iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Language relies on a flexible, distributed neural network that integrates beyond traditional speech centers to adapt to real-time communication… Neuroscience of Language by Gesa Hartwigsen doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.9793d1ae #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Neuroscience of Language" by Gesa Hartwigsen. Language is a key faculty for human communication. Across the last few decades, neuroimaging work provided insight into the contribution of distributed areas in the brain to different language operati

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Michael Brownstein @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Chuffed to learn that my book with @dryan149.bsky.social and @madva.bsky.social has been shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Book Prize for Social Justice. The winner will be announced Oct 7th. @mitpress.bsky.social @goddardriverside.bsky.social

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Alex Madva @madva.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Over the moon to share that our book, Somebody Should Do Something, is a finalist for the @goddardriverside.bsky.social Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice! Huge thanks to @mitpress.bsky.social for nomination & for their support to me, @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social, & @dryan149.bsky.social

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Subjective experience challenges traditional science because it remains unclear how neural computations generate the feeling of what it is like to… Consciousness by Claire Sergent and Frédérique de Vignemont doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.0aea8c7d #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Consciousness" by Claire Sergent and Frédérique de Vignemont. Consciousness refers to our subjective experience, broadly construed. It thus embraces a wide range of phenomena from wakefulness and sentience to what it is like to have a particular experience. Seei

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Converting abstract thoughts into fluent speech requires a rapid, subconscious orchestration of syntactic structure, word choice, and motor planning. Language Production by Zenzi M. Griffin doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.b076f599 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Language Production" by Zenzi M. Griffin. Speakers are typically aware of the ideas they want to express but not the steps involved in getting from those ideas to a series of motor movements. Consider describing an image with the sentence, “B

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Neurologist Richard E. Cytowic offers compelling evidence that we can change the way we use technology, resist its addictive power, and take back the control we have lost. "Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age" is available in paperback: mitpress.mit.edu/978026204900... @neuromandc.bsky.social

A copy of "Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload" by Ricahrd E. Cytowic on a white background. The cover is an image of a rock split with a mobile screen.

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The brain is not a static organ, but a dynamic system that physically rewires its own circuitry in response to learning, injury, and environmental… Neuroplasticity by Marina Bedny doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.3d4df41d #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Neuroplasticity" by Marina Bedny. Neuroplasticity is the capacity of the brain to change as a result of external influence and internal activity. It underpins learning from the environment, from others and from our own thoughts. Neuro

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Often overshadowed by the five classical senses, the vestibular system acts as an ancient, silent anchor for navigation, memory, and our fundamental… Vestibular System by Christophe Lopez doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.bc3a43dd #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Vestibular System" by Christophe Lopez. The vestibular system is a key sensory system responsible for self-motion perception and spatial orientation, working in concert with visual, muscular, joint, and tactile receptors to maintain balance

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Human causal reasoning relies on internal mental models that allow us to simulate counterfactual worlds and compare them against what actually… Causal Reasoning by David Lagnado doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.0de13fd2 #CognitiveScience

Figure from the OECS article "Causal Reasoning".

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Philosophers treat skepticism not as stubborn denial, but as a logical trap revealing fundamental tensions in our concepts of knowledge and evidence. Skepticism by Santiago Echeverri doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.95725785 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Skepticism" by Santiago Echeverri. In everyday life, people think of skepticism as the position of a stubborn person who rejects what other people believe in. Some skeptics may deny that climate change is real, while others claim that

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I'm not sure this is what the Fathers of the Enlightenment had in mind 300+ years ago. But here we are.

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Intelligence tests measure specific cognitive aptitudes, yet the field remains marked by the tension between useful psychological metrics and their… Intelligence by K. Paige Harden doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.2aa90758 #CognitiveScience

Figure from the OECS article "Intelligence".

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Widened diagnostic criteria and shifting cultural definitions have transformed autism from a rare clinical diagnosis into a broad, heterogeneous… Autism by Uta Frith doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.db4c7c20 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Autism" by Uta Frith. The concept of autism has undergone a huge transformation since the 1940s when it was first given a name. Originally, it referred to a rare neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe impairme

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

We're less than a month away from publication of Nick Humphrey's new book WHY IS THE WORLD SO BEAUTIFUL? Nick kicks off the publicity campaign with an in depth interview on Robinson Erhardt's podcast. Worth a listen! youtu.be/SLUQiAuywAs?...

youtu.be

Nicholas Humphrey: Why Does Beauty Exist?

