Cognitive science is a cross-disciplinary enterprise devoted to understanding the nature of the mind. In recent years, investigators in psychology, the neurosciences, artificial intelligence, philosophy and a host of other disciplines have come to appreciate how much they can learn from one another about the various dimensions of cognition. The result has been the emergence of one of the most exciting and fruitful areas of interdisciplinary research in the history of science. This volume of original essays surveys foundational, theoretical and philosophical issues across the discipline, and introduces the foundations of cognitive science, the principal areas of research and the major research programs. With a focus on broad themes rather than detailed technical issues, the volume will be valuable not only to cognitive scientists and philosophers of cognitive science, but also to those in other disciplines looking for an authoritative and up-to-date introduction to the field.