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The meaning of embodiment.
1Institute of Logic, Language and Computation, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. j.d.kiverstein@uva.nl
Topics in Cognitive Science
|August 16, 2012
Summary
Philosophers debate embodiment in cognitive science, exploring how the body links external tools and internal cognition. This work reconciles differing views on embodied cognition and the computer theory of mind.
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Mind
- Cognitive Science
- Embodied Cognition
Background:
- Disagreement exists among philosophers regarding the definition and implications of embodiment in cognitive science.
- The debate centers on whether embodied cognition can be reconciled with the computational theory of mind.
Purpose of the Study:
- To delineate three distinct philosophical views on embodiment in cognitive science.
- To analyze the core debate concerning the compatibility of embodied cognition with the computer theory of mind.
- To propose a reconciliation between seemingly opposing perspectives on embodiment.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of current philosophical discussions on embodied cognition.
- Analysis of the 'body functionalism' perspective, emphasizing the body's role in linking external resources to internal cognitive processes.
- Examination of the 'body enactivism' perspective, highlighting the challenge of incorporating commonsense knowledge into computational models.
Main Results:
- Identified and described three key philosophical positions on embodiment.
- Demonstrated that the central conflict revolves around the retention of the computer theory of mind within embodied cognition.
- Outlined the functionalist and enactivist approaches to embodiment and their implications for cognitive science.
Conclusions:
- The understanding of embodiment in cognitive science is multifaceted and contested.
- Reconciling embodied cognition with computational theories requires addressing the role of the body and commonsense knowledge.
- Further philosophical work is needed to integrate diverse perspectives on embodiment for a comprehensive theory of mind.
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