YouTube video by Robinson Erhardt

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🐭 Danielle Williams 🐹 @okaydaniellle.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

very cool— and open access!

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

"[B]oth broad and deep, clarifying the core concepts, illuminating key distinctions and their relationships, and providing insights and lessons for researchers in cognitive science, AI, and AGI." -- John E. Laird, Professor Emeritus, University of Michigan

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The brain instantly resolves ambiguous visual input into coherent scenes by running lightning-fast, unconscious logical inferences before we even see. Unconscious Inference by Patrick Cavanagh doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.3bef4aa1 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Unconscious Inference" by Patrick Cavanagh. Unconscious inference refers to the rapid and unconscious, high-level choices made by the visual system to quickly organize input from the eyes into a coherent scene comprising objects, depth, light,

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

With this week's paperback publication of Richard Cytowic's YOUR STONE AGE BRAIN IN THE SCREEN AGE (@mitpress.bsky.social) now is a great time to revisit the interview he gave to BIG THINK earlier this year. 1.5 million views and counting! youtu.be/t0qq9R__XiQ?...

youtu.be

Your brain wasn't built to hold this much information | Richard Cytowic

YouTube video by Big Think

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Scientific consensus struggles to define "basic" tastes, as our perception of flavor is often an illusion dominated by smell rather than the tongue. Taste by Charles Spence doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.704d8d25 #CognitiveScience

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Mark Coeckelbergh @coeckelbergh.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Just talked to CNN news India

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Joel David Hamkins @joeldavidhamkins.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Latest review of The Book of Infinity. www.amazon.com/portal/custo... Why not add your review?

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Daniel Kelly @dryan149.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

🔥

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Distinguishing between our species and other animals requires balancing subtle quantitative differences with the unique, complex interplay of our… Uniquely Human Cognition by Daniel B. M. Haun doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.2760bd31 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Uniquely Human Cognition" by Daniel B. M. Haun. Uniquely human cognition refers to aspects of cognition that are specific to our evolutionary lineage and distinguish us from other animals, including our closest living relatives, the nonhuman primat

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miriamkyselo.bsky.social @miriamkyselo.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Where does the self end? In my new book I argue that the boundary between self and other extends beyond our bodies. Thanks to Tony Chemero and Shaun Gallagher the book has two kind endorsements. If you want a physical copy you can get it at a discount today.😬 www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-relati...

barnesandnoble.com

The Relational Mind: An Enactive Theory of the Self

Barnes & Noble’s online bookstore for books, NOOK ebooks & magazines. Shop music, movies, toys & games, too. Receive free shipping with your Barnes & Noble Membership.

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The human brain balances a seemingly perfect capacity for memory with a notorious susceptibility to misidentification in real-world scenarios. Face Perception by A. Mike Burton doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.57de91a4 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Face Perception" by A. Mike Burton. The human face sends many different signals. We can identity somebody, if we happen to know them, but we can also judge their emotional state from their expression, perhaps read their lips if they are

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

"Humphrey’s skills as an expositor on the science/philosophy interface shine through here. He doesn’t definitively answer the question in the title -- nobody could! But he offers insights that will deepen any reader’s understanding of the issues. -- Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal

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Adrian Currie @adrian-currie.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Methods in the Philosophy of Science: A User's Guide, edited by the inestimable @phieveigl.bsky.social (and me!), has 27 chapters from super-cool philosophers of science explaining how they do their thing, and is now open access! Our baby is free! #philsci direct.mit.edu/books/oa-edi...

direct.mit.edu

Methods in the Philosophy of Science: A User's Guide

A guidebook to methods and methodology, encouraging deeper engagement across the philosophy of science and beyond.The last twenty years have seen multiple

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Language challenges the rule of arbitrary meaning through recurring, non-random associations between the sounds we articulate and the concepts they… Sound Symbolism by Mutsumi Imai and Kimi Akita doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.4ea61aa9 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Sound Symbolism" by Mutsumi Imai and Kimi Akita. Sound symbolism is the nonarbitrary association between (speech) sound and meaning. The association may be iconic (i.e., based on resemblance, as with beep for a high electronic noise and zigzag for a

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Reposted by Philip Laughlin

MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Thanks to our library partners, we are pleased to provide more than 500 #OpenAccess titles free to read on the MIT Press Direct platform! We invite libraries worldwide to support the innovative diamond #OA model as we open our 2027 Direct to Open (D2O) funding cycle: mitpress.mit.edu/the-mit-pres...

