Cognitive Science and Philosophy of AI MA

Core modules:

Dissertation

In this module, students will undertake an individual research project on a topic in some area of Philosophy, Political Theory or Cognitive Science and present the results in a dissertation of up to 12,000 words. The dissertation represents a piece of independent research and will be supervised by an expert member of staff who will provide guidance, feedback and tutorial support. An introductory session on how to approach the task of researching and writing the dissertation will also be offered early in the academic year.  Students will be required to utilise MySkills in maintaining a reflective record detailing project management strategies.

60 credits

Foundations of Mind; Cognitive Science, Philosophy and AI

This module will provide you with an advanced introduction to foundational theories and current debates in interdisciplinary cognitive science and artificial intelligence. You will emerge from this module with a firm understanding of core theoretical background and empirical methodologies behind current advances in the interdisciplinary study of biological and artificial minds and will see how this theoretical background informs cutting edge research in current debates. The contemporary interdisciplinary study of the mind draws on work and methodologies from a number of disciplines in addressing the most fundamental questions about the mind, including many longstanding philosophical questions about the nature and purpose of consciousness and the self and about how minds work. Core theoretical debates concern such topics as: the computational theory of mind; the possibility of true artificial intelligence; the structure and organisation of the mind; the relationship between psychology and neuroscience; the separation between thought and perception; the influence of language on the mind; comparative methods for studying human, animal, and artificial minds; the origins and development of minds; atypical minds and psychopathology; the impact of culture on minds. This module will discuss a selection of these and related topics, looking at work across a range of disciplines in cognitive science. In this module, you will have the ability to tailor your own research to the module topics that you find most interesting, and to strike a different balance between the empirical and the theoretical, and different disciplinary focuses. You wil alsol develop skills in doing interdisciplinary research, producing video presentations of their work, and writing essays.

30 credits

Consciousness, Cognition and AI

This module will explore cutting edge research at the intersection of cognitive science, philosophy, and AI. Contemporary research in these areas concerns such topics as: the nature of consciousness and how methodologies in different disciplines can contribute to our understanding of it; the role of emotions and affect in cognition; how technology may help in the integration of neuroscience and cognitive science; how advances in AI can shed light on our understanding of human and animal minds; and how advances in cognitive science and philosophy can help us better understand the capacities and features of emerging AI technologies (e.g., do AI systems have agency, thought, consciousness, etc?). This module will discuss a selection of these and related topics, looking at work across a range of disciplines in cognitive science. Students will have the ability to tailor their own research to the module topics that they find most interesting, and to strike different balances between the empirical and the theoretical, and different disciplinary focuses. Students will develop skills in doing interdisciplinary research, producing research posters, and writing argumentative essays.

30 credits

Optional modules:

Introduction to AI in the Humanities

This module examines the topic of 'Artificial Intelligence' in a Humanities context. You will learn about both cutting-edge examples of how AI has been applied to research in Humanities subjects, as well as the fundamental ideas behind AI (such as what 'AI' actually means, how it has/should be used, and how this might influence the future of the Humanities). 

By the end of this module, you will be able to critically engage with the use of AI in academic and professional environments. 

The module focuses on the concepts behind AI, and requires no previous experience of coding or mathematics.

15 credits

Fundamentals of Cognition

The module provides an overview of the fundamental issues in cognitive neuroscience and its contributory disciplines. The approach taken is in terms of its development over the past 50 years, providing an overview of the key concepts in the information processing approach and in cognitive science, followed by an analysis of the advances that have been made recently using cognitive neuroscience techniques. Topics include: fundamental issues in cognition (memory, attention, learning, language); theoretical approaches including cognitive neuropsychology, symbolic and sub-symbolic modelling; and methodological issues.

15 credits

Fundamentals of Neuroscience

The module provides an introduction to core aspects of contemporary neuroscience, and it will consider the current state of knowledge in the field, central theoretical issues and key practical approaches. Topics that are discussed include: neural signalling, sensation and sensory processing, movement and its central control, the 'changing brain' (development and plasticity in the nervous system) and complex brain functions.

15 credits

Neural Dynamics and Computation

This module starts with a primer on neuroscience and the role of computational neuroscience. The module will cover various modelling approaches, from classic biologically plausible to abstract-level models of neurons. The module will then move to higher levels of modelling approaches, such as neural networks and reinforcement learning. While the module emphasises methodological issues and how models can be built, tested and validated at each level, we will also draw connections to specific brain regions to motivate and illustrate the models.

