85-112 Freshman Seminar: Problem Solving and the Legacy of Herbert Simon
9 units, Carnegie Mellon University
In this seminar we will investigate how people solve problems. Our focus will be on the thought processes involved in solving problems. The topics will include developing a way of categorizing problems, investigating how people approach, represent and solve problems, achieving an understanding of how our conscious and nonconscious cognitive resources are marshaled to solve problems and learning what the study of problem solving can tell us about those cognitive processes. Another topic we will consider is the role that Herbert Simon of CMU played in the development of what has become the standard model of problem solving and its study, and in so doing come to some appreciation of his monumental contributions to science and to revolutionizing psychology. The seminar will involve many activities in addition to reading and discussing the relevant literature. For example, we will have plenty of opportunities to try our hand at solving problems that illustrate many of the issues we will be investigating. The seminar will also include a project whereby you will experimentally study some aspect of problem solving that interests you and write a paper on the results you obtain and how they fit with what is known about the topic. A large goal of the seminar is that we will all become better problemsolvers
Prerequisites: none listed
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