Active Inference Insights Marilyn Stendera ~ Active Inference Insights 005 ~ Autopoiesis, Heidegger, Futurity
Jan 18, 2024
In this captivating discussion, Marilyn Stendera, a philosophy lecturer at the University of Wollongong, delves into the precariousness of existence and the interplay between phenomenology and enactivism. She explores concepts like autopoiesis and the significance of time in understanding cognition. The conversation highlights the tension between subjective knowledge and objectivity, as well as the dynamic relationship between self-identity and futurity. Stendera critiques Cartesian dualism through a Heideggerian lens, inviting listeners to rethink the essence of being and consciousness.
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Cognition as a Relational Process
- Cognition is a precarious, relational process that cannot be understood by looking at isolated components.
- It involves creating and maintaining a porous boundary, balancing self-maintenance with openness to change.
Coupling and Essence
- The concept of an autonomous essence is questionable, as entities, systems, and organisms cannot be fully understood in isolation.
- Coupling with the environment is crucial, as there's no such thing as a non-relational living cognitive system.
Autopoiesis: An Organizational Principle
- Autopoiesis, as defined by Varela and Maturana, describes organisms that produce, reproduce, and distinguish themselves.
- It's an organizational principle where self-production and self-distinction are necessary for a system to be autopoietic.