15 credits

Research Methods in Cognitive Neuroscience

Researchers in Cognitive Neuroscience use a range of different methods and techniques to better understand the biological processes underpinning cognition. An understanding of the differences between these methods, and their advantages and disadvantages when addressing different research questions, is critical for being able to understand existing research as well as designing and conducting novel research projects. 

This module provides an introduction to a range of state-of-the-art methods used in cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience research, such as EEG, eye-tracking, and tDCS. The module comprises a mix of lectures introducing each technique, demonstrations where students will gain hands-on exposure to cognitive neuroscience equipment, and seminars where students present a recent scientific article using that method. By the end of the module, students will have acquired the knowledge and understanding of a range of cognitive neuroscience methods, their benefits and pitfalls, and be able to use that gained understanding to critically evaluate published research and design new studies. 

15 credits

Neurocognitive Modelling

This module concerns inferring and modelling neural and cognitive processes underlying human behaviour using computational means. One part of the module will cover normative models, which allow us to solve problems optimally along with their neural or cognitive representations. The other part of the module will focus on cognitive models, which involve fitting models to behavioural data to estimate latent parameters that are assumed to underlie the data and allow us to make inferences about their properties.

15 credits

Current Issues in Psychological Research

This unit describes how multiple research methods can address current debates in Psychological research. Sessions will cover a current debate and illustrate how research being conducted at the University of Sheffield and further afield is contributing to and shaping these debates. Group activities and discussions, will allow students to develop a position on contemporary debates in Psychology, informed by various research methods. Individual written work will allow students to explore one of the debates in depth allowing them to weigh up evidence, take a position on the debate and make suggestions for next research steps.The module will encourage critical appraisal, collaborative discussion and individual articulation of a position on contemporary debates in Psychology.

15 credits

Current Issues in Applied Linguistics

Current Issues in Applied Linguistics' offers students an opportunity to reflect upon, and debate, contemporary questions related to language research and language education.

The module is designed to stimulate critical thought, ask questions, advance opinions, and generally scratch our heads over some of the knottier problems in language and social life. The aim will be to explore critical current issues and social problems through the lens of language. The module seeks to introduce students to the diversity of research in Applied Linguistics, while representing the expertise of the scholars who will teach them on their degree programme. Topics will vary from year to year, covering diverse fields like language awareness, language acquisition, critical linguistics, language norms, 'correctness' and normativity, interculturality, linguistic imperialism and the global business of TESOL.

15 credits

Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and Contemporary Technology

This module will investigate a range of ethical issues pertaining to current and ongoing developments in AI and contemporary technology. Example topics might include responsibility dilemmas in regard to autonomous vehicles and lethal autonomous weapon systems, relationships with chatbots and robots, data ethics and algorithmic injustice, as well as the moral status of future artificial beings. By studying these topics and others, students will gain a broad philosophical perspective on advanced topics in AI and technology ethics, develop their ability to critically assess and face moral dilemmas in the dynamic and fast-paced environment of the AI and tech scene, as well as improve their understanding of how philosophical theories can be applied and used to tackle practical real-world ethical challenges posed by modern and future technology.

15 credits

Approaches to Philosophy

The aim of the module is to provide PGT students with a diverse range of methodological perspectives to employ as they embark on their own research journey and to develop textual analysis and interpretation skills. The module provides bespoke research preparation to the study of different methodological traditions, past or present. Indicative topics to be covered in any given year might include some or all of: i) Analytic Philosophy and Empirical Science; ii) Phenomenology; iii) Pragmatism; iv) Feminist Approaches to Philosophy.In this module, students will also acquire bespoke skills relevant to employability. The aim of this element is to develop confident and transferable communication skills by applying one or more philosophical concepts studied in the module to some topic in current affairs, or to some organisation, institution or profession, in the form of a policy document, poster or digital media artefact. This element will be assessed and will count for 25% of the module mark. Students will utilise MySkills to reflect on the completion of this task as a development experience.Teaching will be by way of weekly lectures and seminars, with tutorial support for assigned course work and the Employability component.

