What is COGS? - Correct Answer COGS is an interdisciplinary approach to designing systems that think
and act intelligently.
System - Correct Answer Creature, organism, structure that differs from its surroundings and is made up
of interrelated and interacting parts. May serve a purpose or function.
What makes a system cognitive - Correct Answer If the system can think (process information) and act
upon it.
Real VS Fake - Correct Answer Fake is non-real
Natural VS Artificial - Correct Answer Natural = occuring in nature, artificial = man-made.
What is the goal of cognitive science? - Correct Answer To understand how the mind works, develop
theories of it and appropriate testing/methodology.
Why is language important to cognitive science? - Correct Answer It is studied in all 4 major fields and
plays a significant role in each. Think of examples in neuroscience, cs, and psychology.
What are the 5 components of communication? - Correct Answer Sender, message, channel, receiver,
effect.
How many of Hockett's design features are there in total, and how many are unique to human
language? - Correct Answer 16 features in total, 7 are unique to human language. If a system misses
one, then it is communication not language.
What is the displacement design feature? - Correct Answer Being able to talk about things that are not
present (animals can't)
, What is the productivity/duality of patterning design feature? - Correct Answer The ability to create and
combine different signals and sounds to create new meaning. (animals have fixed number of moves eg
bees). The ability to combine small, meaningless units to create arbitrary meaning.
What is the cultural transmission/learnability feature? - Correct Answer The ability for the language to
be taught or passed down to future generations. Many forms of animal communication are
instinctual/genetic.
What are the reflexiveness and prevarication features? - Correct Answer Reflexiveness is using language
to talk about language. Prevarication is the ability to lie or deceive.
Why is the honey bee dance not considered a language? - Correct Answer While it possesses design
features such as semanticity (having a specific meaning) and displacement, it lacks other core design
features such as cultural transmission and productivity.
What is language? - Correct Answer Language is a form of communication but possesses traits that set it
apart from other forms such as animals. It is one of the fundamental properties of human cognition
which is why it is important to COGS. It represents the world and can create new ideas that can be
communicated through language.
What is the total feedback design feature - Correct Answer The fact that a speaker understands what
they are saying. This constitutes a major part of human thinking, thus making language a fundamental
property of cognition.
What does philosophy have instead of a body of knowledge? - Correct Answer The tradition of inquiry
of major figures and their works.
How can philosophy be applied to science? (2 ways) - Correct Answer 1. In a foundational sense, where
philosophy establishes a base of knowledge which leads to further questioning. 2. Reflecting on the
progress of science by analyzing methodology and results
What two controversies does the Turing Test present? - Correct Answer 1. Will a computer ever pass
the turing Test (Science) 2. If it does, is it a clear sign of intelligence? (Philosophy)
and act intelligently.
System - Correct Answer Creature, organism, structure that differs from its surroundings and is made up
of interrelated and interacting parts. May serve a purpose or function.
What makes a system cognitive - Correct Answer If the system can think (process information) and act
upon it.
Real VS Fake - Correct Answer Fake is non-real
Natural VS Artificial - Correct Answer Natural = occuring in nature, artificial = man-made.
What is the goal of cognitive science? - Correct Answer To understand how the mind works, develop
theories of it and appropriate testing/methodology.
Why is language important to cognitive science? - Correct Answer It is studied in all 4 major fields and
plays a significant role in each. Think of examples in neuroscience, cs, and psychology.
What are the 5 components of communication? - Correct Answer Sender, message, channel, receiver,
effect.
How many of Hockett's design features are there in total, and how many are unique to human
language? - Correct Answer 16 features in total, 7 are unique to human language. If a system misses
one, then it is communication not language.
What is the displacement design feature? - Correct Answer Being able to talk about things that are not
present (animals can't)
, What is the productivity/duality of patterning design feature? - Correct Answer The ability to create and
combine different signals and sounds to create new meaning. (animals have fixed number of moves eg
bees). The ability to combine small, meaningless units to create arbitrary meaning.
What is the cultural transmission/learnability feature? - Correct Answer The ability for the language to
be taught or passed down to future generations. Many forms of animal communication are
instinctual/genetic.
What are the reflexiveness and prevarication features? - Correct Answer Reflexiveness is using language
to talk about language. Prevarication is the ability to lie or deceive.
Why is the honey bee dance not considered a language? - Correct Answer While it possesses design
features such as semanticity (having a specific meaning) and displacement, it lacks other core design
features such as cultural transmission and productivity.
What is language? - Correct Answer Language is a form of communication but possesses traits that set it
apart from other forms such as animals. It is one of the fundamental properties of human cognition
which is why it is important to COGS. It represents the world and can create new ideas that can be
communicated through language.
What is the total feedback design feature - Correct Answer The fact that a speaker understands what
they are saying. This constitutes a major part of human thinking, thus making language a fundamental
property of cognition.
What does philosophy have instead of a body of knowledge? - Correct Answer The tradition of inquiry
of major figures and their works.
How can philosophy be applied to science? (2 ways) - Correct Answer 1. In a foundational sense, where
philosophy establishes a base of knowledge which leads to further questioning. 2. Reflecting on the
progress of science by analyzing methodology and results
What two controversies does the Turing Test present? - Correct Answer 1. Will a computer ever pass
the turing Test (Science) 2. If it does, is it a clear sign of intelligence? (Philosophy)
