SUMMER 2005 CSSA READING LIST

(Get the .doc file here)



COGNITION IN THE WILD by Ed Hutchins (1995)

 

Recommended by: Professor Eve Sweetser, Linguistics

 

“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)

 

Recommended by: Professor Lori Markson, Psychology

 

"A remarkable demonstration of how psychology can sometimes transform philosophy." -- Sue Blackmore, Times Literary Supplement

 

 

 

THINKING THINGS THROUGH by Clark Glymour (1997)

 

Recommended by: Professor Alison Gopnik, Psychology

 

“An amazingly clear and comprehensible introduction to the philosophical background theory of computation”. - Alison Gopnik

 

 

 

THE SCIENTIST IN THE CRIB by Alison Gopnik (2001)

Recommended by: Professor Branden Fitelson, Philosophy

 

"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)

 

Recommended by: Professor Richard Ivry, Psychology

 

"...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)

 

Recommended by: Professor Marian Diamond, Integrative Biology

 

"The best way to combine visual and tactile learning of a difficult subject...." - Neuroanatomy Student

 

 

 

 

THE MIND’S NEW SCIENCE by Howard Gardner (1987)

 

Recommended by: Professor John Kihlstrom, Psychology

 

“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)

 

Recommended by: Carol Snow, Cognitive Science Administrator Extraordinaire

 

"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)

 

Recommended by: Matt Barackman

 

“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)

 

Recommended by: Tim Mullen

 

“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)

 

Recommended by: Julia Gitis

 

"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)

 

Recommended by: Jeremy Spiegel

 

“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)

 

Recommended by: Katharine Clark, Cog Sci fan

 

"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.