The Dissenter

#1185 Giovanni Rolla: Enactivism, Ecological Psychology, and Embodied Cognition

Dec 5, 2025
Guest
Giovanni Rolla
Giovanni Rolla, a Professor of Philosophy at the Federal University of Bahia, dives into the world of enactivism, contrasting it with traditional cognitivism. He explains how enactivism, ecological psychology, and embodied cognition offer a more nuanced understanding of perception and knowledge. Rolla argues against representational frameworks, emphasizing the importance of embodied experience. He discusses how organisms shape their environments and introduces concepts like 'affordances' and 'niche construction,' painting a vibrant picture of cognition as an interactive, evolving process.
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INSIGHT

Ecological Psychology As Empirical Ally

  • Ecological psychology provides rich empirical evidence (affordances, solicitations) that supports enactivist claims.
  • Rolla treats ecological and enactive approaches as complementary allies for embodied explanations.
INSIGHT

Perception Is Action-Oriented

  • Perception tracks information for action via affordances shaped by body morphology and abilities.
  • Rolla cites experiments (e.g., weighted backpacks changing slope perception) to show perception’s action orientation.
INSIGHT

Information As Covariation

  • 'Information' need not be semantic content; enactivists can treat it as lawful covariation tied to sensorimotor readiness.
  • Rolla endorses covariation accounts to avoid naturalizing semantic representation.
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