Cognitive Systems Research is dedicated to the study of human-level cognition. As such, it welcomes papers which advance the understanding, design and applications of cognitive and intelligent systems, both natural and artificial.

The journal brings together a broad community studying cognition in its many facets in vivo and in silico, across the developmental spectrum, focusing on individual capacities or on entire architectures. It aims to foster debate and integrate ideas, concepts, constructs, theories, models and techniques from across different disciplines and different perspectives on human-level cognition. The scope of interest includes the study of cognitive capacities and architectures - both brain-inspired and non-brain-inspired - and the application of cognitive systems to real-world problems as far as it offers insights relevant for the understanding of cognition.

Cognitive Systems Research therefore welcomes mature and cutting-edge research approaching cognition from a systems-oriented perspective, both theoretical and empirically-informed, in the form of original manuscripts, short communications, opinion articles, systematic reviews, and topical survey articles from the fields of Cognitive Science (including Philosophy of Cognitive Science), Artificial Intelligence/Computer Science, Cognitive Robotics, Developmental Science, Psychology, and Neuroscience and Neuromorphic Engineering. Empirical studies will be considered if they are supplemented by theoretical analyses and contributions to theory development and/or computational modelling studies. Note that the journal does not publish clinical and medical papers. We also do not publish pure machine learning papers, e.g. studies proposing variants of classifiers or pure algorithmic improvements that bear no connection to cognitive systems research in the sense above.

Additionally, Cognitive Systems Research plays a special role in fostering and promoting the 'BICA Challenge' to create a real-life computational equivalent of the human mind by devoting two special issues to BICA AI (Brain-Inspired Cognitive Architectures for Artificial Intelligence) related topics each year.

Special Issue on Machines in Thoughts. Philosophy, History, and Epistemology of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence
Submission Date: 2026-01-15

We find ourselves at a pivotal juncture in a world increasingly defined by the convergence of human intelligence and artificial counterparts. Yet, the historical evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics remains underexplored within contemporary philosophy and cognitive science. This lack of interest may be attributed to the tendency of these disciplines to focus on the future rather than the past, driven by a prevailing inclination toward the enhancement of technological efficacy.

However, a historical investigation into the evolution of concepts within these domains can make a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse in the fields of robotics and AI. The linkage between the historical and philosophical development of AI and robotics and their methodological evolution is crucial for understanding how theories about mind, perception, and cognition are operationalized in these fields. Philosophical concepts - intelligence, perception, reasoning, interaction - must be transformed into concrete computational models to become functional within AI and Robotics. This translation from theory to practice has shaped technological advancements and led to new philosophical questions about the structure of mind, intelligence, and machine autonomy. Therefore, the methodological development of AI and robotics cannot be separated from the philosophical frameworks that guide it, and vice versa. Understanding both how philosophical ideas are embedded into methodologies of AI and robotics and how attempts to implement concepts shaped the development of philosophical theories about mind and cognition is essential for grasping the intellectual evolution of the involved research fields.
This special issue is dedicated to exploring these topics from a philosophical perspective, particularly within the framework of the philosophy of cognitive and artificial sciences. It aims to chart the various pathways through which ideas about AI and robotics – especially in the recent past – have evolved, influencing the contemporary philosophical debate on mind and cognition, and vice versa.

Guest editors:

Martina Bacaro (Executive Guest Editor)
Post-doc, University of Bologna – Alma Mater Studiorum, Italy
Institutional email: martina.bacaro2@unibo.it
Areas of interest: Human-Robot Interaction, Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Philosophy of Mind, Social Robotics, Cognitive Architectures, Enactivism, 4E cognition, Philosophy of Science

Francesco Bianchini
Associate Professor, University of Bologna – Alma Mater Studiorum, Italy
Institutional email: francesco.bianchini@unibo.it
Areas of interest: Artificial intelligence, Philosophy of cognitive science, Philosophy of Science, Cognitive modeling, Analogical reasoning and concepts

Pierluigi Graziani
Associate Professor, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Italy
Institutional email: pierluigi.graziani@uniurb.it
Areas of interest: Logic and Computer Science, Automated Reasoning in Geometry, History and Philosophy of Logic, Philosophy of Science, Formal Epistemology

Special issue information:

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

    History and Philosophy of AI and Robotics
    Philosophical foundations of AI and Robotics
    Translation of Philosophical concepts in Artificial Cognitive Architectures
    AI, Robotics and Cognitive Sciences
    Synergistic development of Robotics and AI
    Formal Theories of Knowledge in AI and Robotics
    Machine Learning and Neural Networks in Robotics and AI
    Evolution and Development of Cognitive Architectures
    4E Cognition, AI and Robotics
    Historical and Philosophical Roots for Large Language Models

Contributions are welcomed from a broad spectrum of areas, including Artificial Intelligence, Cognitive Science, Cognitive Modeling, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Science, Logic, Ethics, and more.

Manuscript submission information:

Important dates:

Submission Open Date: March 5, 2025
Submission Deadline: January 15, 2026
Editorial Acceptance Deadline: April 15, 2026

Manuscripts must be submitted via Cognitive Systems Research online submission system (Editorial Manager® ), Please select the article type “VSI: Machines in Thoughts” when submitting the manuscripts online.

Please refer to the Guide for Authors (https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/cognitive-systems-research/publish/guide-for-authors) for information on submission.

For any further information, the authors may contact the Guest Editors.

Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Cognitive Architectures, Cognitive Models, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of Cognitive Science, Philosophy of AI and Robotics, Philosophy of Science, Formal Theories of Knowledge