Join us in San Francisco!
CogSci 2025
July 30 – Aug 2, 2025
Marriott Marquis, San Francisco
Program Chairs
Key Dates
Submissions:
2024: Submissions open – November 30, 2024 (consult FAQ)
2025: Submissions close – February 1, 2025
2025: Author notification of acceptance – April 2025
2025: Accepted submissions due in final form – May 2025
Awards:
2024: Conference prize nominations open – November 30, 2024
2025: Awards announced – April 2025
Registration:
2025: Conference registration opens – April 2025
2025: Last day to register at “early bird” conference rate – May 2025
2025: Last day to register at “regular” conference rate – June 2025
Keynotes
Theme 1: The Future of Foundational Ideas of Cognitive Science
Cognitive Science was born from a revolution that centered the mind as the object of study, resulting in new fields that study the nature of mental representations, consciousness, the origins of knowledge, and how the brain carries out mental computations. Which of the foundational ideas and debates that emerged from the Cognitive Revolution remain important to current discourse in our field?
Keynote: Susan Carey
Harvard University
Carey investigates the origins of human conceptual representation and has conducted work on core systems of knowledge, word learning, the construction of intuitive theories, and case studies of conceptual change including number, causal reasoning, and the language of thought. Among her most important contributions is the argument that human knowledge emanates from rich innate structures that are enriched through processes of conceptual change.
Theme 2: The Role of AI in Theories of the Future
The rapid emergence of AIs and their success in modeling diverse aspects of human language and cognition raises important questions about the future of theory building in our field. Do the engineering successes of AI suggest a new theoretical path forward for Cognitive Science? What role should foundational ideas in Cognitive Science play in theory making as we look to the future?
Keynote: Josh Tenenbaum
MIT
Tenenbaum’s work investigates the computational structure of human cognition, and includes studies of concept learning, similarity judgment, causal inference, and the formation of perceptual representations. A key focus is the nature and origin of common-sense theories, and how humans construct concepts, theories and skills from minimal examples.
Theme 3: New Theoretical Horizons in Cognitive Science
What is the future of theory in the Cognitive Sciences? In this transitional moment in Cognitive Science, what questions are most central to understanding human cognition? Which of the foundational theoretical constructs of our field deserve to be preserved in the coming years? What changes are required? What paths are most likely to lead to innovation and discovery?
Keynote: Lauren Ross
UC Irvine
Ross specializes in the philosophy of science, focusing on explanation and causation within biology, neuroscience, and medicine. Her research includes projects that explore the nature of scientific explanation, the variety of causal structures and types of explanation used in these fields, and the underlying rationale for specific forms of causal reasoning. By investigating how scientists explain phenomena and infer causal relationships, her work addresses the conceptual foundations of empirical research in the life sciences and medicine.
The Cognitive Science Society is pleased to announce the establishment of the CogSci Grove which aims to mobilise cognitive scientists to offset carbon emissions associated with their professional activities.