Extending the extended mind: the case for extended affectivity

The thesis of the extended mind (ExM) argues that mental states and processes are not limited to the brain or body; under the right conditions, material artifacts can become part of a person's mind. This paper extends ExM to affective phenomena, such as emotions, moods, sentiments, temperaments, and character traits. The authors argue that if ExM is accepted for cognitive states like beliefs and planning, it should also apply to affective states. They clarify the core commitments of ExM and examine how dispositional and occurrent emotions can be supported by external objects and tools, concluding that the vehicles of affectivity can extend beyond biological boundaries.

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Abstract

Abstract The thesis of the extended mind (ExM) holds that the material underpinnings of an individual’s mental states and processes need not be restricted to those contained within biological boundaries: when conditions are right, material artefacts can be incorporated by the thinking subject in such a way as to become a component of her extended mind. Up to this point, the focus of this approach has been on phenomena of a distinctively cognitive nature, such as states of dispositional belief, and processes of planning and calculation. In this paper, we aim to expand the scope of ExM by considering the case for extended affectivity. We begin by clarifying the central commitments of ExM, before investigating its applicability to a range of affective phenomena, both dispositional and occurrent. We argue that proponents of ExM should also accept that the vehicles of emotions, moods, sentiments, temperaments, and character traits can extend beyond skull and skin.