The Future of Cognitive Science(s)

The multi- and inter-disciplinary project of scientifically investigating mental phenomena known as “cognitive science” dates back to the end of the 1950s. Initially, it included six disciplines: philosophy, (cognitive) psychology, neuroscience, artificial intelligence, linguistics, and anthropology. The kind of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary relationships required to link and achieve convergence between these disciplines has itself been subject to dispute. In fact, some authors speak of “cognitive science” (in the singular) to emphasize the need for unity, while others speak of the “cognitive sciences” (in the plural), indicating that these disciplines should maintain their autonomy and specificity. Looking to the future of the cognitive science project, it is essential to examine not only the relations between the disciplines involved, but also their distinctive roles, methods, and objects of study. The development of the “new science of mind” (Gardner) and its evolution over time opens up several questions concerning, among other things, the nature and function of the disciplines it comprises, their status, their autonomy, the theoretical models they rely or should rely on, and the theoretical constraints they face. We are mainly interested in addressing this issue from the perspectives of philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience. And yet, we would also like to consider what other disciplines might contribute to a project involving the scientific study of mental phenomena, what role they could play, and what relationships they might entertain with philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience.