Learning Andy Clark & David Chalmers’ ‘The Extended Mind’ through Christopher Nolan’s Memento

Abstract

Abstract This article presents a case for engaging with fictional narratives to teach philosophical concepts, specifically exploring Christopher Nolan’s Memento to teach concepts related to Andy Clark and David Chalmers’ ‘The Extended Mind Thesis’ (EMT). I contrast a ‘theoretical’ approach to teaching EMT—that is, teaching these concepts by engaging directly with Clark and Chalmers’ text—with an alternative that has students engage with the film. I argue this alternative is preferable in overcoming three barriers to learning that plague the theoretical approach: language, theoretical background, and passivity. I describe how EMT concepts could be taught without engaging with the film, but suggest that if one were to adopt this approach, the concepts would be limited in terms of how they relate to students, their accessibility, and what they ask of them. I argue that interacting with EMT concepts through Memento offers some distinct benefits when compared with the theoretical approach as it is better able to address the three barriers, offers a wider capacity for independent exploration, and catalyses emotional and intellectual interest by capitalizing on students’ knowledge and their appreciation of narratives. I gather my conclusions based on the two different approaches to learning EMT concepts before suggesting what further avenues could be explored in learning about related philosophical concepts through fiction. I argue that engaging with fictional narratives offers wider and longer lasting benefits, encouraging students to be more self-reliant and exploratory as they continue to learn philosophical concepts both during and upon completion of their studies.