Rethinking cognition in a changing world. Introduction to the issue "Prospective reflections in cognition sciences"

Cognitive science is currently facing technological, ecological, educational, and institutional transformations that are profoundly reshaping its objects of study, methods, theoretical frameworks, and role in society. The rise of artificial intelligence, the environmental crisis, and changing learning practices are prompting renewed examination of how cognition is described, modelled, and studied, as well as of the conditions under which the resulting knowledge can help inform collective action. This introductory article presents the main forward-looking issues that frame this special issue, which emerged from the CogGames 2024 initiative. The initiative brought together an interdisciplinary community through eight workshops devoted to the theoretical foundations of cognitive science, its institutional organisation, education and training, artificial intelligence, the relationships between cognitive science and society, ecological challenges, innovation, and health. The nine contributions collected in this issue offer a deliberately pluralistic overview of contemporary research. They examine how current transformations affect human and artificial cognition, the relationships between cognition, environments, and collectives, and the ways in which cognitive science engages with education, public policy, and society. Taken together, they highlight the need to strengthen interdisciplinary dialogue, better connect fundamental research with societal challenges, and develop a shared reflection on the assumptions, uses, and responsibilities of the sciences of cognition.