Tracing the Extended Mind
Religions February 6, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/rel16020189 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | 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.