Exploring Embeddedness, Embodiment, and the Extended Mind in Understanding Mental Life

Understanding mental life involves exploring embeddedness, embodiment, and the extended mind. Embeddedness examines how the brain is embedded in the body and the body in the environment. Embodiment theory, rooted in phenomenology, emphasizes the essential role of the body in experiential and mental life. It posits that to comprehend mental life, the body must be a central part of the explanation, moving beyond mere mental representation or belief-based explanations. On the other hand, the extended mind theory, closely tied to computational theories of mind, views the brain and body as a unified prediction processing system. In this perspective, the body functions in processing information, aligning closely with computational and connectionist theories.