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The poverty of embodied cognition.
Stephen D Goldinger1, Megan H Papesh2, Anthony S Barnhart3
1Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA. goldinger@asu.edu.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|June 11, 2016
Summary
Embodied cognition, a theory suggesting body and environment shape thought, lacks scientific clarity and offers little new insight into cognitive science findings. Its core principles are vague or trivially true, failing to explain cognitive experiences.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Embodied cognition proposes that cognitive processes are deeply intertwined with the body, action, and environment.
- This theory is considered by some as a potential paradigm shift in cognitive science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically examine the core tenets of embodied cognition.
- To evaluate the scientific value and explanatory power of embodiment theory in cognitive science.
Main Methods:
- A "thought exercise" approach was employed to analyze the fundamental principles of embodied cognition.
- The study critically assessed the vagueness and novelty of key embodiment propositions.
Main Results:
- Core principles of embodied cognition were found to be either unacceptably vague or offered no novel insights beyond existing knowledge.
- Embodiment theory provides limited scientifically valuable explanations for classic cognitive science findings.
- The theory struggles to adequately address fundamental aspects of cognitive life and experience.
Conclusions:
- Embodied cognition, in its current form, offers limited explanatory power for established cognitive phenomena.
- Further development is needed for embodiment theory to provide scientifically valuable insights and address complex cognitive experiences.
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