The roots and blossoms of 4E cognition in Chile: Introduction to the Special Issue on 4E cognition in Chile

4E cognition (embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive) is a diverse research tradition that offers new ways to study the mind. Chile, home of biologists Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana, is both a root and a current site of growth for this tradition. This editorial introduction focuses on Varela's enactive approach and its relation to Maturana's autopoietic theory, discussing how their theoretical and historical horizons shaped their philosophical views on cognition. It also introduces seven articles in the special issue, highlighting their contributions in methodology, practical applications, theoretical extensions, and conceptual reflection.

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Abstract

4E cognition (embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive) is a growing, open and pluralistic research tradition that offers new philosophical and scientific avenues to study the mind. Both its origins and current expansive movement are theoretically and geographically diverse. Chile, the mother country of the influential biologists Francisco Varela and Humberto Maturana, represents one of its roots, but also, as the variety of contributions in this special issue shows it, one of its fields of new blossoms. In this editorial introduction, regarding the roots, we focus on the enactive approach developed by Francisco Varela and its relationship with Maturana’s autopoietic theory. We discuss the way in which the particular theoretical and historical horizons of these two research programs conditioned, to a large extent, their philosophical stances regarding cognition. Regarding the new blossoms, we introduce the seven articles composing the present special issue and briefly comment on their contributions in terms of methodology, practical applications, theoretical extensions, and conceptual reflection.