Convergently Emergent: Ecological and Enactive Approaches to the Texture of Agency

McGann, Marek

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01982

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…in collecting, sampling and analysing data) or epistemological considerations (e.g. experience from within vs. experience as a symmetrical organism-environment system; for detailed discussion on this topic, see McGann, 2020). Many issues arise about the status (primacy) of different types of data (verbalisation vs. behavioural observations) and about the type of analysis (e.g.…”

Section: Epistemological and Methodological Cautions And Limitations ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Avoiding organismic asymmetries in ecological cognition: Analysis of agent-environment couplings with eco-physical variables

2022

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The target article promotes an enactive approach to human behaviour, highlighting the phenomenology of agent-environment coupling, and is rooted in the course of experience from pre-reflective self-consciousness. In our comment we debate the idea that experience does equate with subjectivity. Such an equation reflects an organismic asymmetry locating behavioural organisation in the subjective mind, interacting with the objective world. In contrast, an ecological realist perspective considers that human behaviour and experience should be captured at the ecological level of analysis, requiring investigation of eco-physical variables. To achieve this aim, researchers need to avoid organismic asymmetries, and instead study performance variables that underpin the symmetry of the agent-environment system. We also debate the place of language and the fact that verbalisation does not equate with subjective experience. According to James Gibson, language focuses on ‘knowledge about the environment’ and not ‘knowledge of the environment’ needed by any autonomous, self-regulating organism, making their way in the world. Last, the target paper promotes the course of in-formation to complement the course of experience, without fully explaining how to deal with potential incongruence and divergence between findings emerging from verbalisation and behavioural aspects of realizing a given activity (the difference between ‘what we say, what we do’). We conclude by considering how our ecological perspective could offer pathways for the presented enactive approach to go beyond the course of in-formation.

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Section: Epistemological and Methodological Cautions And Limitations ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Avoiding organismic asymmetries in ecological cognition: Analysis of agent-environment couplings with eco-physical variables

2022

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“…The importance of moving agency center stage is forcefully illustrated by enactivism (see Ward et al, 2017), which envisages a, broadly speaking, “constructive” relationship of agents to milieus and steers clear of blind spots discussed in section 2 (see debates between enactivists and ecological psychologist: Baggs & Chemero, 2018; Flament-Fultot et al, 2016; McGann, 2020). Following Varela et al (1991), enactivism stresses how the ecology constrains and informs living beings, yet also speaks of these beings as “bringing forth their world.” Enactivists define perception as involving sensorimotor enactment and accordingly emphasize that agents do not simply “respond to” or “resonate with” the ecology (Varela et al, 1991, p. 204).…”

Section: Perception Action and Creative Orientednessmentioning

confidence: 99%

What affords being creative? Opportunities for novelty in light of perception, embodied activity, and imaginative skill

Kimmel

Groth

2023

Adaptive Behavior

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An affordance perspective highlights how resourceful the ecology is for creative actions of all sorts; it captures how creativity is grounded in materiality. In contrast to “canonical affordances” (i.e., “ready-to-hand,” mundane instances), creative affordances point to unconventional or surprising action opportunities that are nonetheless valued. Our initial aim is to discuss how to frame the affordance concept to make it attractive for the study of creativity. We propose a dialectic position that reconciles aspects of the realism of ecological psychology with the constructivist view more typical of creativity scholars. We stress that novel options frequently depend on constructive actions; novelty cannot always simply be “found” or just waits to be used. Many creative opportunities only emerge from how person actively engages with the ecology. Our second aim is to explore specific ways that creativity is mediated through affordances, based on illustrations from crafts and dance. These suggest that affordances span various timescales and mediate in multiple ways, from noticing existing potentials, via active affordance shaping, to background activities that indirectly invite or enable novelty. In conclusion we discuss how a person’s creative “vision,” imagination and combinatoric ability, all fundamental creativity mechanisms, relate to affordances and how fruitful creative directions may be perceptually hinted at.

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“…This seems not far removed from Reed’s (1996) way of understanding values. McGann (2020) also explores enactive ways of relating agency and values, some of which carry hints of aligning with ecological values-realizing.…”

Section: Divergences Convergences and New Possibilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Values define agency: Ecological and enactive perspectives reconsidered

Hodges

2022

Adaptive Behavior

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This article offers an exploration of agency and its place in the natural order, one marked by meaning and value. Three examples of agency at different scales—human, bacterial, and thermodynamic—are presented, which reveal insights into the nature of agency itself, while also illustrating the range of phenomena that theoretical accounts need to address. Three approaches to agency are then explored, an enactive approach and two ecological accounts, Reed’s “effort after meaning and value” and ecological values-realizing theory. These approaches are compared from the perspective of ecological values-realizing theory, noting differences and similarities between them. The article is intended to be exploratory, so that the contributions of each of the three accounts can be appreciated, while posing sharp questions and challenges from an ecological values-realizing perspective. Claims considered include: Agency is characteristic of the ecosystem in its entirety, not only in its organismic components. A defining aspect of agency is the possibility of acting in ways that increase freedom and other values. Values function as ecosystem defining constraints. Agency requires hope and responsibility, going beyond goal-achievement toward increasing the integrity of the ecosystem. Agency is marked by interdependence and self-criticism more than autonomy. Living systems create and increase instability.

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Convergently Emergent: Ecological and Enactive Approaches to the Texture of Agency

Cited by 11 publications

References 48 publications

Avoiding organismic asymmetries in ecological cognition: Analysis of agent-environment couplings with eco-physical variables

Avoiding organismic asymmetries in ecological cognition: Analysis of agent-environment couplings with eco-physical variables

What affords being creative? Opportunities for novelty in light of perception, embodied activity, and imaginative skill

Values define agency: Ecological and enactive perspectives reconsidered

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