The 4E cognitive paradigm (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended)
Dante Monson
The 4E (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended) cognitive paradigm offers an alternative to the traditional view of the mind as a self-contained computer processing information. Here's a breakdown of the 4Es:
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Embodied: Our minds are shaped by our bodies. Our senses, emotions, and physical capabilities all influence how we think and experience the world.
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Embedded: We don't exist in isolation. Our cognition is heavily influenced by the environment we inhabit, from the social and cultural context to the physical surroundings.
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Enactive: Cognition isn't passive; it's active. We learn and understand the world through our interactions with it. Think about how riding a bike requires constant engagement with the environment, not just internal mental processing.
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Extended: Our minds can extend beyond the brain and body. Tools and technologies can become part of our cognitive processes. For example, using a calculator can become an extension of our own mathematical abilities.
The 4E framework challenges the idea that cognition is solely based on internal mental representations. Instead, it emphasizes the dynamic interplay between the mind, body, and environment.
Here are some resources you can explore for a deeper dive:
- Embodied and Enactive Approaches to Cognition https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/embodied-and-enactive-approaches-to-cognition/FFAB4E136E12255CD3139A87ECB2DCAD offers a good overview.
- '4E' (embodied, embedded, enactive, extended…) cognition http://blog.kinems.com/4e-cognition-embodied-embedded-enactive-and-extended-new-inspirations-in-education/ provides a clear explanation with examples.
here is a structure for understanding the Philosophy and Mathematics of Situated Agency (PaMoSA 2023) conference:
| Category | Description |
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| Fields of Research | Cognitive Science, Philosophy of Mind, Mathematics of Cognition, Robotics |
| Themes | - Embeddedness of the mind: The role of context and the structure of affording situations in shaping cognition. - Enactive cognition: A theory of cognition that emphasizes the role of the body and environment in perception and action. - Active inference: A probabilistic theory of cognition that states that agents act to minimize surprise in their sensory input. |
| Challenges | - Classical vs. enactive cognition: Classical cognitivism has a mathematical foundation, while enactivism lacks a clear mathematical framework. Key concepts like situatedness and attunement need further theoretical development. - Mathematical foundations of enactivism: Developing a mathematical framework for enactive cognition to understand concepts like embeddedness, situatedness, and context-sensitivity. |
| Future Directions | - Relationship between embodiment and semantics: Investigating how embodiment and situatedness give rise to meaning-making (semantics) in contrast to classical logic's reliance on pre-defined interpretations. - Active inference and situation concepts: Exploring the connection between active inference and situation concepts from phenomenology and pragmatism, where the agent and environment are co-defined through action and perception. |
As you can see, the PaMoSA conference brings together researchers from a variety of disciplines to explore the idea that cognition is situated in the environment. This means that our understanding of the mind is incomplete if we do not consider the role of the body and the environment in shaping our thoughts and actions.
The conference identified a number of challenges that need to be addressed in order to develop a more complete understanding of situated cognition. One challenge is that enactivism, a theory of cognition that emphasizes the role of the environment, does not have a well-developed mathematical foundation. Another challenge is that we need to develop a better understanding of how our embodiment and situatedness give rise to meaning-making.
The conference also identified a number of future directions for research. One direction is to investigate the relationship between embodiment and semantics. Another direction is to explore the connection between active inference and situation concepts.
Overall, the PaMoSA conference provides a valuable framework for understanding the nature of situated cognition. By bringing together researchers from a variety of disciplines, the conference has helped to identify key challenges and future directions for research in this important area.
Here are some additional prompts that you can use to explore these ideas further:
- How does the concept of situated cognition challenge traditional views of the mind?
- What are the implications of situated cognition for artificial intelligence?
- How can we develop a mathematical foundation for enactivism?
- How does embodiment give rise to meaning-making?
- What is the relationship between active inference and situation concepts?
-------------Here are the core concepts from the passage along with Wikipedia links for further exploration:
- Situated Cognition: https://plato.stanford.edu/archIves/sum2020/entries/embodied-cognition/ - This theory emphasizes the role of the environment and the body in shaping our perception and cognition.
- Enactive Cognition: https://plato.stanford.edu/archIves/sum2020/entries/embodied-cognition/ - This view suggests cognition arises from our interactions with the world through our bodies. It highlights the importance of action and sensorimotor processes in understanding the mind.
- Embedded Mind: https://plato.stanford.edu/archIves/sum2020/entries/embodied-cognition/ (concept related to Extended Mind) - This theory proposes that the mind extends beyond the brain and includes the body and the environment.
- Active Inference: https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Active_inference&redirect=no - This probabilistic theory suggests living beings act to minimize surprise in their sensory input. It posits a constant process of prediction and updating those predictions based on sensory feedback.
- Free Energy Principle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_energy_principle - Developed by Karl Friston, this principle proposes that biological systems minimize surprise by constantly adapting their internal states to match their environment.
- Bayesian Inference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayesian_inference - This is a statistical method for updating beliefs based on new evidence. Active inference builds on this concept by suggesting organisms constantly update their beliefs about the world through action and perception.
- Phenomenology: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/phenomenology/ - This philosophical school of thought focuses on the subjective experience of consciousness.
- Pragmatism: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pragmatism/ - This philosophical school of thought emphasizes the practical consequences of ideas and the importance of action in shaping our understanding of the world.