JoLMA The Journal for the Philosophy of Language, Mind and the Arts

Journal | JoLMA
Journal issue | 4 | 2 | 2023
Research Article | What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Cognition?

What Are We Talking About When We Talk About Cognition?

Human, Cybernetic, and Phylogenetic Conceptual Schemes

Abstract
In this paper I will outline three conceptual schemes for thinking about cognition. One is the anthropocentric scheme that dominated our thinking for thousands of years: human cognition. Another is the approach founded in classical cognitive science and artificial intelligence: cybernetic cognition. The third is the framework of evolutionary biology that encompasses all traits of evolved organisms: phylogenetic cognition. I will explain all three and sketch their current relationships. Each scheme forms the conceptual ground of a valid research programme, but how these programmes and schemes will end up in relation to each other is an open question.


Open access | Peer reviewed

Submitted: Dec. 5, 2023 | Accepted: Dec. 26, 2023 | Published Feb. 7, 2024 | Language: en

Keywords Cognitive ontologyEvolution of cognitionCyberneticsBasal cognitionCognition


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