Overview
@1999clarkEmbodied draws a distinction between simple and radical theories of embodied cognition:
- Simple embodiment assumes that cognitive systems are designed to operate on a physical world; that is, the physical world induces some constraints on mental representations;
- Radical embodiment claims that the mind cannot be meaningfully studied in isolation from the physical world.
Between simple and radical embodied cognition is a medium which accepts that the state of the world and our bodies shape cognition in a meaningful way, but not to the degree of transforming cognitive science.
Features of radical embodied cognition
A radically embodied framework extends the cognitive system to include aspects of the neural substrate, the body, and the surrounding environment. While particular accounts of radical embodiment vary, they share the same principles:
- The traditional theory that cognition is based on representation is inadequate;
- Understanding the relationship between intelligent systems, such as the brain, with the body and environment requires new analytical tools;
- An explanation for cognition that involves elements from brain, body, and world is better than traditional theories of internal worlds and subsystems.
References
- @1999clarkEmbodied, “An embodied cognitive science?”