4E cognition and the dogma of harmony
Philosophical Psychology November 2, 2020 DOI: 10.1080/09515089.2020.1845640 via Semantic Scholar
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA contemporary approach to cognitive psychology known as 4E cognition holds that the mind is not confined to the head but is dynamically intertwined with social and technological entities. This article raises a concern not about whether the mind is extended, but about how this condition is portrayed. It argues that 4E scholars often paint an overly idealized picture of human–technology relations, presuming all entities cooperate and collaborate. The article describes extended and distributed cognition, discusses leaving behind the concepts of cognition and representation, and identifies a 'dogma of harmony' in the literature. It argues for analytical room for conflictual relations, providing bad habits and deskilling as examples.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Psychology Philosophy |
| Citations | 68 |
| Key finding | 4E cognition literature tends to portray an overly idealized, harmonious view of human–technology relations, neglecting conflictual relations such as bad habits and deskilling. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT In recent years, we have witnessed the rise of a contemporary approach to cognitive psychology known as 4E cognition. According to this ‘extracranial’ view of cognition, the mind is not ensconced in the head, but dynamically intertwined with a host of different entities, social as well as technological. The purpose of the present article is to raise a concern about 4E cognition. The concern is not about whether the mind is in fact extended, but about how this condition is currently portrayed in the 4E literature. It is argued that 4E scholars tend to paint an overly idealized picture of human–technology relations in which all entities are presumed to cooperate and collaborate. The article first describes the basic tenets of extended cognition and distributed cognition, two of the most thingly approaches in this new wave of cognitive psychology. It then proceeds to discuss the twin notions of cognition and representation and argues that it may be time to leave these concepts behind. Finally, it sketches out the so-called ‘dogma of harmony’ in the 4E literature and argues for the importance of making analytical room for conflictual human–technology relations. Two examples of such conflictual relations are provided: bad habits and deskilling.