Is Cognitive Science Real Science? (Video)
What makes the study of the mind scientific and trustworthy
In the past, I was a little skeptical about the scientific study of the mind. It didn’t seem possible to observe and measure something that’s inherently invisible, like the mind processing a set of numbers. Is there real science in cognitive science? If so, how does it work?
This post and the video below illustrate why I now believe the science is real.
Something to Prove
A few months ago, I was talking to a friend who is a physics Phd and a former physics professor. After describing my fascination with the mind, he said something that stuck with me: “That’s the thing about psychology, you don’t have to prove anything.”
In some contexts, he had a point. The work of Freud and Jung, for instance, is mostly theoretical and lacks empirical evidence. This was true with most of psychology up to the 1950s, when the mind was considered a black box.
The arrival of computers changed everything. By the 1960s, researchers saw the potential to create computer programs that mimic specific processes in the mind. A computer could be programmed, for example, to remember and forget numbers similar to the human version.
This set the stage for a revolution where researchers built ever-more accurate and sophisticated models of the mind. The models became so reliable that they could accurately predict specific mental processes like memory capacity, reaction times, and recall patterns.
Why was this a revolution?
The models allowed researchers to lessen their dependence on expensive and time-consuming human studies. Scientists could test hypotheses quickly using a computer model and then test the findings against humans to see if they match something natural in the human mind.
This loop, experimenting rapidly with computational models and then testing the results with humans, is a big part of the science in cognitive science. It led to evidence of real mental mechanics that can be understood and replicated. Cognitive science involves a lot more than these models, but they are a powerful and productive tool.
Are the models trustworthy?
The use of computational models is not unique to cognitive science. They are widely used and trusted across scientific disciplines.
The 3-minute video below explains how similar models are used in climate science, particle physics, and engineering.
Looking for a Foundation
I’ve intentionally taken some time to dive deeper into these ideas because I don’t think it’s sufficient to read the headlines and assume every finding is trustworthy. For me to feel confident in this work, I needed to figure out how the science is actually done, why it can be trusted, and how it connects to better explanations.
I still have a lot to learn, but feel that I’m now building on a more solid foundation.
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