COGNITION IN THE WILD by Ed Hutchins (1995)
“For anyone really interested in cognition as it is embedded in complex contexts that shape it. And for anyone who likes really fun data.” - Eve Sweetser
THE ILLUSION OF CONSCIOUS
WILL by
Daniel Wegner (2003)
"A remarkable demonstration of how
psychology can sometimes transform philosophy." -- Sue Blackmore, Times
Literary Supplement
THINKING THINGS THROUGH by Clark Glymour (1997)
“An amazingly clear and comprehensible
introduction to the philosophical background theory of computation”. - Alison
Gopnik
THE SCIENTIST IN THE CRIB by Alison Gopnik (2001)
"Using language that's both friendly and
smart (and using equally accessible metaphors, everything from Scooby-Doo to
The Third Man), The Scientist in the Crib explores how babies recognize and
understand their fellow humans, interpret sensory input, absorb language, learn
and devise theories, and take part in building their own brains." - Amazon
SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION by Ken Kesey (1988)
"...there is always a sanctuary more, a
door that can never be forced whatever the force; a last inviolable stronghold
that cannot be taken, whatever the attack. Your vote can be taken, your name,
your innards, even your life. But that last stronghold can only be
surrendered--and to surrender it for any reason other than love is to surrender
love..." -from the book
THE HUMAN BRAIN COLORING
BOOK by Marian Diamond and Arnold B. Scheibel,
(1986)
"The best way to combine visual and
tactile learning of a difficult subject...." - Neuroanatomy Student
THE MIND’S NEW SCIENCE by Howard Gardner (1987)
“A kind of history of the cognitive revolution
in psychology and a tour of classical cognitive science near its beginnings.” -
John Kihlstrom
CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG
IN NIGHTTIME by Mark Haddon (2004)
"Mark Haddon absolutely "got it
right" in this book. From descriptions of how overwhelming the man-made
world is for us on a sensory level, to frustration with a society that expects
us to learn how to recognize neurotypical facial expressions based on simple
drawings -- I'm really impressed, everything really does reflect how many of us
experience life. It was like reading something written by my own brain." -
Autistic reader on Amazon
THE GOLDEN AGE by John C. Wright (2003)
“A science-fiction novel that is set so far
in the future that people can reengineer their memories and their whole mind,
as well as their perceptions”. - Matt Barackman
THE FEELING OF WHAT HAPPENS by Antonio Demasio (2000)
“On the neuroscience of emotion and how it
all relates back to consciousness. Lots of interesting case studies and
fascinating brain facts and hypotheses...” - Tim Mullen
MR. PALOMAR by Italo Calvino (1986)
"A masterpiece by a brilliant Italian
writer (ALL his books are beautiful), _Mr. Palomar_ is funny, poignant, and
thought-provoking. It is easy, pleasureful reading (many short pieces) about
perception, individuality, society, the universe, and yes, COGNITION." -
Julia Gitis
THE QUEST FOR CONSCIOUSNESS by Christof Koch (2000)
“Searle raved about it several times in his
Philosophy of Mind class”. - Jeremy Spiegel
"Not only a mine of information, and
full of provocative thoughts and insights, but a delight to read and
ponder." - Oliver Sacks
THE BIRTH OF THE MIND: HOW A
TINY NUMBER OF GENES CREATES THE COMPLEXITIES OF HUMAN THOUGHT by Gary Marcus (2004)
"Expert and lucid ... carries the reader
to the edge of current knowledge." - Noam Chomsky
Warm thanks to all those who contributed
to the 2005 CSSA Summer Reading List.