The MIT Press has announced the official launch of the Open Encyclopedia of Cognitive Science (OECS), releasing the first 50 articles of this groundbreaking, openly accessible web reference. Developed to spearhead the next generation of exploration in cognition and intelligence, OECS aims to become the definitive resource in the field of cognitive science.
Building on the legacy of the MIT Encyclopedia of the Cognitive Sciences, which has served as a cornerstone for researchers and students for 25 years, OECS sets a new standard for comprehensive and accessible scholarly reference. This initiative is generously supported by the James S. McDonnell Foundation and the Allen Institute for AI.
The OECS addresses contemporary questions about the nature of the mind, its development, interactions, and variances—ranging from the subtleties of large language models to the intricacies of political polarization. By providing essential tools and insights, OECS equips readers to apply foundational concepts of cognition and learning to modern societal issues. It promises to be one of the most contemporary, authoritative, and comprehensive reference works available in the cognitive sciences.
Editors-in-chief Michael C. Frank of Stanford University and Asifa Majid of the University of Oxford emphasize that OECS distinguishes itself by fostering cross-disciplinary understanding. The encyclopedia's articles are designed not only to establish a shared foundation of key concepts but also to highlight cutting-edge debates, introduce core subfields, and explore significant phenomena and methodologies.
The digital-first format of OECS, hosted on PubPub, allows for innovative content delivery and enables editors to quickly update entries in response to new discoveries. This ensures that the encyclopedia remains relevant and accessible to a global audience without cost barriers.
With the release of its first articles, OECS is set to become an invaluable resource for researchers, educators, and students, shaping the future of cognitive science exploration and understanding.
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