Dawson has called cognitive science an "angry" discipline, largely because of ongoing debates about foundational issues. My proposed dissertation is an attempt to understand the roots of these disagreements. Most of the disagreements center on the computational theory of mind. Using research in science studies, particularly in the philosophy of science, I will attempt to understand the place of computationalism within the discipline of cognitive science. This will require an understanding of the role of background assumptions and a richer understanding of the computational theory of mind itself. As this is a dissertation proposal, the talk will focus on issues more than solutions with a view to honing a plan of attack.