People are incredibly proficient and flexibly tool users -- for instance, if we need to hammer a nail in but do not have access to a hammer, we can easily choose another object to strike the nail with while ignoring items that are inappropriate due to their size and/or material.

Kelsey and Kevin propose a model for how we accomplish these feats: that we use inference to propose a plan of action that is supported by physical simulation of how the tool will be used. They will briefly discuss the theoretical framework of their model, then introduce the game they are using to study human tool use. For the rest of the session, you will try to solve existing scenarios in the game, or make your own scenarios for others to solve.

Because this will be an interactive activity, please bring a computer with internet access to the meeting.