Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture

Spearheaded by two faculty members in the Humanities, History, and Social Sciences Department, the Research Group in Mind, Science, and Culture takes a holistic approach to the study of the human mind. Our research emphasizes the continuity across mammal brains by focusing on the integral role of emotion in social interaction and cognition. Our goal is to create bridges connecting affective neuroscience, evolution, and philosophy of mind. We view the mind-brain as a highly flexible epigenetic product of nature and culture, rather than a computational machine.

The startling developments over the past few decades in the biological and social sciences, in conjunction with drastic upheavals in human societies, have raised age-old questions about human nature in new forms and with fresh urgency. What does it mean to be a human being in the 21st century? How will technological innovations change the nature of human life? How will new knowledge change the way we organize society?

Our practical purpose in establishing the Research Group is to create a fertile space for research, discussion, and exploration of the mind, from its biological roots to its cultural fruits. The Research Group emphasizes a cross-disciplinary dialogue between psychology, philosophy, the biological sciences, history, and the humanities as a means of connecting the many levels of the human mind.