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Theory & Psychology, Vol. 16, No. 6, 747-759 (2006)
DOI: 10.1177/0959354306070515

The As If in Cognitive Science, Neuroscience and Anthropology

A Journey among Robots, Blacksmiths and Neurons

Mauro Adenzato

University of Turin

Francesca Garbarini

University of Turin

In recent years, neurophysiological and psychological research has highlighted a pragmatic version of the theory of knowledge, a version in which the concept of simulation has been found to play a crucial role. In fact, research on canonical and mirror neurons has shown that an as if simulative schema is required to perceive, categorize and understand the meaning of the external world. The present study compares the cognitive paradigm of embodied cognition with Pierre Bourdieu’s practice theory. Specifically, cognitive processes and cultural mechanisms are described as phenomena that emerge from the dynamic interaction that exists between people’s practical abilities and the structure of the local environment in which they act and live. A pragmatic conception of knowledge has also emerged in the field of ethnological investigation. Indeed, the concepts of resonance and empathy have proven to be essential instruments for ethnological knowledge.

Key Words: anthropology • Bourdieu • cognitive neuroscience • embodied cognition • expert systems • mirror neurons • resonance • simulative schema • theory of practice


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