Enactive Inference: From the Space of Reasons to the Dynamics of Life

This theoretical paper argues that enactive inference, a framework that integrates action, perception, and cognition, can bridge the gap between normative accounts of reason and the biological dynamics of living systems. The authors propose that meaning and normativity emerge from the self-organizing, adaptive processes of organisms rather than being imposed from an external logical or linguistic structure. By grounding cognition in the embodied and situated activities of life, the framework offers a unified account of how organisms generate and evaluate reasons through their ongoing interactions with the environment. The work synthesizes insights from enactivism and predictive processing to advance a naturalized view of rationality.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Enactive Inference: From the Space of Reasons to the Dynamics of Life