2026 Fall NEU 290 003 SEM 003

2026 Fall

NEU 290 003 - SEM 003

Formerly Neuroscience 299

Seminars

The Science of Intelligence

Bruno A. Olshausen, Jacob Lachenmyer Yates, Michael R DeWeese

Aug 26, 2026 - Dec 11, 2026
We
12:00 pm - 01:59 pm
Class #:34613
Units: 1

Instruction Mode: In-Person Instruction

Offered through Neuroscience

Current Enrollment

Total Open Seats: -1
Enrolled: 31
Waitlisted: 0
Capacity: 30
Waitlist Max: 5
No Reserved Seats

Hours & Workload

1 hours of student-instructor coverage of course materials per week, and 2 hours of outside work hours per week.

Other classes by Bruno A. Olshausen

Other classes by Jacob Lachenmyer Yates

Other classes by Michael R DeWeese

Course Catalog Description

Course that focuses on topical subjects in specific fields of neuroscience.

Class Description

The dual quests to understand intelligence as it arises in biology, and to build it in machines of our own making, have been with us for nearly a century. While neuroscience and psychology seek to characterize intelligence in terms of underlying neural mechanisms and emergent behavior, we still lack a set of principles that can account for how the interactions of many neurons within a brain gives rise to intelligent behavior. Meanwhile, modern AI is following a largely empirical path to create a new technology without scientific foundation. While the resulting algorithms exhibit intriguing behavior, the working principles are unknown, usage risks are incalculable, and the path to further development is unclear. The premise of this seminar is that the current century will see the emergence of a new scientific discipline - the Science of Intelligence - that seeks to elucidate universal principles that govern intelligent systems, be they biological or machine, and that this will provide both much needed insight in neuroscience and a solid foundation for technological development. The seminar will meet weekly, featuring speakers from across campus and elsewhere, who will share their views on the open questions, topics of study and debate, and relevant disciplines that a science of intelligence will encompass.

Class Notes

The class meets in 101 Weill.

Rules & Requirements

Repeat Rules

Reserved Seats

Current Enrollment

No Reserved Seats

Textbooks & Materials

See class syllabus or https://calstudentstore.berkeley.edu/textbooks for the most current information.

Textbook Lookup

Guide to Open, Free, & Affordable Course Materials

eTextbooks

Associated Sections

None