Abstract
Cognitive research essentially requires the introduction of models, and methodologies for empirically verifying those models. This is principally because this academic field intrinsically involves the issue of how to understand entities that are unobservable, or difficult to observe. Particularly for higher-order cognitive processes, many different factors must be related, and thus understanding those processes are virtually not possible without introducing models whose complexities match the complexity caused by those factors. This article argues, while summarizing previous efforts of forerunners in exploring cognitive research, that explorations of new methodologies that combine adequate models and advanced technologies for instrumentation and analysis will be required for making breakthroughs in higher-level cognitive research. The article also points out that important long-term actions for such breakthroughs must include the rescue of the current education from the large gap between humanities/social sciences and natural sciences/engineering, and the strong promotion of governmental policies for supporting the creation of new academic fields. Science takes a long time. Herbert A. Simon
