From Functionalism to Embodiment in Philosophy of Mind
Journal of Philosophical Investigations September 2, 2023 Tohid Hadinejad, Mahdi Behniafar
Functionalism, the dominant view in philosophy of mind and cognitive science, treats the mind as a processor and the body as a mere supplier of raw data, leading to problems such as the problem of meaning. This paper argues that an embodied approach resolves these issues by rejecting the body-as-machine view. The embodied mind consists of three systems: the perception-motor system, which provides meaningful perception; the conceptualization system, which unifies that information; and metaphors, which enable thinking and talking about everyday and mathematical concepts. Concepts are simulators rooted in the body's interaction with the world, not symbolic representations. Human beings are embodied beings whose existence and interaction with the world give concepts their meaning.