Simon Bowes

Dr. Simon Bowes is an Assistant Professor in Cognitive Science (Informatics) at the University of Sussex's School of Engineering and Informatics. His academic journey includes a PhD from the University of Sussex (2005-2018), an MSc in Philosophy of the Social Sciences from the London School of Economics, and a BA in Philosophy from Bosphorus University in Istanbul.

His research focuses on the intersection of philosophy and cognitive science, with particular emphasis on:

• Philosophy of cognitive science
• Consciousness studies
• Perception and language
• 4E approaches to cognition (embodied, embedded, extended, enactive)
• Metaphysics, causation, and emergence

Dr. Bowes' recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on mental causation and virtual machine models in cognitive systems. His 2023 book 'Naturally Minded Mental Causation, Virtual Machines, and Maps' explores how cognitive mapping relates to mental causation within virtual machine architectures. His research represents a significant contribution to understanding the philosophical foundations of cognitive science.

His teaching portfolio includes several key courses in cognitive science:

• Ghost in the Machine: Introduction to Cognitive Science
• Philosophical Foundations of Cognitive Science
• Topics in the Philosophy of Cognitive Science
• Current Issues in Cognitive Science
• Philosophy and Science of Consciousness

With fluency in Turkish and a background spanning multiple prestigious institutions, Dr. Bowes brings a diverse perspective to his research and teaching in cognitive science.