Finding Mind: A Defense of Embodied Cognition in the Classroom

Abstract

Recent empirical research offers compelling evidence in favor of incorporating principles of embodiment in the classroom. While engaging the body for the sake of learning has become more accepted for younger learners, embodiment is largely neglected for the teaching of more abstract concepts, including ones related to language acquisition — despite strong evidence that principles of embodiment can help adult learners with abstract ideas as well. This essay will define embodied cognition, contextualize the ways that the American school system has largely adopted “disembodied” and representationalist approaches to cognition, and provide a selection of empirical evidence in favor of adopting embodied principles in classrooms. The final sections of the essay will offer some strategies for adopting these principles in college-level humanities courses and provide some speculation in favor of the philosophical importance of doing so.