Exploring Extended Cognition: How Our Environment Shapes Our Mind
Our brain and body are inextricably linked. The traditional view is that the brain is the sole basis of our cognitive abilities, and our body is merely a vessel for carrying out our intentions. However, in recent years, researchers have been exploring an emerging concept called “extended cognition” that challenges this notion. Extended cognition suggests that our environment plays a crucial role in shaping our cognition, making us smarter by letting us interact with the world and access information beyond our brain. In this article, we will delve into the concept of extended cognition and explore how our environment shapes our mind.
What is Extended Cognition?
Extended cognition refers to the idea that our cognitive processes transcend the boundaries of our brain and extend into our surrounding environment. In other words, our cognition is not just limited to our brain, but also our body and the objects and tools we use. A classic example of extended cognition is a calculator. Instead of relying solely on our brain’s computational abilities to perform complex calculations, we can extend our cognition by using a calculator. The calculators’ ability to store and process information allows us to perform calculations that would otherwise be difficult or impossible for us to do on our own.
How Does Our Environment Shape Our Mind?
Our environment shapes our mind by providing us with rich sources of information and opportunities for learning. For example, the internet is an extensive information resource that extends our cognition beyond what our brain can hold. We can retrieve information from the internet, store it on our devices, and access it when needed, thus allowing us to perform complex tasks with ease.
Moreover, our environment can also shape our cognitive processes by providing us with cognitive tools that enable us to perform tasks that would be impossible to do with our brain alone. A classic example of this is writing. Writing is a cognitive tool that lets us externalize our thoughts and work on them outside our brain. Writing allows us to reason through problems in a structured way, and revisit our thoughts and ideas when needed, thus extending our cognitive abilities beyond what our brain can do.
Examples of Extended Cognition
To further understand extended cognition, let’s consider some examples:
Driving a Car
When we drive a car, we rely not only on our brain but also on the car’s features, such as the GPS, the dashboard controls, and the backup camera. The car and its features serve as cognitive tools that extend our cognition and make us better drivers.
Using a Cash Register
When we use a cash register, we rely on the cash register’s interface to provide us with information about the customer’s orders and the payment. The cash register serves as a cognitive tool that helps us process information faster and more accurately than we could with our brain alone.
Conclusion
Extended cognition reveals that our cognition is not limited to our brain and that our environment plays a crucial role in shaping our cognitive processes. Our environment provides us with cognitive tools that enable us to perform tasks that would be impossible to do with our brain alone and information rich resources that extend our cognition beyond what our brain can hold. As technology advances, we can expect to see more examples of extended cognition in our daily lives, making us smarter and more efficient in our work.
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