Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation

Digital humanists have often been criticized as too technology-driven and for a lack of theoretical work. In this paper, we discuss theories from Cognitive Science on the *extended mind*, which provide a productive framework to theorize the use of tools and technologies for the sake of cognitive sel...

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Main Authors: Florian Windhager, Eva Mayr
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Department of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at McGill University 2024-09-01
Series:Journal of Cultural Analytics
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.121866
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author Florian Windhager
Eva Mayr
author_facet Florian Windhager
Eva Mayr
author_sort Florian Windhager
collection DOAJ
description Digital humanists have often been criticized as too technology-driven and for a lack of theoretical work. In this paper, we discuss theories from Cognitive Science on the *extended mind*, which provide a productive framework to theorize the use of tools and technologies for the sake of cognitive self-enhancement. Viewed through this lens, humans continuously self-amplify their natural cognitive resources and processes by extending and offloading them to interactions with artifacts and other individuals in their environment. Concepts of extended cognition further sharpen the focus on multiple types of distribution: from the outlined internal-external distribution to the propositional-visual distribution of cognition, but also for the multi-instrumental distribution across multiple types of tools and tool specialist. All these aspects are relevant for future debates about a "theory gap" in the digital humanities: DH mainly builds external, technological tools, while traditional humanities develop conceptual tools---including theories---to enable and enhance the study of complex cultural phenomena. Notwithstanding the value of confrontational discussions, we argue for the benefits of understanding the strengths and limitations of instruments on both sides---and for working toward future synergies and ecologies of the humanities' tools and minds. In this regard, we show how visualization-based DH tools might might play a major role in closing the comprehensibility gap of traditional theories in the arts and humanities.
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spelling doaj-art-b1b28797bb314178a1c428b4d9c4f5602025-01-28T22:11:33ZengDepartment of Languages, Literatures, and Cultures at McGill UniversityJournal of Cultural Analytics2371-45492024-09-0174Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual AugmentationFlorian WindhagerEva MayrDigital humanists have often been criticized as too technology-driven and for a lack of theoretical work. In this paper, we discuss theories from Cognitive Science on the *extended mind*, which provide a productive framework to theorize the use of tools and technologies for the sake of cognitive self-enhancement. Viewed through this lens, humans continuously self-amplify their natural cognitive resources and processes by extending and offloading them to interactions with artifacts and other individuals in their environment. Concepts of extended cognition further sharpen the focus on multiple types of distribution: from the outlined internal-external distribution to the propositional-visual distribution of cognition, but also for the multi-instrumental distribution across multiple types of tools and tool specialist. All these aspects are relevant for future debates about a "theory gap" in the digital humanities: DH mainly builds external, technological tools, while traditional humanities develop conceptual tools---including theories---to enable and enhance the study of complex cultural phenomena. Notwithstanding the value of confrontational discussions, we argue for the benefits of understanding the strengths and limitations of instruments on both sides---and for working toward future synergies and ecologies of the humanities' tools and minds. In this regard, we show how visualization-based DH tools might might play a major role in closing the comprehensibility gap of traditional theories in the arts and humanities.https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.121866
spellingShingle Florian Windhager
Eva Mayr
Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
Journal of Cultural Analytics
title Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
title_full Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
title_fullStr Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
title_full_unstemmed Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
title_short Digital Humanities and Distributed Cognition: From a Lack of Theory to its Visual Augmentation
title_sort digital humanities and distributed cognition from a lack of theory to its visual augmentation
url https://doi.org/10.22148/001c.121866
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