Humberto maturana, with his colleague francisco varela, have undertaken the construction of a systematic theoretical biology which attempts to define. An extensive discussion of the connection of autopoiesis to cognition is provided by thompson. A tribute to francisco varela1 evan thompson canada research chair in cognitive science and the embodied mind, department of philosophy, york university email. Uribe, is particularly known for creating the term autopoiesis about the selfgenerating. Had it been more in uential, the autopoietic theory of cognition might well have brought us much sooner to the trends currently at the forefront of the cognitive sciences, including dynamical. Nov 22, 2004 this paper examines two questions related to autopoiesis as a theory for minimal life.
Abstract maturana and varelas notion of autopoiesis has the potential to transform the conceptual foundation of biology as well as the cognitive, behavioral, and. Autopoiesis and cognition in the game of life artificial. The reader is taken through the biological and cognitive insandouts of general cognitive function, how it arises by way of autopoiesis, and explores just about every subset handled by the cognitive sciences. Library of congress cataloging in publication data eb.
Initially, maturana defined cognition as behavior of an organism with relevance to the maintenance of itself. The term autopoiesis this is a pseudoancient greek word, formed through the conjunction of two proper ancient greek words, auto meaning self, and poiesis meaning roughly creation or production careers long ago usually fell under. Engineering learning unit, school of engineering, melbourne university, vic. The consequence of their investigations and of their living systems as selfmaking, selfreferring autonomous unities, is that they discovered that the two questions have a common answer. Pdf a comparison of maturanas autopoietic social theory. This is not a pure application of biological autopoiesis. Humberto maturana and francisco varelas contribution to. A history of these and other notions in the biology of cognition humberto maturana. Maturana and varelas notion of autopoiesis has the potential to transform the conceptual foundation of biology as well as the cognitive, behavioral, and brain sciences. His 1969 paper neurophysiology of cognition maturana, 1970 first presented these ideas in english. Yet, on the basis of such a conceptual method, and such a theory of living systems, maturana goes on to.
Dec 22, 2016 predictive processing pp approaches to the mind are increasingly popular in the cognitive sciences. Maturanas work extends to philosophy and cognitive science and even to family therapy. Pdf explaining maturanas concept of autopoiesis researchgate. This is a bold, brilliant, provocative and puzzling work. Margulis and sagan are at pains in this text both to honor that prior call to account for living organization and to integrate that corrective. Autopoiesis and cognition page 9 7 the observer is a living system and an understanding of cognition as a biological phenomenon must account for the observer and his role in it. Introduction by professor maturana biology of cognition dedication table of contents i. As immediately becomes evident, this definition is relatively autopoiesis 40 years later. This paper examines two questions related to autopoiesis as a theory for minimal life.
It is a hybridized expression taking into account theoretical drift64 and adaptation experienced by humberto maturana and francisco varelas 198041 publication autopoiesis and cognition. Autopoiesis, or selfproduction, is a concept introduced in the 1970s by the biologists maturana and varela to differentiate the living from the nonliving. This was a risky strategy to adopt, given the intellectual currents of his time. It demands a radical shift in standpoint, an almost paradoxical posture in which living systems are described in terms of what lies outside the domain of descriptions. The concept of autopoiesis is due to maturana and varela 8.
Autopoiesis and cognition maturana pdf semantic scholar. Autopoiesis is a theory of social systems which is based on biological theories of the cell. Maturana humberto r varela francisco j autopoiesis and. Physical basis for the emergence of autopoiesis, cognition and knowledge. This idea was put forth by chilean biologists humberto maturana and francisco varela and emphasizes the peculiar closure of living systems, which are alive and maintain themselves metabolically whether they succeed in reproduction or. Autopoiesis c extended cognition c nature d can buildings think. In particular, the question of how to position predictive processing with respect to enactive and embodied cognition has become. Maturana advanced the rst systematic explanation of cognition based solely on biological principles since aristotle. Autopoiesis and cognition the topological media lab. Extensions of this analysis to other cognitive sciences disciplines, like knowledge. Yet, on the basis of such a conceptual method, and such a. Maturana and varelas work offers a very different way of understanding cognitive phenomena. During the 1970s maturana, often in conjunction with his student francisco varela, published a series of papers in which this framework was progressively refined. Professor humberto maturana, with his colleague francisco varela, have undertaken the construction of a systematic theoretical biology which attempts to define living.
