Cognitive extension and musical consciousness
Music and Consciousness 2 April 11, 2019 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198804352.003.0003 (opens in new tab)
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractThe idea that cognitive processes can extend beyond the brain into material resources, known as cognitive extension, changes how musical consciousness is understood. Drawing on Andy Clark's work on cognitive extension and Edwin Hutchins's distributed cognition, the chapter examines musical examples such as medieval mnemonic devices, musical scores, and instruments. It argues that musical sound itself serves as a medium for extending musical thought into the world, particularly when a musical ensemble functions as a distributed cognitive system.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Proposes that musical sound can be understood as a means through which musical thought is extended into the world, especially in the context of a distributed cognitive system like a musical ensemble. |
Abstract
Abstract This chapter explores how the notion of cognitive extension, which is the idea that cognitive processes can be extended through material resources, reshapes the way we think about musical consciousness. A brief review of recent work on cognitive extension by Andy Clark is provided and linked with Edwin Hutchins’s idea of distributed cognition. Examples of cognitive extension from musical practices are discussed, including mnemonic devices employed during the middle ages, musical scores, and the use of musical instruments. It is proposed that musical sound itself can be thought of as a means through which musical thought is extended out into the world, especially where a distributed cognitive system is manifested as a musical ensemble.