Thinking About the Possible

Thinking about the possible and impossible and exploring counterfactual (“what if?”) scenarios are fundamental aspects of the human mind. The boundary conditions for counterfactual thinking, and the extent to which it shares the same underlying cognitive machinery with related abilities such as episodic future thinking and pretend play, are currently the subjects of substantial debate in philosophy and psychology.
 
The course will bring together diverse perspectives on imagination and counterfactual reasoning, with seminars offered by faculty from the fields of Developmental and Cognitive Psychology, Philosophy, Linguistics, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and Informatics on a range of topics. Course participants will learn about empirical techniques and findings from studies in cognitive development, cognitive psychology, and neuroscience and will engage with theoretical perspectives on the nature of imagination and counterfactual reasoning. 

Applications are invited world-wide from early-career researchers, including PhD and MA students, and postdoctoral fellows. Undergraduates will not be considered.