John Zerilli – författare

A familiar trope of cognitive science, linguistics, and the philosophy of psychology over the past forty or so years has been the idea of the mind as a modular system-that is, one consisting of functionally specialized subsystems responsible for processing different classes of input, or handling specific cognitive tasks like vision, language, logic, music, and so on. However, one of the major achievements of neuroscience has been the discovery that the brain has incredible powers of renewal and reorganization. This "neuroplasticity," in its various forms, has challenged many of the orthodox conceptions of the mind which originally led cognitive scientists to postulate hardwired mental modules. This book examines how such discoveries have changed the way we think about the structure of the mind. It contends that the mind is more supple than prevailing theories in cognitive science and artificial intelligence acknowledge. The book uses language as a test case. The claim that language is cognitively special has often been understood as the claim that it is underpinned by dedicated-and innate-cognitive mechanisms. Zerilli offers a fresh take on how our linguistic abilities could be domain-general: enabled by a composite of very small and redundant cognitive subsystems, few if any of which are likely to be specialized for language. In arguing for this position, however, the book takes seriously various cases suggesting that language dissociates from other cognitive faculties. Accessibly written, The Adaptable Mind is a fascinating account of neuroplasticity, neural reuse, the modularity of mind, the evolution of language, and faculty psychology.

A familiar trope of cognitive science, linguistics, and the philosophy of psychology over the past forty or so years has been the idea of the mind as a modular system-that is, one consisting of functionally specialized subsystems responsible for processing different classes of input, or handling specific cognitive tasks like vision, language, logic, music, and so on. However, one of the major achievements of neuroscience has been the discovery that the brain has incredible powers of renewal and reorganization. This "neuroplasticity," in its various forms, has challenged many of the orthodox conceptions of the mind which originally led cognitive scientists to postulate hardwired mental modules.This book examines how such discoveries have changed the way we think about the structure of the mind. It contends that the mind is more supple than prevailing theories in cognitive science and artificial intelligence acknowledge. The book uses language as a test case. The claim that language is cognitively special has often been understood as the claim that it is underpinned by dedicated-and innate-cognitive mechanisms. Zerilli offers a fresh take on how our linguistic abilities could be domain-general: enabled by a composite of very small and redundant cognitive subsystems, few if any of which are likely to be specialized for language. In arguing for this position, however, the book takes seriously various cases suggesting that language dissociates from other cognitive faculties.Accessibly written, The Adaptable Mind is a fascinating account of neuroplasticity, neural reuse, the modularity of mind, the evolution of language, and faculty psychology.

A familiar trope of cognitive science, linguistics, and the philosophy of psychology over the past forty or so years has been the idea of the mind as a modular system-that is, one consisting of functionally specialized subsystems responsible for processing different classes of input, or handling specific cognitive tasks like vision, language, logic, music, and so on. However, one of the major achievements of neuroscience has been the discovery that the brain has incredible powers of renewal and reorganization. This "neuroplasticity," in its various forms, has challenged many of the orthodox conceptions of the mind which originally led cognitive scientists to postulate hardwired mental modules.This book examines how such discoveries have changed the way we think about the structure of the mind. It contends that the mind is more supple than prevailing theories in cognitive science and artificial intelligence acknowledge. The book uses language as a test case. The claim that language is cognitively special has often been understood as the claim that it is underpinned by dedicated-and innate-cognitive mechanisms. Zerilli offers a fresh take on how our linguistic abilities could be domain-general: enabled by a composite of very small and redundant cognitive subsystems, few if any of which are likely to be specialized for language. In arguing for this position, however, the book takes seriously various cases suggesting that language dissociates from other cognitive faculties.Accessibly written, The Adaptable Mind is a fascinating account of neuroplasticity, neural reuse, the modularity of mind, the evolution of language, and faculty psychology.

A cutting-edge selection of current issues and explorations of the ethics of artificial intelligence As artificial intelligence continues to influence virtually every facet of modern life, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence offers a timely and rigorous examination of the field's most pressing questions. Equally useful in the classroom or as a reference for interdisciplinary research, this volume fosters informed and critical engagement with the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence in today's world. Curated by renowned scholars Sven Nyholm, Atoosa Kasirzadeh, and John Zerilli, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence brings together a dynamic mix of established leaders and emerging voices from both philosophy and computer science. The result is a uniquely structured collection of debates that not only introduces key concepts—such as agency, moral status, and value alignment—but also challenges readers to engage deeply with controversies around bias, transparency, and the societal risks posed by AI technologies. Providing frameworks for engaging responsibly with current and future AI technologies, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Presents a dual-perspective debate format that fosters critical thinking and comparative analysisIncludes both foundational conceptual discussions and cutting-edge applied ethical issuesFeatures original contributions from interdisciplinary experts in philosophy, law, cognitive science, and computer scienceAddresses timely topics such as algorithmic bias, opacity, value alignment, and the moral status of AIExplores forward-looking concerns, including the future of AI governance and long-term existential risksContemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence is ideal for undergraduate, advanced undergraduate, and graduate-level courses in philosophy, computer science, public policy, and related disciplines. It is well-suited for courses such as Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Society, and Digital Ethics in philosophy, computer science, political science, international relations, and data science programs.

A cutting-edge selection of current issues and explorations of the ethics of artificial intelligence As artificial intelligence continues to influence virtually every facet of modern life, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence offers a timely and rigorous examination of the field's most pressing questions. Equally useful in the classroom or as a reference for interdisciplinary research, this volume fosters informed and critical engagement with the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence in today's world. Curated by renowned scholars Sven Nyholm, Atoosa Kasirzadeh, and John Zerilli, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence brings together a dynamic mix of established leaders and emerging voices from both philosophy and computer science. The result is a uniquely structured collection of debates that not only introduces key concepts such as agency, moral status, and value alignment but also challenges readers to engage deeply with controversies around bias, transparency, and the societal risks posed by AI technologies. Providing frameworks for engaging responsibly with current and future AI technologies, Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence: Presents a dual-perspective debate format that fosters critical thinking and comparative analysis Includes both foundational conceptual discussions and cutting-edge applied ethical issues Features original contributions from interdisciplinary experts in philosophy, law, cognitive science, and computer science Addresses timely topics such as algorithmic bias, opacity, value alignment, and the moral status of AI Explores forward-looking concerns, including the future of AI governance and long-term existential risks Contemporary Debates in the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence is ideal for undergraduate, advanced undergraduate, and graduate-level courses in philosophy, computer science, public policy, and related disciplines. It is well-suited for courses such as Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Society, and Digital Ethics in philosophy, computer science, political science, international relations, and data science programs.