff Mitchell
Sussex

Abstract: tba

Pevensey 1-2D4

Passcode: 172549

Apr 1

tba
Thor
Sussex

Abstract: tba

Pevensey 1-2D4

Passcode: 941352

Contact COGS

For suggestions for speakers, contact Simon Bowes

For publicity and questions regarding the website, contact Simon Bowes.

Please mention COGS and COGS seminars to all potentially interested newcomers to the university.

A good way to keep informed about COGS Seminars is to be a member of COGS.  Any member of the university may join COGS and the COGS mailing list.  Please contact Simon Bowes if you would like ot be added.

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