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

In this episode of The Dissenter, Ricardo Lopes interviews Dr. Giovanni Rolla, a philosophy professor, about enactivism, ecological psychology, and embodied cognition. Rolla defines enactivism as an approach emphasizing the continuity between life and mind, contrasting it with traditional cognitive science that views the mind as a representational computer. He discusses how enactivism, supported by ecological psychology, offers an alternative framework by focusing on how organisms act within their environment. The conversation explores the role of information, embodied know-how, and the concept of "bringing forth a world" within enactivism. Rolla also addresses the implications of enactivism for understanding infant cognition, higher cognitive functions like rationality, and its relation to evolutionary dynamics, advocating for a radical enactivist perspective that challenges representationalist views of the mind.