Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence

Embodied cognition, which rejects mind-body dualism and sees a deep link between physical action and abstract thought, remains a promising framework for studying cognition, culture, and evolution. This introduction to a theme issue on embodied cognition in the age of generative AI identifies two key themes: the role of language and its entanglement with the body, and bodily mechanisms of interpersonal perception and alignment in social affiliation, teaching, and learning. The authors conclude that realizing the full potential of embodied approaches will require greater integration across disciplines and openness to different viewpoints about why embodiment matters.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This theme issue brings together researchers from diverse fields to assess the current status and future prospects of embodied cognition in the age of generative artificial intelligence. In this introduction, we first clarify our view of embodiment as a potentially unifying concept in the study of cognition, characterizing this as a perspective that questions mind–body dualism and recognizes a profound continuity between sensorimotor action in the world and more abstract forms of cognition. We then consider how this unifying concept is developed and elaborated by the other contributions to this issue, identifying the following two key themes: (i) the role of language in cognition and its entanglement with the body and (ii) bodily mechanisms of interpersonal perception and alignment across the domains of social affiliation, teaching and learning. On balance, we consider that embodied approaches to the study of cognition, culture and evolution remain promising, but will require greater integration across disciplines to fully realize their potential. We conclude by suggesting that researchers will need to be ready and able to meet the various methodological, theoretical and practical challenges this will entail and remain open to encountering markedly different viewpoints about how and why embodiment matters. This article is the part of this theme issue ‘Minds in movement: embodied cognition in the age of artificial intelligence’.