Tracing the Extended Mind
Religions February 6, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/rel16020189 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe essay evaluates the concept of the trace within extended mind (EM) theory, starting by distinguishing Andy Clark's complementarity model from competing views. It shows how an undeveloped notion of the trace emerges in Clark's debate with internalist critics, then introduces Paul Ricoeur's metaphor of the imprint from Memory, History, Forgetting. The recent debate about the plastic trace is applied to this context, rehabilitating Jacques Derrida's legacy. The essay concludes that EM offers renewed promise for modeling deliberations between religiously diverse people.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Argues that incorporating the concept of the trace from Ricoeur and Derrida strengthens extended mind theory's ability to model interreligious deliberation. |
Abstract
The following essay evaluates the concept of the trace within extended mind (EM) theory. It begins by differentiating Andy Clark’s complementarity from several competing models. Second, it demonstrates how an undeveloped concept of the trace arises in Clark’s debate with internalist critics. In response, I introduce Paul Ricoeur’s metaphor of the imprint in Memory, History, Forgetting. Fourth, the recent debate about the plastic trace will be applied in this context. In so doing, the legacy of Jacques Derrida will be rehabilitated. I conclude with EM’s renewed promise to model deliberations between religiously diverse people.