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Study Project: Plant Cognition (Part I)

Room: 66/101

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Beschreibung

Study project and Interdisciplinary Seminar “Plant cognition”
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In the recent years, researchers have found evidence of capacities of plants that resemble capacities of humans we tend to categorize as cognitive. For example, Gagliano et al. (2014) have shown that Mimosa pudica shows habituation effects in its defensive leaf-folding behavior, which has been associated with learning and memory. Similarly, Calvo et al. (2017) have investigated the seemingly goal-directed climbing behavior of common beans, which is remarkably adaptive to the environment and may thus be considered intelligent. Calvo (2017) has even considered the claim that plants have subjective experiences.

Plant cognition is an emerging field in cognitive science, which has the potential to change our view on and redefine human cognition and mind. In this study project and the accompanying interdisciplinary seminar, we will address fundamental questions of cognition and mind at the intersection of psychology, biology and philosophy. We will investigate what allegedly cognitive capacities have been attributed to plants, and whether these capacities of plants can be literally or only metaphorically described as cognitive. In order to do this, we will consider empirical literature on potentially cognitive plant behavior, as well as philosophical literature on the notion of cognition and related notions such as memory, perception, representation and the like.

Note that students are expected to continue to participate in the second part of the study project during the next winter term. The interdisciplinary seminar, however, is a single semester course. It can be taken in the SS 2019 and/or in the WS 2019/20.

Gagliano, M. et al. (2014): Experience teaches plants to learn faster and forget slower in environments where it matters. Oecologia 175 (1): 63-72.
Calvo, P. et al. (2017): Guidance of circumnutation of climbing bean stems: An ecological exploration. bioRxiv 122358; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/122358.
Calvo, P. (2017): What is it like to be a plant? Journal of Consciousness Studies 24 (9-10), 205-27.

Weitere Angaben

Veranstaltungsart: Studienprojekt (Offizielle Lehrveranstaltungen)
Veranstaltungsnummer: 8.3394
Ort: nicht angegeben
Zeiten: Di. 10:00 - 14:00 (wöchentlich)
Erster Termin: Dienstag, 02.04.2019 10:00 - 14:00

Studienbereiche

  • Cognitive Science > Master-Programm