PSR…

Funny video showing an example of the corridor situation (De Jaegher & Di Paolo, 2007) from the film The Science of Sleep.

So, where’s the brain, people?

Ezequiel
(thanks to Eduardo!)

Seminar #52: Enacting motor goals

We will have Massimiliano Cappuccio visit us next Wednesday to give a Life and Mind talk at 4:30pm in Arun-401. Title and abstract below:

Enacting motor goals: mirror neurons, motor intentionality and the frame problem

Massimiliano Cappuccio

Time: 4:30-6:00pm
Date: Wed. 20th, May 2009
Location: Arun-401

Experiments carried out by Rizzolatti’s group in Parma suggest that the premotor cortex may codify not only simple movements, but also intentions related to motor goals. Mirror neuron circuits and canonical neuron circuits, for instance, are functionally defined by the pragmatic-transformative meaning of typologies of actions embedded in their intentional context, and not by their syntactical-kinematic structure. The existence of such structures suggests that proprioception, kinaesthesia and somatosensory information are not the only required elements (and not the most fundamental ones) in order to execute/recognize goal-oriented intentional actions, because an embodied familiarity toward the holistic practical meaning of a motor goal is required of intentional agents in order to perform purposeful actions as intelligent projects of intervention into the world. This familiarity is realistically acquired through a dynamic coupling of the agent’s body with a wide set of environmental and behavioural factors and is strictly consequent from the agent’s social history.

New paper on enactive intersubjectivity

A new paper on enactive intersubjecitivity has just appeared in Consciousness and Cognition.

De Jaegher, H. (2009). “Social understanding through direct perception? Yes, by interacting.” Consciousness and Cognition 18(2): 535-542.

Abstract:”This paper comments on Gallagher’s recently published direct perception proposal about social cognition [Gallagher, S. (2008a). Direct perception in the intersubjective context. Consciousness and Cognition, 17(2), 535–543]. I show that direct perception is in danger of being appropriated by the very cognitivist accounts criticised by Gallagher (theory theory and simulation theory). Then I argue that the experiential directness of perception in social situations can be understood only in the context of the role of the interaction process in social cognition. I elaborate on the role of social interaction with a discussion of participatory sense-making to show that direct perception, rather than being a perception enriched by mainly individual capacities, can be best understood as an interactional phenomenon.”

With commentaries:

Hutto, D. D. (2009). “Interacting? Yes, but of what kind and on what basis?” Consciousness and Cognition 18(2): 543-546.

Gallagher, S. (2009). “Deep and dynamic interaction: Response to Hanne De Jaegher.” Consciousness and Cognition 18(2): 547-548.

And a reply:

De Jaegher, H. (2009). “What made me want the cheese? A reply to Shaun Gallagher and Dan Hutto.” Consciousness and Cognition 18(2): 549-550.

CFP: 4th Enaction summer school

FYI, Tom

—

Hello everybody.

We have now finished the preparation for this year’s Enaction Summer School (see the attached preliminary program). As already announced in previous messages, the School will take place from 20 – 26 July 2009 at Cap Hornu (Bay of the Somme, France). The title of the School this year is: “Observation, Points of view, Instruments”. You will find further details of the project, and the programme, on the Website : (http://liris.cnrs.fr/enaction/). The four invited speakers are: Michel Bitbol, Joelle Le Marec, Charles Lenay and Jacques Theureau. John Stewart will provide a general introduction to the theme of the School. One further detail: for the moment there is no fixed programme for the evenings, but as usual all your propositions are welcome and, as far as possible, we will provide the means to carry out your projects.

If you wish to participate in this event, it is now necessary to proceed rapidly to your inscription, because (to our regret) the number of places is limited. The cost of participation (hotel and meals all included) is 600 euros. You will find attached the documents concerning means of payment and the registration form. The utlimate deadline for inscription is June 15th. I emphasize that this date is final and it will be quite impossible to prolong it. All documents (the formula for inscription) and payments (institutional orders, cheques) must be sent by mail directly to Fabienne Pierre (a great thanks to her help!) at the address indicated.

Best wishes

Olivier Gapenne

CFP: Open Questions on the Origins of Life

Workshop on OPEN QUESTIONS ON THE ORIGINS OF LIFE

Palacio Miramar, SAN SEBASTIAN – DONOSTIA, SPAIN, MAY 20-23, 2009

Main organizers: Pier Luigi Luisi & Kepa Ruiz-Mirazo

Local organization: IAS Research Group

Dpt. Logic and Philosophy of Science & Biophysics Research Unit

UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY (UPV/EHU)