Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Cognitive Science (Taking Sides) [Paperback]

Marion Mason (Author), Marion Mason (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 28, 2004 | ISBN-10: 0072953284 | ISBN-13: 978-0072953282 | Edition: 1

This debate-style reader is assembled to introduce students to controversies in cognitive science. The scientific quest to understand human thinking and to imitate thinking artificially with computer software is surrounded by controversies from theory to application. The readings represent the arguments of leading cognitive scientists, researchers, and psychologists. They reflect opposing viewpoints and the issues have been selected for their substance, vitality, and relevance. By requiring students to analyze these issues and reach considered judgments, Taking Sides actively develops critical thinking, research, and presentation skills. For additional support for this title, visit our student website: www.dushkin.com/online

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin; 1 edition (May 28, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0072953284
• ISBN-13: 978-0072953282
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars A misleading title for the book, December 1, 2008

By 

Gary Bradshaw (Mississippi State, MS United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Issues in Cognitive Science (Taking Sides) (Paperback)

The book is divided into 6 parts: Mind and Brain; Concepts; Memory; Language; Intelligence; and Reasoning and Intuition. If you look at these six parts, you will realize right away that this book is not a book about cognitive science. Instead it is a book about cognitive psychology. A cognitive science book might have papers about representation, connectionism versus physical symbol systems, etc. But nearly all of the papers are drawn from the psychological literature. Only a few papers are from a philosophical perspective, and the AI perspective gets very little coverage. There are some computational models, but these are computational models of people, not of general cognitive science issues.

The selections are decent, but not distinguished. They probably won't be familiar to students and so might be more provocative than rehashing well-trod debates.

I was hoping for much, much more. If the title of the book had been different (Clashing Views on Cognitive Psychology) I would not have been so disappointed.