From the Extended Mind to the Digitally Extended Self: A Phenomenological Critique
Aisthesis November 2, 2019 Federica Buongiorno
The paper critically examines Clark and Chalmers' extended mind hypothesis to develop a phenomenological account of active externalism. It first situates the hypothesis within Herbert Simon's physical symbol system framework, then connects the extended mind to the concept of the extended self, particularly in digital contexts. The author argues that externalist theories have neglected the explanatory role of the human body and its relationship to the mind, which a phenomenological perspective can address. The goal is to demonstrate that phenomenology offers a missing theoretical foundation for a more comprehensive theory of the digitally extended self.