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Loops and Recursions in Cognitive Science: Cross-Roads between Methodology and Epistemology

Author

Listed:
  • Florian Klauser

    (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Center for Cognitive Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

  • Urban Kordes

    (University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Education, Center for Cognitive Science, Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Abstract

This article addresses the need for cognitive science to loop back and examine its roots and presuppositions, pointing out the three recursive issues: 1.) The observer effect or how observing a phenomenon affects the phenomenon that is being observed, an issue that has been acknowledged by natural science, which cognitive science attempts to emulate, and empirical phenomenology, but not cognitive science itself; 2.) Human kinds or how our research affects us, the researchers, and society (people's self-understandings), an issue which forms a loop with the observer effect - observation thus changing the observed, the observer, as well as itself, and 3.) The dangers of over-eager extrapolation or how complexity is lost during shifts in explanatory level, issues pertaining to using findings from studies of one explanatory level (e.g. experiments with rats) to inform a different explanatory level (issues within human society). Finally, the article presents a fourth recursive loop which presents a potential solution to the above: a self-correcting mechanism that allows science to recursively correct its mistakes and improve on its own work.

Suggested Citation

  • Florian Klauser & Urban Kordes, 2018. "Loops and Recursions in Cognitive Science: Cross-Roads between Methodology and Epistemology," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 524-532.
  • Handle: RePEc:zna:indecs:v:16:y:2018:i:4:p:524-532
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Lukan, 2018. "Probability and Metaphysics," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 567-578.
    2. Maja Malec, 2018. "Considerations on Scientific Thought Experiments," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 558-566.
    3. Toma Strle, 2018. "Looping Minds: How Cognitive Science Exerts Influence on Its Findings," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 533-544.
    4. Urban Kordes, 2015. "A better metaphor for understanding consciousness?," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 13(4), pages 525-533.
    5. Tine Kolenik, 2018. "Seeking after the Glitter of Intelligence in the Base Metal of Computing: The Scope and Limits of Computational Models in Researching Cognitive Phenomena," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 545-557.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Toma Strle, 2018. "Looping Minds: How Cognitive Science Exerts Influence on Its Findings," Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems - scientific journal, Croatian Interdisciplinary Society Provider Homepage: http://indecs.eu, vol. 16(4), pages 533-544.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    observer effect; human kinds; recursion; looping effects; philosophy of science;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • Z19 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Other

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