The Oxford Handbook of 4E Cognition

What I like most about this book is that it is not just a collection of what 4E Cognition is, it is also a rigorous critique of what it is not: The final chapter in sections one to nine is a critical review of the preceding discussions, providing a balanced view of the topic area. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cognition, not only to those interested in whether it is embodied, embedded, extended or enacted. The notion of 4E cognition does have its challenges, and this book does not shy away from this. I feel even those with a more critical view of 4E Cognition would enjoy The Oxford handbook of 4E Cognition, and certainly enjoy the critical chapters in each section. Overall, it presents the characterisation of cognition in a clear manner throughout, and while it is a comprehensive read at over 900 pages long, it is a very interesting read none-the-less. * Nicholas J. Shipp, PhD, University of Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire, UK *
The ten sections and forty-eight contributions of this handsomely produced handbook explore both these foundational questions about the nature of cognition and embodiment and the applications of 4E perspectives to social cognition, language and culture and specific applications in, for example, psychopathology and aesthetics. Especially commendable is the inclusion of critical notes which offer criticisms of the contributions in each chapter from exponents of the mainstream tradition. This enables a real sense of dialogue both between post-representationalists and the mainstream and from within the variously ambitious forms of 4E-Cognition. * Ian Ground, Research Fellow in Philosophy, University of Hertfordshire, and Vice-President of the British Wittgenstein Society, Times Literary Supplement *
The essays in this compilation look at how embodied, embedded, enactive, and extended (i.e., 4E) cognition can be conceptualized in relation to modern understanding of cognitive science. The collection does a good job of highlighting the discourse concerning this relatively new area of psychology, because the contributors differ in the degree to which they believe 4E cognition can be incorporated into or build on more traditional models. This book is written specifically for scholars at the PhD level, and it will be appropriate for those who have a strong background in philosophy, neuroscience, and cognitive psychology. * CHOICE *
"[The Oxford Handbook of 4E Cognition] is a substantial tome, coming in at nearly 1,000 pages and forty-eight contributions. The most useful innovation in this volume is the inclusion of critical reflections at the end of each section. These will prove especially valuable for the reader who is less familiar with the field. * James Carney, Evolutionary Studies in Imaginative Culture *