30 credits

New Directions in Philosophy

The aim of this module is to introduce PGT students to current and emerging trends in philosophy as they embark on their own research journey.

This module provides a bespoke research preparation to different topics at the cutting edge of contemporary philosophy. Students will specialize in their preferred topic for the purposes of assessment. Indicative topics to be covered in any given year might include some or all of: i) Applied/Socially Engaged Philosophy of Language; ii) Philosophy of Technology/AI; iii) New Approaches to Modality; (iv) Environmental Bioethics; (v) Contemporary Approaches to Meta-normativity.

In this module, students will also acquire bespoke research skills relevant to employability, including a brief presentation on a topic from the module syllabus and oral feedback on the presentations of other students. The aim of this element is to develop confident and transferable collaboration and oral communication skills. 

As part of this module, students are also expected to develop a first outline of their MA Dissertation in order to be matched up with a suitable supervisor at the end of the Semester. 

30 credits

Thought, Language and Reality

This module covers  topics in theoretical philosophy broadly conceived.  Within this wide field lie questions about the ultimate nature of reality and about our own nature as beings who inhabit this reality and are capable of thinking, knowing and communicating about it: questions in  epistemology, metaphysics, philosophy of mind, logic, and the philosophy of language.  The module will be team-taught, and each component topic will be taught by a specialist who has worked on that topic. Indicative topics covered in any given year include: i) Consciousness, ii) Truth and the Liar Paradox, iii) Personal Identity, iv) Mystical and Psychedelic Experience, v) Analytical/Social Epistemology.Teaching will be by way of weekly lectures and seminars, with individual supervision for coursework essays.  If you are new to theoretical philosophy this will be a hands-on introduction.  If you already have a strong foundation in this field of enquiry that you want to build on, then this module allows you to do that through an in depth exploration of some of its most fascinating questions.

30 credits

Ethics and Practical Philosophy

This module covers topics in ethics and practical philosophy, broadly conceived.  You will have the opportunity to make an in-depth study of a number of selected topics within ethics, metaethics, moral psychology, social philosophy, and aesthetics.  The questions covered include substantial questions about value and normativity as well as meta-level questions about the epistemology and metaphysics of practical thought and language. 

If you are new to these areas of enquiry, you will be getting a hands-on introduction.  If you want to build on an established foundation of knowledge then the topics have been chosen to allow that.  Indicative topics covered in any given year include: i) Theories of Value in Ethics and Aesthetics; ii) Blame, Apology and Forgiveness; iii) The Immoral Realism debate; iv) Philosophy of Disability; v) Moral and Normative Scepticism.

The module will be team taught, and each component topic will be taught by a specialist who has worked on or is working on that topic.

Teaching will be by way of weekly lectures and seminars, with individual supervision for coursework essays.

30 credits

Political Theory

This module covers political theory broadly conceived.  It encompasses theoretical questions about justice and governance, along with more practical and topical questions.  If you are new to political philosophy then this will be a hands-on introduction.  Or you can build on an established foundation of knowledge by exploring these questions in depth.  Indicative topics to be covered in any given year include: i) Democracy; ii) Prisons and Punishment; iii) Colonialism, Racism and Fascism; iv) Commemorative Justice;  v) Animals' Political Rights.You will be able to tackle these questions using tools and frameworks gained in the Approaches to Philosophy module.  The module will be team taught, and each component topic will be taught by a specialist who has worked on or is working on that topic.Teaching will be by way of weekly lectures and seminars, with individual supervision for coursework essays.

30 credits

Current Issues in Applied Linguistics

Current Issues in Applied Linguistics' offers students an opportunity to reflect upon, and debate, contemporary questions related to language research and language education.

The module is designed to stimulate critical thought, ask questions, advance opinions, and generally scratch our heads over some of the knottier problems in language and social life. The aim will be to explore critical current issues and social problems through the lens of language. The module seeks to introduce students to the diversity of research in Applied Linguistics, while representing the expertise of the scholars who will teach them on their degree programme. Topics will vary from year to year, covering diverse fields like language awareness, language acquisition, critical linguistics, language norms, 'correctness' and normativity, interculturality, linguistic imperialism and the global business of TESOL.

15 credits

Plus the below:
- Advanced Statistics
- Language Learning and Acquisition
- Discourse Analysis
-Intercultural Communication