Cognitive Science for Creativity 1.0
Faculty
Pancho Tolchinsky
Cognitive Science Missionary
Course length
Duration
Total hours
Credits
Language
Course type
Fee for single course
Fee for degree students
Skills you’ll learn
Overview
The native language of our mind isn’t reason or logic, but poetry. For our mind, rhythm and metaphors are more basic than deduction or syllogism. Our brain’s signature isn’t its capacity to process information but its power to create meanings and imagine the world through them. These meanings emerge out of the interaction between our bodies and the environment. Brain-body-environment takes part in an ecosystem in which thoughts are born, grow up, mate, breed and perish.
This ecological vision of our mind that arises from the different Cognitive Sciences allows us to understand some of the resources we use to think, to interpret the world and to create in it.
In this course we explore some of the advances in the Cognitive Sciences to propose different strategies that can help us navigate our mental spaces more fluidly and effectively, fostering a productive imagination in the service of creative thinking. We will learn to apply consciously some of the mechanisms we use subconsciously in our creative processes.
Learning highlights
- Learn what are concepts in order to make better use of them
- Understand how our body creates meaning and how these meanings shape how we think
- Move from a static world of objects to a dynamic world of interactions. A world that provides more opportunities for creativity
- Grasp the power of metaphors in creative thinking
Course outline
4 classes
Session 1
Concepts shape what we perceive and think. Understanding how we depend on them can help us use concepts without being dominated by them.
Session 2
Our conceptual world emerges out of the interaction between body and environment. It is in this interaction that we create meaning.
Session 3
Whatever we perceive or imagine is embedded in a web of relationships. Ours isn't a static world of objects but a dynamic world of interactions. With different interactions, we bring about new worlds.
Session 4
Through metaphors, we're able to go from the very literal experiences to the most abstract concepts. Metaphors allow us to experience and think about the world in fluid and novel ways.
Course materials
Books
Prerequisites
This course is one of three in a wholistic series.
Students that have already taken MSL-111 and those with prior experience with HTML, CSS, and Javascript building simple web pages will be good candidates for this module.
Pancho Tolchinsky delivers workshops and participates in projects to help people discover the beauty and power of the human mind.
Pancho graduated in Mathematics at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and earned a PhD in Artificial Intelligence at the Polytechnical University of Catalonia. At the university, he worked on a few projects involving Commonsense Reasoning and Human-Computer Interaction. Pancho later worked at the Yahoo! Research Lab, developing crazy prototypes for data exploration. Previously, he worked as a teacher/software-developer/researcher in a Master in Architecture at Metapolis (now IaaC) in Barcelona, and helped developing software for the architects of the Sagrada Familia.
See full profileApply for this course
Cognitive Science for Creativity 1.0
by Pancho Tolchinsky
Total hours
15 Hours
Dates
Oct 01 - Oct 05, 2018
Fee for single course
€500
Fee for degree students
€250
How to secure your spot
Complete the form below to kickstart your application
Schedule your Harbour.Space interview
If successful, get ready to join us on campus
FAQ
Will I receive a certificate after completion?
Yes. Upon completion of the course, you will receive a certificate signed by the director of the program your course belonged to.
Do I need a visa?
This depends on your case. Please check with the Spanish or Thai consulate in your country of residence about visa requirements. We will do our part to provide you with the necessary documents, such as the Certificate of Enrollment.
Can I get a discount?
Yes. The easiest way to enroll in a course at a discounted price is to register for multiple courses. Registering for multiple courses will reduce the cost per individual course. Please ask the Admissions Office for more information about the other kinds of discounts we offer and what you can do to receive one.