Enactivism as an epistemology for science of complexity

Complexity science reshapes ideas about humans and the environment by integrating systems thinking, cybernetics, and synergetics to build an ontology of diversity that demands a conceptual shift in epistemology. Enactivism, an underappreciated epistemological strategy rooted in complex self-organizing systems, declares the functional equality of subject and object, aligning with new ontological principles such as anti-sensationalism, antireductionism, and heterogeneity. Under this view, the human is not a self-contained self but is given an ecological strategy for knowing diversity that encompasses both impersonal systems and the human mind. Autopoiesis enactivism is closest to complexity science, avoiding extremes like biologism, psychologism, solipsism, and schematism.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Contemporary science of complexity have a significant impact on ideas about the relationship between humans and the environment. They integrate the achievements of systems approach, cybernetics, synergetics, constructing an ontology of diversity, which requires a radical conceptual turn in epistemology. Enactivism is an under-appreciated epistemological strategy that proceeds from notions of complex self-organising systems, the kinds of relationship between the knower and the knowable. Declaring the functional equality of subject and object, enactivism shows similarities with some of the new ontology principles — anti-sensationalism, antireductionism and heterogeneity. According to the new ontologies and enactivism, the human being is not a self-contained ‘selfness’. Under enactivism, man is given the most ‘ecological’ strategy for knowing diversity. This strategy covers not only the ‘ecology’ of impersonal self-organising systems, but also the human mind, including the principles of complex thinking. The closest to science of complexity is the position of autopoiesis enactivism, which avoids the extremes of biologism, psychologism, solipsism, and schematism in the cognition of diversity.