This dissertation defends extended cognitivism: a recently emerging view in the philosophy of mind and cognitive science that claims that an individual's cognitive processes or states sometimes extend beyond the boundaries of their brain or their skin to include states and processes in the world. I begin the defence of this thesis through a background discussion of several foundational issues in cognitive science: the general character of cognitive behaviour and cognitive processes, as well as the nature and role of representation as it is standardly taken to figure in cognition. I argue in favour of the widely held view that cognition is best characterised as involving information processing, and that carriers of information (i.e., representations) are ineliminable components of the most distinctively human and powerful forms of cognition. Against this background the dissertation argues in stages for successively stronger claims regarding the explanatory role of the external world in cognition. First to be defended is the claim that cognition is often embedded in one's environment. I develop this claim in terms of what I call 'parainformation': roughly, information that shapes how we tackle a cognitive task by enabling the extraction of task-relevant information. Proceeding then to the defence of extended cognitivism, I draw most significantly on the work of Andy Clark. In outline, and in general following Clark, it is argued that states and processes occurring beyond the skin of the cognitive agent sometimes play the same explanatory role as internal processes that unquestionably count as cognitive. I develop this claim in two versions of differing strength: firstly, in a general way without commitment to the representational character of extended cognition, and secondly in a specifically representational version with special attention to intentional explanation. Against each of these versions of extended cognitivism are ranged a number of criticisms and objections, many of which stem from the work of Fred Adams and Ken Aizawa. The dissertation examines these objections and rejects each of them in turn. / Arts, Faculty of / Philosophy, Department of / Graduate

Bacterial cell division relies on the cell division septum to form at the mid-cell position. In gram negative bacteria, this is mediated by three proteins, MinC, MinD and MinE. Together these proteins interact with each other and the membrane in a dynamic, oscillating process which prevents cell division septum formation at the cell poles. The early phase of this process involves MinD binding to the membrane, which is triggered upon binding of ATP. Subsequent interactions with MinE result in stimulation of the ATPase activity of MinD. After hydrolysis, MinD is released from the membrane and diffuses to a new binding site. Many in silico models have been constructed of the Min system in an attempt to describe its self-organizing behaviour. A limitation of these models is that, in order to prevent rapid re-binding of MinD to the membrane after hydrolysis of ATP, the exchange of bound ADP for ATP is assumed to be a slow process, on the order of 1/s . In order to provide experimental evidence of the rate of nucleotide binding, we performed a series of triple-resonance NMR experiments to complete a partial assignment of backbone atom resonances, which required the application of deuterium labelling and amino acid-specific selective unlabelling. After the introduction of ATP, it was discovered that no dimerization had been induced, in contrast with existing literature. It was proposed that MinD from N. gonorrhoeae only forms a dimer in the presence of a membrane, while literature with MinD from E. coli shows it does not have this requirement. Interestingly while dimerization had not been induced, there was a persistent population of dimeric species even in the absence of nucleotide. This was discovered to be the result of disulfide formation, likely an artifact of established purification protocols. Binding of both ADP and ATP to MinD were studied by titration using NMR, with the relative affinity of both nucleotides to MinD being indistinguishable. By analyzing peak coalescence in the half-bound condition, a maximum rate was determined for nucleotide binding, with the lifetime being on the order of 170ms. Results from this experiment support models requiring a slow nucleotide binding step, and help enhance understanding of how Min proteins sustain oscillations required for normal cell division.

Creativity is nowadays considered for important manager character. Creativity assist adapt to changing and transforming entrepreneurial environments. Creative method of mental map is able to interception flow of ideas and analyses these maps is able to expose principle behaviour of the human brain.

