What Are Cognitive Systems?

Some cognitive systems can beat the best humans at games like chess.
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  • Written By: Victoria Rodriguez Baziuk
  • Edited By: C. Wilborn
  • Last Modified Date: 26 September 2014
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Cognitive systems are systems that incorporate psychological data, similar to the ways humans think and process information. They have been created to engage the inherent functions of human cognition and increases one's cognitive capabilities. In non-technological terms, this type of system can be viewed as an aide that helps people with difficulties processing information. The original basis for cognitive systems were based on theories from psychology and are also part of artificial intelligence (AI) movement.

Artificial intelligence is a very important factor when discussing cognitive systems and their basis. This term refers to the field of computer science that focuses on developing machines that incorporate behavior that humans view as being intelligent. With over five decades of research in artificial intelligence and it's functions, in combination with the fascination many people have with intelligent machines, the overall achievement of developing such cognitive machines is very close to becoming reality.

A cognitive machine is an intelligent device that has the ability to take information from the environment and use it to make decisions. This is much like the processes in human thinking. It uses the data gathered based on stimuli provided by the environment and corresponds changes within itself in order to adjust to the environment and it's surroundings.


Researchers all over the world are building such intelligent cognitive machines that can imitate many behaviors of humans, including thoughts and speech. These cognitive computers are even designed to beat the best human chess players. There are experts in advanced technology who are hopeful that these cognitive computers and cognitive systems will also incorporate levels of consciousness.

Cognitive systems and cognitive theory are two types of science that when combined make a highly intelligent combination. Cognitive theory is a term used in psychology to explain human behavior and its correlation to the thinking processes in the human mind. Since humans are considered to be logical beings, they are believed to make decisions based on rationality.

Cognitive theory resists the ideas of behaviorism. Behaviorism incorporates the concept that human behavior is purely contributed to inclusive factors of cause and effect. Advances in technology, however, such as the concepts found in cognitive systems, have lead some researchers more towards a synergistic combination of the two concepts to form a better overall comprehensive type of therapy.

Cognitive processes can come in a variety of forms, such as natural or imitation, and can be either conscious or unconscious. They can come in a variety of different contexts such as linguistics, anesthesia, neurology, psychology, philosophy, systemics, and computer science. In regards to the disciplines of psychology or philosophy, cognition includes complex realms of the mind, reasoning, perception, intelligence, learning, and other informational capacities, as well as the expectations of the artificial mind.


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Post 2

You should start from a framework for writing cognitive models, e.g. Cogent, ACT-R, or production systems. Read about Young and O'Shea's subtraction model, which shows how to design a system capturing the way young children make mistakes when learning to do subtraction sums.

Post 1

@Victoria: How can one prepare a psychological blueprint of a human being, especially of a school going child if one wants to design a cognitive system? Thanks! Regards, Varnika

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