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Transcript of Introduction
“What is it that confers the noblest delight? What is that which swells a man’s breast with pride above that which any experience can bring to him? Discovery!
To know that you are walking where none others have walked; that you are beholding what human eye has not seen before...”
—Mark Twain
Goal of the Course1.
To teach you the basic skills needed to do effective analysis and research in the constituent disciplines associated with Cognitive Systems
• Computer Science
• Linguistics
• Philosophy
• Psychology
Not just techniques for particular problems in particular sciences, but general ways of approaching the unknown…
These skills include things such as:
• Using words effectively• Reasoning effectively• Spotting problems in an argument
• Observing more of what’s around you• Developing your creative abilities• Making better decisions
• Designing experiments• Finding good research topics• Getting a feel for systems
• Writing essays• Giving presentations
What You Will Hopefully Learn2.
1. Doing research well is not governed by genetics, but by training. You can do it if you work at it.
5. Logical thinking / intelligence
The Five Most Important Factors in Researchers:
2. Open-mindedness
1. Curiosity
4. Intuitive ability / imagination
3. Persistence
Early view — c. 1860-1910: Nature (genetics)
Nature vs Nurture
Effectiveness = Nature x Strategy
Later view — c. 1910-1960: Nurture (learning)
Synthesis — c 1960 - 2010: Both (Nurture = Learning)
Emerging view — c 2010: Both (Nurture = Strategy)
Amplify via the right kind of training
What You Will Hopefully Learn2.
1. Doing research well is not governed by genetics, but by training. You can do it if you work at it.
1. The skills needed are just more controlled forms of those used in everyday thinking. It’s all connected.
a) Recognize the weaknesses of human reasoning, and guard against them as much as possible
a) Lessen the grip of your current beliefs, and open your mind to alternatives
a) Develop a robustness that will let you “hang in there”, and live comfortably with uncertainty
Extensions:
a) Learn to accept negative feedback so that you can continue to improve
What You Will Hopefully Learn2.
1. Doing research well is not governed by genetics, but by training. You can do it if you work at it.
1. The skills needed are just more controlled forms of those used in everyday thinking. It’s all connected.
1. Community is an important part of research in the real world. Communication is critical.
The Need for Communication Skills:
Your careers will be determined largely byhow well you speak, by how well you write, and by the quality of your ideas
in that order. —Patrick Winston
In Other Words…3.
The goal is to develop people who have
- a depth of particular technical knowledge in one or more domains (efficiency)
- the general skills to apply this knowledgein the right way (effectiveness)
The Approach4.
Research, analysis, and science are just more controlled forms of the thinking done in everyday life
Need to use more conscious control and more intuition, and handle these in the right way
• back-and-forth use of these—systolic process
Developing a skill requires practice.
This course will largely be about such practice• readings to be done before class
• seminar format
class time will be largely devoted to discussions and exercises based on these points
Focus will be on three kinds of skills (built up in layers):
Evaluating An Argument4.1
Need for controlled rational thinking (critical thinking)
Much of thinking done via specialized modules • cognitive illusions
- e.g., Darwinian algorithms
• incomplete separations (confusions)- e.g., between correlation and causation
Need to combat
Many basic issues not resolved (especially in Cog Systems)• need to compare results/frameworks in different fields• many issues not even formalized
Finding An Explanation4.2
Need for controlled imagination (creativity)
Much of the hypothesizing (guessing) done is suboptimal
• failure of generative thinking- e.g., don’t consider all reasonable possibilities
• failure of critical thinking (evaluation)- e.g., hold on to personal favourites
Need to learn to generate and evaluate alternatives
Systematization4.3
Need for controlled exploration (science)
• experiment design- operationalization of terms- critical experiment
• systems thinking- hierarchies- power laws (80/20 rule)
• the right research question- a difference that makes a difference- theories, models, paradigms, etc
Communication Skills4.4
• writing- clarity- conciseness
• presentations- clarity- effective slide design
• debates- exposure to both sides- effective verbal skills
Background mode; distributed throughout the course:
Syllabus5.
Group ABeltran, Daniel Carter, DakotaChristie, ElizaDukic, JozefinaGharibnavaz, MazdakLau, David Litke, Julia Grace GMartin, AleksMorariu, OanaPham, Doris Tuyet BachSpeert, Nathaniel LawtonWong, SamsonYu, Amy
Syllabus5.
Group BAruldevarajan, ThayaliniChern, Kearny Cirstea, MariaElijah, Deng SimonKroeker, Vanessa StefanieLeon, Adelena MacLean, TrevorMitchell, Ryan AllanNg, Cheuk YinSamuel, DafTang, WinnieYip, Collin KaKui
Structure of Most Classes
1. Context for material—why it’s important (5 min)
2. Brief quiz (5 min)
3. Comments about readings (5-15 min)
4. Group analyses (30-40 min)
5. Discussions / excercises (10-40 min)
6. Overview of assignment for next class (5 min)
7. Real-world segment (remaining time)
Evaluation6.
15% Quizzes
21% Submitted material- 12% written essays- 9% target articles / presentations
16% Analyses (groups)
12% Debates (teams)
12% Critique of research papers
9%Mid-term exam
15% Final exam
Evaluation6.
15% Quizzes
21% Submitted material - 12% written essays - 9% target articles / presentations
16% Analyses (groups)
12% Debates (teams)
12% Critique of research papers
9% Mid-term exam
15% Final exam