# Expanding perspectives on cognition in humans, animals, and machines

## TL;DR

This paper explores how neuroscience is expanding our understanding of cognition in humans, animals, and machines.

## Contribution

The paper provides a novel perspective on cognition as a pluralistic and evolving concept rather than a fixed target.

## Key findings

- Cognition is not a single target for explanation but a diverse and evolving concept.
- Neuroscience should expand rather than reduce our concept of the mind over the next century.

## Abstract

Over the past decade neuroscience has been attacking the problem of cognition with increasing vigor. Yet, what exactly is cognition, beyond a general signifier of anything seemingly complex the brain does? Here, we briefly review attempts to define, describe, explain, build, enhance and experience cognition. We highlight perspectives including psychology, molecular biology, computation, dynamical systems, machine learning, behavior and phenomenology. This survey of the landscape reveals not a clear target for explanation but a pluralistic and evolving scene with diverse opportunities for grounding future research. We argue that rather than getting to the bottom of it, over the next century, by deconstructing and redefining cognition, neuroscience will and should expand rather than merely reduce our concept of the mind.