Philosophy - Neuroscience - Psychology

Director: José Luis Bermúdez Secretary: Kimberly Mount

Home Page: http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/~pnp/ Location: 208 Wilson Hall Email: pnp@artsci.wustl.edu Telephone: (314) 935-4297

The PNP program reflects a growing awareness among philosophers of mind of the importance of an informed interdisciplinary approach to understanding the mind/brain. Key elements of such an interdisciplinary approach include knowledge of cognitive neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence. The advent of new and powerful brain imaging techniques such as PET (positron-Emission Tomography) scanning and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), along with the increasing use of computational models of neural systems, has given rise to the field of cognitive neuroscience as a rich arena for interdisciplinary cooperation. Washington University enjoys an international reputation as a center of excellence in this field; neuroscience faculty have pioneered the use of these imaging techniques and conduct front-line research in computational neural modeling. The Department of Psychology is increasingly involved in research projects which forge links with neuroscientific studies in areas such as language processing, attention and memory, while the Department of Computer Science has a number of researchers in artificial intelligence and neural networks, who offer courses that are accessible to PNP students. The Department of Philosophy itself offers a range of courses specifically tailored for PNP, in addition to the courses that serve students in the department's regular Ph.D. Program. This confluence of resources and skills makes Washington University an ideal arena in which to train the next generation of cognitive philosophers.

News Stories & Tip Sheets:

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20,000 neurons keep steady time when working together WUSTL research finds individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time, but are unreliable Sept. 9, 2009 -- An isolated nerve cell busy keeping time. Download Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have shown that individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time all by themselves. However, by themselves, they are unreliable. The neurons get out of synch and capriciously quit or start oscillating again. The biological clock, a one-square millimeter area of the brain just above the roof of the mouth and atop the crossing of the optic nerves, comprises about 20,000 neurons. These cells, remarkably, contain the machinery to generate daily, or circadian, rhythms in gene expression and electrical activity. But the individual cells are sloppy and must communicate with one another to establish a coherent 24-hour rhythm.

The world in six songs Multi-talented psychologist and musician at Assembly Series Sept. 26, 2008 -- Session musician, commercial recording engineer, live sound engineer, record producer, bestselling author and psychologist, Daniel Levitin visits the WUSTL campus at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 8 in Graham Chapel for the next installment of the Assembly Series.

If in need, hope for happy people around One's circumstance and mood can impact moral behavior April 6, 2006 -- Your mood at the time might determine whether or not you help this woman. Do you consider yourself a moral person? Most of us do. But what is it exactly that makes us moral beings? A philosopher at Washington University in St. Louis thinks that circumstance and mood often have an extraordinary impact on how people behave, no matter what kind of character they may appear to have. Or, in other words, seemingly Sweet Sally may turn into Selfish Sally if in a foul mood. More ...

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Faculty Experts:

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José Bermúdez Chair of Philosophy - Neuroscience - Psychology José Luis Bermúdez's research interests are primarily in interdisciplinary philosophy of mind and philosophy of psychology. Topics of recent interest include the nature of mental content, models of psychological explanation, the role and origins of self-consciousness and the possibility of thought ... Expertise: interdisciplinary philosophy of mind, philosophy of psychology Direct contact: (314) 935-7149 / bermudez@wustl.edu

Pascal R. Boyer Henry Luce Professor of Individual and Collective Memory in Arts & Sciences Pascal Boyer Download Professor Boyer is an internationally recognized scholar on the study of how people and communities perceive and understand characteristics of their culture. His work centers on questions concerning the understanding of culture and its scientific investigation as it relates to the mind and the brain. ... Expertise: cognitive development, cognitive processes, cultural transmission, cross-cultural psychology, evolutionary psychology, oral epics in Africa, religion, … Direct contact: (314) 935-8282 / pboyer@artsci.wustl.edu

James V. Wertsch Marshall S. Snow Professor in Arts & Sciences James Wertsch Download James V. Wertsch, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences.In addition, he holds joint appointments in Education, the Russian Studies Program, and the Program in Philosophy, Neuroscience, and Psychology, all in Arts & Sciences. Heis the director of the McDonnell International ... Expertise: Russia and former Soviet Union, collective memory, identity, international studies, psychology, education Direct contact: (314) 935-9015 / jwertsch@wustl.edu

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