International Conference on Embodied Cognitive Science

Welcome

Dear colleagues,

The interdisciplinary field of cognitive science was officially inaugurated over half a century ago to explain the abstract intellectual capacities of the human mind. Since then it has been expanding its explanatory scope considerably. Research in embodied cognition is leading to broader open questions, such as:

• What is the relationship between life and mind?
• What is the influence of behavior on the brain?
• How is human cognition scaffolded by language and technology?
• How is consciousness shaped by our interaction with others?  

We believe that answers to these questions require a Copernican revolution in cognitive science: for too long has it been assumed that the brain is the stationary center of a person’s cognitive universe.

The International Conference on Embodied Cognitive Science (ECogS) will bring together approaches that are theoretically and methodologically diverse yet united in their commitment to an alternative orientation, one in which agent-environment interaction plays the primary organizing role of life, mind, and consciousness. The aim of this conference series is to facilitate the development of this new orientation in both conceptual and experimental terms.

The Embodied Cognitive Science Unit is looking forward to welcoming you at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, which is especially suitable for hosting such an interdisciplinary event. We also hope that you will enjoy the enchanting atmosphere of autumn in Okinawa.

With best wishes,