On the need for cognitive science

Abstract

In this article, I take up the problem of the identity and role of cognitive science in the face of current technological change. Although the status of the science of mind is typically considered through the lens of its degree of disciplinary integration, this assessment remains contested and does not fully capture its character. Instead, I propose to look at cognitive science through the individual, organizational, and social dimensions. The identity of this field rests not so much on a uniform conceptual apparatus as on a disposition shared by its researchers: an openness to the complexity of cognitive processes. This specific sensibility takes on particular significance today, in an age of mass user interactions with artificial intelligence. In the article, I argue for a stronger voice of cognitive scientists in public debate and in regulatory processes concerning technology, indicating that such engagement may foster the responsible shaping of the human cognitive environment.