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

The brain’s continuous monitoring of internal physiological states may be the fundamental mechanism that grounds our sense of self. Interoception by Catherine Tallon-Baudry doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.84963756 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Interoception" by Catherine Tallon-Baudry. Interoception refers to how the brain senses, consciously or unconsciously, physiological signals coming from inside the body. It includes a broad range of signals, mechanisms, and functions. It infor

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

While humans often assume they have direct access to their inner lives, cognitive science suggests our self-reports are frequently post hoc… Introspection by Jérôme Sackur doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.a685b0e0 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Introspection" by Jérôme Sackur. Introspection (etymologically, “looking inward”) refers to the ability to access one’s own mental life and the results thereof. It stands in contrast to perception, the ability to connect with the wor

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Modern Day Bartleby @moderndaybartleby.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

This book by @coeckelbergh.bsky.social via @mitpress.bsky.social is excellent & very much required reading for these times

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Distinguishing between involuntary displays and flexible, intentional signals remains central to understanding whether human language evolved from… Primate Communication by Katja Liebal doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.54c9be0b #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Primate Communication" by Katja Liebal. Comparative psychologists interested in the evolution of human language often aim at identifying potential precursors to human language in other species, so they focus on the communicative systems of

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Auditory perception challenges vision-centric theories by organizing the world through temporal structure rather than the spatial depth dominant in… Hearing by Casey O’Callaghan doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.7a7ee600 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Hearing" by Casey O’Callaghan. Hearing, also known as audition, is a modality of sensory perception in which one detects and differentiates things and features in the environment by transducing and extracting information from press

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Reading is a cultural invention that repurposes existing brain systems rather than an innate ability, explaining why mastery requires years of… Literacy by Kathleen Rastle doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.dcf0298d #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Literacy" by Kathleen Rastle. Literacy refers to the ability to read and write. Literacy is fundamental to many aspects of modern life, but it is not a capacity that humans develop naturally. Instead, children need to be taught to

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Debates over whether the mind is built from specialized components connect modern cognitive science to a centuries-old quest to map mental… Modularity by Richard Samuels doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.afbd5860 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Modularity" by Richard Samuels. The term “module” is typically used by cognitive scientists to denote mental components or subsystems that are, in some suitable way, distinct and specialized. So construed, debates regarding modulari

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Philip Laughlin @philiplaughlin.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Not to change the subject too much, but this Robert Redford movie from 2013 is worth checking out: www.imdb.com/title/tt2017...

imdb.com

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The subjective feeling of control often diverges from reality, revealing that our sense of agency is a computational inference rather than a direct… Sense of Agency by Patrick Haggard doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.7b88a436 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Sense of Agency" by Patrick Haggard. Sense of agency refers to the subjective experience of controlling one’s own actions and, through them, events in the outside world. The subjective sense of agency should be distinguished from the obj

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Human cognition relies on goal-driven categories that organize items not by their outward similarities, but by their utility in achieving a specific… Ad Hoc Categories by Lawrence W. Barsalou doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.2bb82513 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Ad Hoc Categories" by Lawrence W. Barsalou. Because the members of an ad hoc category are dissimilar to one another, they are not normally perceived as a category. Children, pets, and family heirlooms, for example, do not appear to form a categ

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

"[Babies] only splash about in the shallows of a fathomless ocean of language. And yet, somehow, that’s enough. From a drop, they infer the depths." To understand how children learn human language, @mcxfrank.bsky.social and colleagues studied the experience from a child's perspective.

technologyreview.com

Kids outlearn AI—and we still don’t know why

LLMs need vastly more data than children to learn language. Understanding why could help us create more efficient models—and reveal more about developing minds.

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Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science bot @oecs-bot.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Modeling the mind as an optimal system reveals how human cognition is precisely tuned to the statistical demands of our environment. Rational Analysis by John R. Anderson doi.org/10.21428/e2759450.b3b3e5e7 #CognitiveScience

Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science: "Rational Analysis" by John R. Anderson. Rational analysis is an approach to understanding human cognition that treats it as optimized to solve problems given certain constraints. For example, a rational analysis of memory starts from the id

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Out now (and #openaccess!): "Conceptual Form: The Hidden Structure of Commonsense Concepts," a theory of the formal structure of commonsense concepts, by cognitive scientist Sandeep Prasada. mitpress.mit.edu/978026205313...

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MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

New this week from the MIT Press. Congratulations authors! 📚👇

Six book covers over a orange gradient: “The Book of Infinity," “Last and First Men," "Building the American Green State,” “Getting to Work on Climate Policy,” “Brains Minds Machines,” and "On Mind”

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