Marek K u č e r a Bioanthropology: A Transdisciplinary Project of Gregory Bateson ABSTRACT The dissertation thesis deals with the work of Anglo-American anthropologist and cybernetician Gregory Bateson. It follows Danish biologist Jesper Hoffmeyer in seeing it as an example of a bioanthropological approach, the approach being defined as a position that sees mind as a particular example of nature that is in a deep sense itself minded. Besides the necessary biographical section the thesis consists of two major parts. The first one consists in exposition of Bateson's anthropological and psychiatric concepts, the second one represents an evaluation and interpretation of Bateson's final synthesis at the highest level of abstraction: the notion of equivalence of biological and epistemological realms of explanation. The major aim of the thesis is to present Bateson's work as a way of integration of humanities and social sciences with biological science that represents an alternative to sociobiological and other neo-darwinian approaches. KEY WORDS: Bateson, bioanthropology, evolution, mind

No description available.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The history of geography is much more than the mere listing of the names and publications of great geographers, identifying different research traditions, or searching for paradigms. The history of geography ought to be seen within the context of the society of which it is an integral part.

Notre démarche vise à éclairer notre intuition de recherche principale : l'introduction des techniques corps-esprit, en l'occurrence le qigong 氣功ou « travail du souffle », dans le champ de la recherche médicale, ouvre à des enjeux psychopathologiques majeurs.L'auteur, d'un double cursus, psychanalyse et Qigong, soutient que le retour à la perception soutenu par le développement des gestes d'attention, appuyé sur la respiration, nous place en amont de l'action motrice et constitue potentiellement un moyen d'action sur les processus compulsifs.L'enjeu scientifique inscrit au premier programme de recherche clinique dédié au qigong soutenu par le ministère en charge de la Santé, sera de contribuer à l'actualisation des modalités d'action sur les processus de déliaison et de fixation dans le sens d'une relance de la pulsion de vie. L'auteur extrait pour cela, les concepts Pulsion et Qi, concepts fondamentaux des deux champs (Partie I et II). Cette méthode nous a permis de dégager les occurrences respectives aux deux corpus, à partir d'un trait commun, l'énergie. Les quatre premiers chapitres posent le socle des concepts et notions nécessaires pour comprendre cette articulation Pulsion et Qi en référence à une fonction motrice commune. La clinique des addictions constitue le terrain privilégié de cette investigation (Partie III). En effet, la mise à jour du craving, comme symptôme central de l'addiction et sa nature pulsionnelle nous conforte dans le choix d'une approche mixte, quantitative et qualitative orientée à la psychanalyse. Autrement dit, cette recherche nous place au cœur de la dynamique pulsionnelle freudienne, dont la démarche s'inscrit en regard des avancées scientifiques de notre temps. La dynamique pulsionnelle et l'introduction des techniques corps-esprit suscitent en effet l'intérêt des neuroscientifiques, notamment à l'hôpital universitaire Pitié-Salpêtrière. / Our intent is to clarify our intuition on a more important research : integrating body-mind techniques, especially concerning the qigong 氣功or “work of breath”, in medical research thus opening important psychopathologic paths. The author, who has a double background, in both psychoanalysis and Qigong, sustains that the return to perception, backed up by the development of attentive gests and respiration, upgrades the driving force and is potentially responsible of having a positive effect on the compulsive processes. The scientific stake inscribed in the first program of clinical research dedicated to Qigong supported by the Minister in charge of Health matters, would be to contribute to the actualisation of modes of action on the processes of unbinding and fixation by boosting the life drive. The author has extracted the concepts of Drive and Qi, fundamental concepts in both fields (Partial and II). This method has allowed us to clarify the respective occurrences in both worlds from a common point – energy. The first four chapters establish the basis of the understanding of these concepts and notions necessary to understand the articulation of Drive and Qi referring to a common driving force. The clinic for addictions is a privileged field of investigation (Part III). Indeed, the explication of craving as the central symptom of addiction and its’ instinctive nature comforts us in the choice of a mixed approach, quantitative and qualitative, oriented towards the psychoanalysis. In other words, this research places us in the heart of the Freudian pulsation dynamic and the approach is inscribed in the scientific progress of our time. The driving dynamic and the introduction of body-mind techniques arouse the interest of the neuroscientifics especially at the University Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière.

No description available.

