Brendan sheds light on the computational mechanisms underlying detached mindfulness by explaining how we develop metacognitive skill.
Brendan speaks at Stanford University to propose adding meta-learning to AI systems to enhance its ability to learn and problem-solve.
Brendan presents his paper at ICCM in Amsterdam - how meditation allows us to better perceive our own mental states, and how to understand this computationally.
Brendan presents his publication introducing the world’s first framework for explaining metacognitive skill and its underlying mechanisms. Published at CogSci 2023.
The present culture wars can largely be explained by different thinking styles. Why are some people's thinking guided by feelings, and others by reason? Brendan helps to explain this by answering the unresolved question: "How are meta-reasoning processes shaped by culture?"
Brendan presents his paper published at AAAI "System-1 and System-2 realized in the Common Model of Cognition" (link below).
Video submission for Virtual ICCM 2022.
ABSTRACT There have been increasing challenges to dual-system descriptions of System-1 and System-2, critiquing them as imprecise and fostering misconceptions. We address these issues here by way of Dennett’s appeal to use computational thinking as an analytical tool, specifically we employ the Common Model of Cognition. Results show that the characteristics thought to be distinctive of System-1 and System-2 instead form a spectrum of cognitive properties. By grounding System-1 and System-2 in the Common Model we aim to clarify their underlying mechanisms, persisting misconceptions, and implications for metacognition.
I propose that metacognitive skill learning can be explained through a three-stage skill acquisition framework. The following contains an animation of this proposal.
I present an early overview of my research in 1 minute!
Brendan presents his MA thesis to the Department of Cognitive Science, Carleton, in a dedicated colloquium. Presentation and animations by Brendan Conway-Smith
