I have recently read and then reviewed more than a dozen books whose authors discuss one or more dimensions of cognitive science. Even with the accumulation of invaluable information and insights that have increased my understanding of cognitive science, I am certainly not an expert in that field. Hence the importance of the fact that the TED programs conducted by world-class authorities on dozens of different subjects are presented in layman’s terms without dumbing down the material. I think that’s terrific!

To check out all the TED programs now available, including those presented by 15 authorities on cognitive science, please click here.

Al Seckel: Powerful visual illusions

Ami Klin: A new way to diagnose autism

Clay Shirky: Institutions vs. collaboration

Dan Ariely: Beware conflicts of interest

Dan Dennett: Responding to Pastor Rick Warren

David Pizarro: The strange politics of disgust

Emily Levine’s theory of everything

Helen Fisher: The brain in love and Why we love, why we cheat

Hod Lipson builds “self-aware” robots

Jeff Hawkins: How brain science will change computing

Neil Burgess: How your brain tells you where you are

Richard Dawkins: Why the universe seems so strange

Sarah-Jayne Blakemore: The mysterious workings of the adolescent brain

VS Ramachandran: The neurons that shaped civilization

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Briefly, TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader. Along with two annual conferences — the TED Conference in Long Beach and Palm Springs each spring, and the TED Global conference in Edinburgh UK each summer — TED includes the award-winning TED Talks video site, the Open Translation Project and TED Conversations, the inspiring TED Fellows and TEDx programs, and the annual TED Prize. TED has sponsored, videotaped, and now makes available hundreds of programs on a wide range of subjects.