Pragmatism as the foundation of cognitive enactivism
Cultures of Science September 1, 2024 Jianfeng Wu 1 citation
Enactivism, the leading view in embodied cognitive science, has long credited phenomenology as its main inspiration but overlooked its deep roots in pragmatism. This article argues that pragmatism anticipated core enactivist ideas: cognition arises from ongoing interaction between organisms and their environment, cognitive abilities evolve through that history of interaction, and both biology and the organism's active capacities are central to understanding mind. Ontologically, both positions hold a neutral monism. The author contends that pragmatism is not only a precursor to enactivism but also offers conceptual resources and methods to resolve problems within enactivist theory, making it a rich area for further exploration.