Kant and Cognitive Science
Proceedings of the Sixteenth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society January 1, 2019 A. Brook
Kant's philosophy of mind has deeply shaped cognitive science, particularly through the ideas that representation requires both sensory input and concepts, that the mind is studied through inference to the best explanation, and that mental activity is a function of the brain. However, three of Kant's most distinctive ideas remain largely absent from contemporary cognitive science: unified consciousness is essential to cognition, this unity arises from concept-driven synthesis, and the mind's self-knowledge has unique and peculiar characteristics. The paper argues that these neglected Kantian insights could enrich current understanding of the mind.