Musil in a loop: the other condition and the extended mind
Elvira Di Bona, Stefano Ercolino
Rivista di Estetica March 6, 2020 DOI: 10.4000/estetica.5067 (opens in new tab) via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe paper interprets Robert Musil's concept of the "other condition" through the lens of philosophical externalism, particularly the extended mind theory of Andy Clark and David Chalmers. This reading offers one possible perspective on an elusive but central idea in Musil's thought, without claiming to exhaust its complexity or multiple meanings.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Robert musil Other condition Extended mind Externalism Literature |
| Key finding | Proposes that Musil's 'other condition' can be productively read through the extended mind theory of Clark and Chalmers. |
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a reading of Robert Musil’s controversial notion of the “other condition” in light of the basic features of the philosophical doctrine of externalism, as formulated in the classical account of the extended mind proposed by Andy Clark and David Chalmers (1998). Our reading is not meant to exhaust the complexity and polysemy of the idea of the other condition, but merely aims to open up a possible perspective on the interpretation of a concept that is as elusive as it is central in Musil’s thinking.