UKZN Professor Presents at the TXM@25 Conference

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UKZN Professor David Spurrett presented a paper at a conference in Boulder, Colorado in the United States, in honour of The Extended Mind (TXM), a 25-year-old study by Professor Andy Clark and Mr David Chalmers.

His presentation, titled The Extended Cuckoo forms part of a planned book on the risks and downsides of extended cognition, the main topic of his recent research. It argued that mental life can extend beyond the mind and into body tools and resources in the wider environment.

Spurrett noted, ‘Clark and Chalmers argue that our cognitive processes can depend on factors outside our brains, for example when we physically rotate a jigsaw piece to make it easier to see where it will fit, or when we do calculations with the brain, pencil, and paper that we couldn’t do in our heads alone. They assert that, when this happens in a sufficiently integrated and reliable way, these external resources can become parts of our minds.’

His research draws on work in the field of Biology on parasitic control of host organisms. ‘Thinking about extended cognition points to a wider range of ways in which parasites might exercise control,’ he said. ‘The lessons from Biology warn against thinking that extended cognition will always be beneficial, and how it might be a target for manipulation and a source of conflict.’

He described the conference as ‘stimulating and very useful for getting up to date on the most recent work, and in providing a highly qualified audience to provide critical comment on my work,’ adding that the experience will enrich his engagement with his students.

The conference concluded with most delegates embarking on a hike in the majestic Rocky Mountains.

Words: Sinoyolo Mahlasela

Photograph: Supplied