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An Ecological Approach to Conceptual Thinking in Material Engagement
Nicolás Alessandroni1, Lambros Malafouris2, Shaun Gallagher3,4
1Concordia Infant Research Laboratory, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada.
Europe'S Journal of Psychology
|August 9, 2024
Summary
Conceptual thinking is not just in the mind but an active engagement with the world. This perspective redefines conceptualization as embodied action and interaction with material culture.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Philosophy of Mind
- Embodied Cognition
Background:
- Mainstream psychology views concepts as internal representations.
- Post-cognitivist theories highlight brain-body-environment interactions.
- The role of action and material culture in conceptualization is under-explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore conceptual thinking from a material engagement perspective.
- To propose that conceptual thinking is an active process of engaging with materiality.
- To define conceptual thinking within an ecological-enactive framework.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical exploration of conceptual thinking.
- Adopting a material engagement perspective.
- Introducing seven principles within an ecological-enactive framework.
Main Results:
- Conceptual thinking is redefined as 'conceptual thinging'—an embodied, practical knowledge.
- Conceptualization is not solely representational but enacted through interaction.
- Conceptual thinking is instantiated in sociomaterial activities involving bodily practices and artifacts.
Conclusions:
- Conceptual thinking is an active, embodied engagement with the material world.
- This perspective challenges traditional representationalist views of cognition.
- Emphasizing material engagement offers a richer understanding of conceptual processes.
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