Mind-Mapping ist eine effiziente und universelle Kreativitätstechnik, die es ermöglicht, in einer Gruppe ein komplexes Thema aufzuschlüsseln. Dabei wird eine Assoziation verschiedener Schlüsselwörter, Notizen und Grafiken zu einem zentralen Begriff vorgenommen und dadurch eine Möglichkeit zur schrittweisen kompakten Visualisierung eines Themengebietes geschaffen. Große interaktive Display Walls erlauben durch ihre Fläche und ihre interaktiven Möglichkeiten das kollaborative Erstellen von Mind-Maps, so dass jeder Nutzer individuell Teile kreieren und der gemeinsamen Mind-Map beifügen kann. In dieser Ausarbeitung werden geeignete Interaktionskonzepte zur Erstellung von Mind-Maps an interaktiven Display Walls vorgestellt. Dabei liegt der Fokus auf den Möglichkeiten der Erkennung der Nutzerposition vor der Display Wall, um jedem Benutzer eine persönliche Linse und damit Zugriff auf persönliche Werkzeuge zu ermöglichen, sowie der Interaktion mittels Stift und Touch zum Zwecke der Erstellung und Platzierung von Mind-Map Elementen. Dafür werden zunächst verwandte Arbeiten aus den Bereichen: Mind-Maps, Kollaboration und Interaktion mit interaktiven Display Walls und Magische Linsen analysiert. Basierend auf einem Grundverständnis dieser drei Domänen wurden Konzepte zur kollaborativen Erstellung von Mind-Maps an interaktiven Display Walls mit persönlichen Linsen präsentiert. Ausgewählte Konzepte wurden dabei in einer prototypischen Implementierung umgesetzt und boten erste aussichtsreiche Einblicke, wie das Mind-Mapping der Zukunft erfolgen könnte. Dabei wurde insbesondere der Nutzen einer persönlichen Linse, als individuelle Visualisierungs- und Interaktions-Schnittstelle erkannt.:Einleitung Verwandte Arbeiten Konzepte zur kollaborativen Erstellung von Mind-Maps mit persönlichen Linsen an interaktiven Display Walls Prototypische Implementierung Fazit und Ausblick / Mind-mapping is an effective and universal creativity technique, which allows to break down complex topics in a group activity. Therefore keywords, notes or images are being associated to a superordinate topic, in order to gradually create a compact visualization of a topic. Large interactive display walls allow the collaborative creation of mind-maps due to their size and options for interaction so that the users can individually create parts and integrate them into the collective mind-map. As part of this thesis, suitable concepts for the creation of mind-maps on interactive display walls are being presented. In this context, the emphasis is lying on the possibilities of using the position of the user in front the display wall, in order to offer every user a personal lens and thus access to personal tools, as well as the interaction with pen and touch in order to create and move mind-map-elements. Therefore related work of the topic areas: mind-maps, collaboration and interaction at interactive display walls and Magic Lenses will be analysed at first. Based on a fundamental understanding of these three domains, concepts for the collaborative creation of mind-maps on interactive display walls using personal lenses are being presented. Selected concepts were prototypically implemented and offered first promising insights on how the mind-mapping of the future could be done. In the process the particular benefit of a personal lens as an individual visualization- and interaction-interface has been recognized.:Einleitung Verwandte Arbeiten Konzepte zur kollaborativen Erstellung von Mind-Maps mit persönlichen Linsen an interaktiven Display Walls Prototypische Implementierung Fazit und Ausblick

John Dewey’s “Art As Experience” represents an unprecedented aesthetic theory insofar as it provides the reader with a way to think of aesthetic experience, not as relegated to a specialized realm of activity that one might denote as “the art world,” but as the primary mode through which human beings come to terms with the environment. This is one aspect of Dewey’s “cultural naturalism,” through which we can see how his philosophy intends a non-separation between the body, the mind, and the environment. This project aims to reveal the notion of the unconscious that is implicit within Dewey’s later work, particularly his aesthetics and metaphysics. This is a uniquely American unconscious with properties and functions that differ from the unconscious that was articulated by the tradition of psychoanalysis in Europe. I also make the pragmatic argument that when we treat the aesthetic and the unconscious as essentially linked, we benefit from a stronger hermeneutic for diagnosing culture, and we are better prepared to restore our connection with sensuous, immediate experience. This dual rehabilitation of the aesthetic and the unconscious serves to strengthen our capacity for eros, which, I will argue, is the need to live a shared aesthetic reality.