English Theme 45 3.6-3.9

Date: Apr 24, 2007Room: 8-405

Instructor: Mafuyu Kitahara

Material: Thelen, E. (1995) “Time-scale dynamics and the development of an embodied cognition” in R. Port and T. van Gelder (eds.) Mind as motion, Cambridge: MIT Press

3.6 Embodied cognition

How do we make sense of the world?NOT through abstract logicBut via physical bodily experienceJohnson (1987): containment

Body in: cloth, room, vehicle…Objects in: cup, box, bag…Language: prepositionsLanguage: metaphor “leave out” = skip, delete, omit

Turner (1991): symmetry of bodyTalmy (1988): “force” in verbs

3.7 Developmental dynamics

To reject Piadget’s objectivist Maturationist

Developmental data: compelling

The rest of this chapterFocus on “force” embodimentStructure:

Summary of dynamical systems approachExperimental studies on infantsTheoretical implications

3.8 Dynamical systems

Human: complex+high-dimensional systemActual behavior: reduction of DF

Metaphor: mountain streamStream bed, water molecule, speed, temperature, wind… too many degrees of freedomWhirl and eddy pattern only a few DF

3.8 Potential well

Metaphor with a ball and gravityNeed perturbation (=shake it!) Simple combination of cosine curves

3.8 Potential wells in time

Array of potential wells landscapeEvolving and dissolving attractors along the time lineDevelopment of:

Rolling overSittingStandingWalkingRunning … etc