Reflections on David E. Rumelhart and the Rumelhart Prize

Abstract

The 25th anniversary of the Rumelhart Prize in Cognitive Science and a special issue of Topics in Cognitive Science celebrating the achievements of two recent Rumelhart Prize recipients provides an opportunity to reflect on the prize, the scientists that it honors, and the scientific values it seeks to promote. I offer my perspective on these topics as a long‐time member of the Cognitive Science Society, a collaborator and friend of David Rumelhart, and as the first chair of the Rumelhart Prize selection committee. I see the prize as celebrating several aspects of what I believe many cognitive scientists aspire to achieve. We seek to make contributions to our understanding of our unique human ability to make sense of the world and of each other. We seek to employ a wide range of tools and methods, as well as insights from a wide range of perspectives. We seek to engage with our colleagues and our students, to create community, and even to have fun while we pursue our scientific goals. The careers of Dave Rumelhart and of the two Rumelhart Prize Winners celebrated in this special issue all richly exemplify these traits.