180147 SE MEi:CogSci Topic-Seminar (2019S)

In this seminar we will investigate the enactive approach to cognition theoretically as well as practically. Enactivism as developed by Varela, Thompson and Rosch (1991) sees cognition as processes of sense-making. An organism enacts its “Umwelt” through interacting with it. This focus on the dynamic nature of cognition and its relational aspect brings up questions of how we can investigate the structures of cognitive processes. Furthermore, building on the phenomenological tradition, enactivism stresses the role of subjective experience in sense-making processes, thereby calling for alternative methods to the established 3rd person perspective taken by classical cognitivist approaches.
Theoretically we will focus on the question of how and where cognitive processes, which seem to be ephemeral if we take this dynamic perspective on cognition, sediment and become graspable (e.g. skills, habits, artefacts), as well as the productive nature of human cognition, the “world-making” aspect.
Methodologically we will investigate how phenomenological research (taking a 1st person and 2nd person perspective) can inform cognitive science. We will do so by planning and conducting phenomenological interviews on either writing as cognitive activity or somatic practices/exercises from dance improvisation. The phenomenon/practice chosen will be practised throughout the seminar and practitioners will be interviewed about their experiences by their peers, who will report them in a seminar presentation as well as a short reflection paper.

Dr. Weronika Kalwak of University of Krakow will be co-teaching this course as a CEEPUS scholar.