The living system 1 living systems are units of interactions. Key theories of humberto maturana by nasrullah mambrol on february 24, 2018 0. Beyond autopoiesis inflections of emergence and politics. In his discourse the observer speaks to another observer, who could be himself. An autopoietic system was defined as a network of interrelated componentproducing processes such that the components in interaction. Maturana humberto r varela francisco j autopoiesis. The cognitive theories of maturana and varela article pdf available in systemic practice and action research 44. Varela autopoiesis and cognition the realization of the living springer 1980. Maturana, along with francisco varela and ricardo b. Boston studies in the philosophy and history of science. Maturana humberto r varela francisco j autopoiesis and cognition the realization of the living. The concept of autopoiesis is due to maturana and varela 8, 9. Pdf life is defined by maturana and varela as a type of selforganization.
Beers preface has been posted with permission of the publisher on www by john hicks centre for cognitive science, university of edinburgh thanks, john. Professor humberto maturana, with his colleague francisco varela, have undertaken the construction of a systematic theoretical biology which attempts to define. The cognitive theories of maturana and varela cepa. Autopoiesis and cognition in the game of life cepa. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Autopoiesis, the santiago school of cognition, and. A comparison of maturanas autopoietic social theory and giddens theory of structuration article pdf available in systems research 4.
Humberto maturana and francisco varelas contribution to media ecology. Autopoiesis and cognition by humberto maturana rumesin, 9789027710154, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Humberto maturana and francisco varelas contribution to media. The original biological concept of autopoiesis the theory of autopoiesis was developed by the two chilean cognitive biologists humberto maturana and francisco varela in the sixties and early seventies. Home cybercriticism key theories of humberto maturana. The reader is taken through the biological and cognitive ins and outs of general cognitive function, how it arises by way of autopoiesis, and explores just about every subset handled by the cognitive sciences. So, social systems receive inputs and generate outputs in ways which must be studied closely. Predictive processing pp approaches to the mind are increasingly popular in the cognitive sciences.
Autopoiesis and cognition the realization of the living. Cognitive function in general the observer 1 anything said is said by an observer. Key theories of humberto maturana literary theory and. Autopoiesis c extended cognition c nature d can buildings. The basic notion of autopoiesis as involving constructive interaction with the environment is extended to include cognition. From a purely biological point of view they cannot be understood independently of that part of the ambience with which. Autopoiesis, structural coupling and cognition by giorgio. Thus, the standpoint of description of such unities from the outside, i. Cognitive theories of maturana and varela 321 organization is realized in a particular structure. Maturanas contributions to the biology of cognition paradigm, to its progeny. Professor humberto maturana, with his colleague francisco varela, have. Pdf maturana advanced the first systematic explanation of cognition based solely on biological principles since aristotle.
The realization of the living boston studies in the philosophy of science, volume 42 boston studies in the philosophy and history of science softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. The views on evolution seemed a bit murky, but have yielded much discussion for me. In particular, the question of how to position predictive processing with respect to enactive and embodied cognition. Autopoiesis and cognition the realization of the living h. Key theories of humberto maturana literary theory and criticism. Explaining humberto maturanas concept of autopoiesis. Given their credentials in the physics and biology of vision and cognition, and the fact that the concept of autopoiesis was developed and phrased in such a way that could provide the. Autopoiesis, the santiago school of cognition, and enactive cognitive science. Munchner betriebswirtschaftliche beitrage munich business. The hermetic nature of maturanas work on autopoiesis is borne out by the. An autopoietic system was defined as a network of interrelated componentproducing processes such that the components in interaction generate the same network that produced them. Maturanas research interest concerns concepts like cognition, autopoiesis, languaging, zero time cybernetics and structural determined systems.
1487 281 463 692 577 1129 215 402 295 188 264 614 244 1056 150 1418 406 1171 590 996 35 1480 885 1180 1361 834 90 987 962