Conference Overview
The conference "Cognitive Tools in Action" aims to explore the diverse ways in which cognition is both shaped by tools and manifests itself as a dynamic interplay of strategies and embodied actions. The term “cognitive tools” encompasses both external instruments (e.g., artworks, technologies, artifacts, and media) that modulate cognitive processes, and internal strategies (e.g., metaphor) employed in cognitive processing. By emphasizing “in action”, we seek to foreground the deeply embodied, sensorimotor, and interactive nature of cognition. This conference invites scholars from a range of disciplines (including but not limited to anthropology, arts, literature, neuroscience, performance studies, philosophy, psychology), to reflect on the reciprocal relationship between cognitive tools and the environments, bodies, and contexts in which they operate.

Themes and Topics
We welcome contributions that engage with the following themes, among others:

1. The 4E Cognition framework
The 4E Cognition Framework (encompassing embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive cognition) challenges traditional cognitive models by emphasizing the distributed nature of cognitive processes across body, environment, and tools. This theme invites discussions on how external aids like technologies or symbolic systems integrate with human cognition, transforming how we think and act.

2. Arts and Literature as Symbolic Tools for Cognition
In the context of artistic production, the focus shifts to how creative works act not merely as reflections of thought but as active instruments that shape mental processes. Literature, for example, can scaffold complex conceptualizations through narrative structures, while visual art may provoke embodied engagement, fostering alternative modes of perception and meaning-making.

3. Performative Arts, Cognition, and the Body
This topic highlights the deep interconnections between physical embodiment, creative expression, and cognitive processes within the realm of performance. Performative arts, including theater, dance, and live art, offer a unique lens through which to examine how bodily actions not only reflect cognitive states but actively shape and extend them. Contributions might also delve into the ways performative arts create shared cognitive experiences.

4. Beyond Human Cognition: Prosthetics, AI, Biohacking
The topic "Beyond Human Cognition: Prosthetics, AI, and Biohacking" addresses the transformative role of advanced technologies in reshaping the very boundaries of cognition. Prosthetics, artificial intelligence (AI), and biohacking extend the capabilities of human thought and perception, challenging traditional notions of what it means to think, act, and be human. These cognitive extensions are not merely tools; they become integral parts of a distributed cognitive system, where human and non-human elements operate in concert.

5. The Ethics of Cognitive Tools
The topic "The Ethics of Cognitive Tools" addresses the profound ethical considerations that arise from the development and use of tools that shape, enhance, or extend cognition. As cognitive tools—from artificial intelligence and augmented reality to metaphorical frameworks and educational technologies—become increasingly integrated into daily life, they raise critical questions about agency, autonomy, equity, and responsibility. At its core, this topic examines how cognitive tools influence human decision-making, behavior, and identity. The question of access and equity is another focal point. Cognitive tools have the potential to amplify capabilities and bridge gaps in knowledge, but they can also exacerbate inequalities if access is limited to certain groups.

6. Embodiment and Multimodality in Linguistic Cognition
The topic Embodiment and Multimodality in Linguistic Cognition explores the intricate ways in which language is grounded in the human body and enriched by multiple modes of communication. Far from being a purely abstract or symbolic system, linguistic cognition is deeply intertwined with sensorimotor processes, gestures, facial expressions, and the physical and social environments in which it occurs. Multimodality extends this inquiry by examining how language operates in conjunction with other communicative modes. Speech is rarely isolated; it is often accompanied by visual cues, prosodic variations, spatial arrangements, and even tactile interactions.

7. Metaphorical Cognition
The topic "Metaphorical Cognition" explores the profound role metaphors play not only as linguistic expressions but as foundational mechanisms of thought and understanding. Far from being merely decorative or rhetorical devices, metaphors structure our conceptual frameworks, enabling us to grasp abstract ideas through concrete experiences. This theme invites contributions that delve into how metaphors shape cognition across domains, from everyday reasoning to scientific innovation. Metaphorical cognition is grounded in the principle that humans often understand unfamiliar or abstract concepts in terms of more familiar, embodied experiences.

8. Paleocognition and Paleoaesthetics
Paleocognition and Paleoaesthetics encourages interdisciplinary approaches, drawing from archaeology, anthropology, cognitive science, art history, and evolutionary psychology. By reconstructing the mental and aesthetic lives of our ancestors, this topic offers a profound understanding of how the cognitive and creative foundations of humanity were laid, paving the way for modern culture and thought. Contributions might explore the co-evolution of cognitive and aesthetic capacities, examining how tool-making and symbolic art may have reinforced one another. The relationship between physical gestures, early communication systems, and the creation of visual or performative art forms is another fertile area for discussion.

9. Environment and Technology
The topic "Environment and Technology" invites us to consider the evolving dialogue between humanity’s tools and the ecosystems in which they exist. Technology does not emerge in a vacuum; it grows out of, interacts with, and transforms the natural world. This theme encourages a rethinking of how technological progress influences—and is influenced by—the environments we inhabit. This theme also delves into the ethics and sustainability of technology in the Anthropocene. As technological power grows, so does our responsibility to consider its ecological impact.

10. Psychedelics as Cognitive and Epistemic Tools
The topic "Psychedelics as Cognitive and Epistemic Tools" opens a window into how altered states of consciousness, induced by psychedelic substances, can serve as profound instruments for cognitive exploration and knowledge generation. This theme encourages an interdisciplinary inquiry into the ways psychedelics impact cognition, perception, and epistemology, bridging the gaps between neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and cultural studies. Psychedelics—such as psilocybin, LSD, DMT, and mescaline—have long been associated with expanded awareness and novel modes of thinking. Their effects on the brain, including increased neural connectivity and the dissolution of traditional hierarchical patterns of cognition, provide a unique lens through which to study the flexibility and boundaries of human consciousness.

11. Music and cognition
The topic "Music and Cognition" investigates the profound and multifaceted connections between music and the human mind. Music, as a universal form of expression and communication, offers a unique lens to explore how cognitive processes such as perception, memory, emotion, and creativity operate within and beyond traditional boundaries of thought. Recent advancements in the study of music cognition emphasize the deeply embodied, enactive, and relational nature of musical experience. Moving beyond traditional, brain-centered models of cognition, this perspective situates music as an interactive process that emerges through the interplay of body, environment, and cultural context.

12. Visual studies and cognition
The study of visual cognition offers a window into the intricate processes by which humans perceive, interpret, and engage with the visual world. This topic intersects with visual studies to explore how visual stimuli—ranging from natural scenes to artistic creations, media, and technological interfaces—affect cognitive processes such as perception, attention, memory, and meaning-making. The role of visual media, from traditional art forms to digital interfaces, offers another dimension to this exploration. Artworks, films, photographs, and virtual environments do more than represent the world; they engage viewers in processes of emotional resonance, symbolic association, and critical reflection.

Keynote Speakers
Marianna Bolognesi (Alma Mater Università di Bologna)
Anna Ciaunica (Universidade de Lisboa)
Elena Cuffari (Franklin and Marshall College)
Erik Myin (University of Antwerp)
Lambros Malafouris (University of Oxford)
Gerard Steen (University of Amsterdam)

Invited Symposium
Vittorio Gallese (Università di Parma)
Michele Cometa (Università di Palermo

Instructions for abstract submission
Please send your proposal via the form at the following link: cognitive-futures.com.
The abstracts must not exceed 500 words.
Each Speaker will have 20 minutes time for the talk (discussion included).
Deadline for abstract submission: 30 March 2025
Notification of acceptance: By April 14 2025