The chapters in this volume are the result of a series of Cognitive Sciences Workshops held at McGill University. Each workshop was organized around a different theme and each of these topics is represented in the volume: language acquisition and development; text and text processing; computer chess; grammars, parsers, and language comprehension; scientific reasoning and problem solving; language and the brain; and semantics. The topics are approached from the perspectives of linguistics, psychology, philosophy, computer science, and neurology.

The author of "Picatrix" was likely a highly educated and intellectually versatile scholar, deeply rooted in the Arabic-speaking world of the 11th century. He was well-versed in a variety of disciplines, including astrology, alchemy, and philosophy, drawing on Greek, Persian, and Indian sources. As a participant in the Islamic Golden Age's rich scholarly tradition, he likely had access to extensive libraries and intellectual circles. His work suggests a blend of academic knowledge and practical application, indicating both theoretical understanding and hands-on experience in astrological and magical practices.