This group focuses on the connections between the neural and cognitive sciences and the humanities. Research explores the implications of modern neuroscience research for the study of language, literature, and philosophy and also examines the methodological and historical foundations of scientific research in neuroscience and psychology.

Anderson, Michael, Computer Science

Carruthers, Peter, Philosophy

His primary research interests for most of the last decade have been in the philosophy of psychology. He has worked especially on theories of consciousness and on the role of natural language in human cognition. But he has also published on such issues as: the nature and status of our folk psychology; nativism and modularity; theories of intentional content, and defence of a notion of narrow content for psychological explanation; and issues to do with evolutionary psychology and cognitive architecture. Before coming to College Park he was at the University of Sheffield (UK), where he had a spell as Head of Department and was Director of the Hang Seng Centre for Cognitive Studies. (He continues to be connected with the latter through his involvement in a large three-year interdisciplinary research project on "Innateness and the Structure of the Mind".) In a previous incarnation he trained as a Wittgensteinian, and published a couple of monographs on Wittgenstein's Tractatus.

Cherniak, Christopher, Philosophy

Dr. Cherniak's research falls in theory of knowledge and in neuroanatomy.

Israel, Michael, English

Linguistics

Norman, Kent, Psychology

His interests are in cognitive psychology, judgment and decision making, and cyberpsychology. Cyberpsychology includes the study of psychological issues at the intersection of human behavior and computer technologies including the Internet, social computing, human-computing, and mobile computing. Current research involves the cognitive aspects human/computer interaction, interface design, usability testing, online surveys and experiments, menu navigation, and the assessment of user satisfaction to frustration and computer rage. In addition, Dr. Norman is interested in the design of electronic educational environments for collaborative learning and the construction of knowledge.

Rey, Georges, Philosophy

His primary interest is in the relation of contemporary cognitive science to traditional problems in the philosophy of mind, especially the difficulties raised by rationality, intentionality and qualitative experience. He has written numerous articles, and a recent book on contemporary philosophy of mind, in which he argues that a computational/representational theory of mind seems to present a promising way of meeting the first two difficulties, and even a weakened version of the third; but that it will never satisfy us completely because of problems inherent in the way we involuntarily think of things that look and act like our conspecifics.

Uriagereka, Juan, Linguistics

In my work, I study syntactic patterns with an eye on trying to understand what they may tell us about the broader questions that my research pursues. I have specialized mostly in Indo-European (particularly Romance) languages and Basque, presenting analyses from these arenas in a comparative way. I often attempt to relate conclusions reached in the area of syntax to work in the evolution of language or a variety of its performative aspects.