Vol. 12 No. 1 (2019): From the aesthetic mind to the symbolic mind
Monographica

From the Extended Mind to the Digitally Extended Self: A Phenomenological Critique

Published 2019-06-17

Keywords

  • Extended Mind,
  • Extended Self,
  • Digital Self,
  • Phenomenology

How to Cite

Buongiorno, F. (2019). From the Extended Mind to the Digitally Extended Self: A Phenomenological Critique. Aisthesis. Pratiche, Linguaggi E Saperi dell’estetico, 12(1), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.13128/Aisthesis-25622

Abstract

In this paper, I will critically consider Clark and Chalmers’ hypothesis of the «extended mind» in order to sketch a possible phenomenological account of active externalism, by following three steps: (i) I will consider Clark and Chalmers’ hypothesis within the broader context of the so-called «physical symbol system hypothesis» theorized by Herbert A. Simon; (ii) I will connect the problem of the «extended mind» to that of the «extended self», with particular regard to the context of digitalization; (iii) I will take into account an explanatory dimension that has been fundamentally underrated by externalist theories: the dimension of the human body and its relationship to mind, which I understand from a phenomenological perspective. My ultimate goal is to show how phenomenology could provide the missing theoretical framework to develop a more complex and comprehensive theory of the (digitally) extended self.

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