125 © Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
A. Killin, S. Allen-Hermanson (eds.), Explorations in Archaeology and
Philosophy, Synthese Library 433, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61052-4_8
Chapter 8
Embodied and Extended Numerical
Cognition
Marilynn Johnson and Caleb Everett
Abstract In this chapter we consider the theories of embodied cognition and
extended mind with respect to the human ability to engage in numerical cognition.
Such an enquiry requires frst distinguishing between our innate number sense and
the sort of numerical reasoning that is unique to humans. We provide anthropologi-
cal and linguistic research to defend the thesis that places the body at the center of
our development of numerical reasoning. We then draw on archaeological research
to suggest a rough date for when ancient humans frst were able to represent numeri-
cal information beyond the body and in enduring material artifacts. We conclude by
briefy describing how these capacities for embodied and extended numerical cog-
nition shaped our world.
Keywords Number words · Counting · Embodiment · Extended mind · Numerical
cognition · Calendars
8.1 Introduction
What is the relationship of embodiment to our capacity to think numerically? It
might seem, at frst, that the capacity for numerical thought would be a paradigm
case for the computational theory of mind. However, as we argue, numerical thought
is embodied.
M. Johnson (*)
Department of Philosophy, University of San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
e-mail: marilynnjohnson@sandiego.edu
C. Everett
Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
e-mail: caleb@miami.edu
Explorations in Archaeology and Philosophy, edited by Anton Killin, and Sean Allen-Hermanson, Springer International Publishing
AG, 2021. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/sandiego/detail.action?docID=6571571.
Created from sandiego on 2021-06-04 23:11:12.
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