The Cognitive Ecology of the Internet

In this chapter, we analyze the relationships between the Internet and its users in terms of situated cognition theory. We first argue that the Internet is a new kind of cognitive ecology, providing almost constant access to a vast amount of digital information that is increasingly more integrated into our cognitive routines. We then briefly introduce situated cognition theory and its species of embedded, embodied, extended, distributed and collective cognition. Having thus set the stage, we begin by taking an embedded cognition view and analyze how the Internet aids certain cognitive tasks. After that, we conceptualize how the Internet enables new kinds of embodied interaction, extends certain aspects of our embodiment, and examine how wearable technologies that monitor physiological, behavioral and contextual states transform the embodied self. On the basis of the degree of cognitive integration between a user and Internet resource, we then look at how and when the Internet extends our cognitive processes. We end this chapter with a discussion of distributed and collective cognition as facilitated by the Internet

Situating machine intelligence within the cognitive ecology of the Internet

The Internet is an important focus of attention for the philosophy of mind and cognitive science communities. This is partly because the Internet serves as an important part of the material environment in which a broad array of human cognitive and epistemic activities are situated. The Internet can thus be seen as an important part of the 'cognitive ecology' that helps to shape, support and (on occasion) realize aspects of human cognizing. Much of the previous philosophical work in this area has sought to analyze the cognitive significance of the Internet from the perspective of human cognition. There has, as such, been little effort to assess the cognitive significance of the Internet from the perspective of 'machine cognition'. This is unfortunate, because the Internet is likely to exert a significant influence on the shape of machine intelligence. The present paper attempts to evaluate the extent to which the Internet serves as a form of cognitive ecology for synthetic (machine-based) forms of intelligence. In particular, the phenomenon of Internet-situated machine intelligence is analyzed from the perspective of a number of approaches that are typically subsumed under the heading of situated cognition. These include extended, embedded, scaffolded and embodied approaches to cognition. For each of these approaches, the Internet is shown to be of potential relevance to the development and operation of machine-based cognitive capabilities. Such insights help us to appreciate the role of the Internet in advancing the current state-of-the-art in machine intelligence

Ecología cognitiva en la era de Internet

The article deals with the problem of intellectual behavior in the era of development of the Internet and social networks. Just as geo-ecology has put the values of nature conservation at the forefront over those of economic gain, so cognitive ecology puts intellectual values at the forefront of the cognitive process. The author substantiates the idea that the Internet has its own cognitive ecology. An overabundance of information requires more complex skills in evaluating and analyzing information, as well as changing value-based intellectual attitudes. It is argued that the theoretical basis for the analysis of cognitive ecology in the Internet age can be the epistemology of virtues, in which various intellectual virtues and vices are studied. The article lists some intellectual virtues and vices that can be demanded when working on the Internet. These intellectual virtues include: open-mindedness, intellectual caution, intellectual courage, intellectual thoroughness, etc.  It is shown that manifestation of intellectual virtues is necessary to navigate in epistemologically “unfriendly” environment of the Internet.El artículo aborda el problema del comportamiento intelectual en la era del desarrollo de Internet y las redes sociales. Así como la geoecología ha puesto los valores de la conservación de la naturaleza a la vanguardia sobre los de la ganancia económica, la ecología cognitiva coloca los valores intelectuales al frente del proceso cognitivo. El autor corrobora la idea de que Internet tiene su propia ecología cognitiva. Una sobreabundancia de información requiere habilidades más complejas para evaluar y analizar información, así como para cambiar las actitudes intelectuales basadas en valores. Se argumenta que la base teórica para el análisis de la ecología cognitiva en la era de Internet puede ser la epistemología de las virtudes, en la que se estudian diversas virtudes y vicios intelectuales. El artículo enumera algunas virtudes y vicios intelectuales que se pueden exigir a la hora de trabajar en Internet. Estas virtudes intelectuales incluyen: mente abierta, cautela intelectual, coraje intelectual, minuciosidad intelectual, etc. Se muestra que la manifestación de virtudes intelectuales es necesaria para navegar en el entorno epistemológicamente "hostil" de Internet

The Ecology of Internet Use during Middle Childhood: Physical, Social, Emotional and Cognitive Development

The ecological techno-microsystem provides a comprehensive theoretical framework for organizing the effects of internet use on child development. Ninety children in grades 3 through 6 rated their uses of the internet. Parents and teachers rated each child’s level development. Using stepwise regression analysis, the eight measures of child development (i.e., social, emotional, physical and cognitive development rated by parents and teachers) were treated as dependent variables and child rating of internet use (i.e., five items for each of home, school and community use) were treated as independent variables. Various patterns of internet use related to various patterns of child development across all domains, although the most enduring relationships were between internet use and cognitive and social development. Results provide preliminary support for the ecological techno-microsystem

Corporate envy and emotional dynamics in the internal selection process of corporate venturing initiatives

Corporate venturing initiatives, which exemplify corporate entrepreneurial behavior, follow an evolutionary path of variation, selection, and retention. While their external selection is a consequence of their performance, their internal selection is subject to forces of complementarity and legitimacy, and how well competition from other initiatives is overcome. This chapter aims to unfold the dynamics of the internal selection process of initiatives, focusing on its emotional dimensions. Assuming that organizational agents have a deliberate role in guiding the internal selection process of initiatives, the chapter examines how organizational agents' emotional dynamics influence this process. The chapter draws its theoretical basis from the intraorganizational evolutionary perspective and the literature on emotions in organizations. The case of a corporate venturing initiative and the narratives of four managers involved directly and indirectly in the initiative are used to illustrate how the emotional dynamics of organizational members evoked envy toward a venturing initiative and directly impacted its degree of competition and complementarity with other interacting initiatives, ultimately hampering its selection

Information in the Context of Philosophy and Cognitive Sciences

This textbook briefly maps as many as possible areas and contexts in which information plays an important role. It attempts an approach that also seeks to explore areas of research that are not commonly associated, such as informatics, information and library science, information physics, or information ethics. Given that the text is intended especially for students of the Master's Degree in Cognitive Studies, emphasis is placed on a humane, philosophical and interdisciplinary approach. It offers rather directions of thought, questions, and contexts than a complete theory developed into mathematical and technical details