Nicholas Shea

Nicholas Shea, a Professor of Philosophy at the Institute of Philosophy, University of London, delves into the intersections of philosophy, cognitive science, and genetics. He shares his journey from mathematics to philosophy, influenced by thinkers like Roger Penrose. The discussion covers teliosemantics, the nature of mental representations, and their implications for consciousness. Shea tackles the complexity of intentionality and behavior through thought experiments, including the 'swamp man' scenario, while exploring how these concepts connect to evolutionary processes.

Nicholas Shea, a researcher from Oxford and King's College, dives into the fascinating mechanics of how our brains construct reality. He explains how concepts act as mental shortcuts, allowing for quick recognition and understanding. Shea highlights the interplay between emotion and decision-making, countering the belief that emotions compromise logic. He also tackles the evolution from simple ideas to complex concepts, influenced by social interaction and media consumption, revealing the depths of cognitive processing that shape our daily lives.

Prof. Nicholas Shea discusses concepts in humans, animals, and machines, exploring how different systems develop online representations. The podcast delves into implicit versus explicit knowledge, representations in computational cognitive science, and the acquisition of knowledge in philosophy and cognitive science. An insightful conversation on mental simulation, AI challenges, and the debate between empiricism and nativism in neural network modeling.