The Puzzle of Language and Tyranny of the Written Word

In the middle portion of the course, students deepened their understanding of the traditional models that capture cognitive scientists’ thinking about thinking. Much of the empirical work on understanding thinking, and more specifically consciousness, centers on language. Language, after all, is the way we communicate with one another. Language is a powerful force in shaping thought and action, however it is not the only force that underlies consciousness. By deepening understanding of cognition and the role language plays in shaping thought and action, students’ awareness of just how far AI still has to go before anything remotely resembling the singularity might occur, grew by leaps and bounds.