Embodiment概念综述

An Introduction to Embodiment

涉身性(embodiment)是现代认知科学研究中的重要概念。本文从涉身性的起源出发,讨论了涉身性的外延与内涵,最后介绍了Clark(1999)区分的两种涉身性研究进路。研究发现,以梅洛—庞蒂为代表的身体本体论思想、神经计算科学对"认知就是计算"的观点的突破、以及Lakoff&Johnson对概念隐喻的开拓性分析构成了涉身性在哲学、认知科学和语言学研究领域的起源。在此基础上,本文将涉身性的内涵概括为:1)身体在认知中的基础作用;2)身体与环境的互动性;3)认知的整体性和涌现性。

Embodiment is the core concept in the studies of modern cognitive science.Starting from the origins of embodiment,this paper explores the connotations and extensions of this concept,and concludes with an introduction to the two approaches towards embodiment distinguished by Clark.It is claimed that Merleau-Ponty＇s phenomenological account of body,the breakthrough in neural-computational science,and the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by Lakoff Johnson constitute the origins of embodiment in the fields of philosophy,cognitive science and linguistics respectively.The basic tenets of embodiment is summarized as 1） the body plays a fundamental role in cognition;2） the body and the environment are interactive and thus cognition is dynamic;and 3） cognition is interwoven and emergent.