Why the extended mind is nothing special but is central
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences July 15, 2022 G. Ongaro, Doug I Hardman, Ivan Deschenaux
The mind is not confined to the brain but extends into the physical world, a view known as the extended mind thesis. Philosophical debate has largely focused on how the mind uses tools and artifacts to solve individual tasks. This paper argues that if the mind extends to artifacts, it also extends to other humans when pursuing collective tasks. This extension corresponds to the 'we-mode' of cognition, where minds are jointly directed at goals or values, distinct from a group mind. Because collective intentionality evolves and develops before human use of artifacts, the extended mind is a central aspect of human existence, not a special phenomenon. This revised thesis carries deeper implications for cognitive science than originally thought.