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Model of the social–ecological system depends on model of the mind: Contrasting information-processing and embodied views of cognition

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  • Hukkinen, Janne I.

Abstract

Two core concerns of ecological economists have for decades been to consider the economy as embedded in broader social–ecological systems (SESs) and to include multiple perspectives in knowledge production. To address these concerns, I argue, ecological economists need to return to the ontological question of what constitutes the SES and the epistemological question of how to obtain knowledge about it. The article shows that autopoiesis complemented with the theory of embodied cognition addresses (1) the ontological challenge by articulating socio-cultural artifacts and ecological artifacts as a single entity, and (2) the epistemological challenge with universally shared schemas that describe goal-oriented activity. The power of autopoiesis is illustrated by outlining an embodied SES model of reindeer management as an alternative framing to the predominant information-processing SES model. An environmental policy measure that from the information-processing perspective looks like an adjustment of a control variable may from the embodied perspective disrupt an interconnected structure of social–ecological interaction. The article proposes a way to integrate the information-processing and embodied models. The results pose significant challenges for future research and policy efforts by ecological economists.

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  • Hukkinen, Janne I., 2014. "Model of the social–ecological system depends on model of the mind: Contrasting information-processing and embodied views of cognition," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 100-109.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:99:y:2014:i:c:p:100-109
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.01.017
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Herbert A. Simon, 1996. "The Sciences of the Artificial, 3rd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262691914, December.
    2. Janne Hukkinen & Hannu Heikkinen & Kaisa Raitio & Ludger Muller-Wille, 2006. "Dismantling the barriers to entrepreneurship in reindeer management in Finland," International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(6), pages 705-727.
    3. Ropke, Inge, 2005. "Trends in the development of ecological economics from the late 1980s to the early 2000s," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 262-290, November.
    4. Levänen, Jarkko O. & Hukkinen, Janne I., 2013. "A methodology for facilitating the feedback between mental models and institutional change in industrial ecosystem governance: A waste management case-study from northern Finland," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 15-23.
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    Cited by:

    1. Van Hecken, Gert & Bastiaensen, Johan & Windey, Catherine, 2015. "The frontiers of the debate on Payments for Ecosystem Services: a proposal for innovative future research," IOB Discussion Papers 2015.05, Universiteit Antwerpen, Institute of Development Policy (IOB).
    2. Ghani, Latifah Abdul & Mahmood, Noor Zalina, 2023. "Modeling domestic wastewater pathways on household system using the socio-MFA techniques," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 480(C).
    3. Van Hecken, Gert & Merlet, Pierre & Lindtner, Mara & Bastiaensen, Johan, 2019. "Can Financial Incentives Change Farmers' Motivations? An Agrarian System Approach to Development Pathways at the Nicaraguan Agricultural Frontier," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 519-529.
    4. Andrew S. Mitchell, 2020. "Mode-2 Knowledge Production within Community-Based Sustainability Projects: Applying Textual and Thematic Analytics to Action Research Conversations," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-29, November.
    5. Van Hecken, Gert & Bastiaensen, Johan & Windey, Catherine, 2015. "Towards a power-sensitive and socially-informed analysis of payments for ecosystem services (PES): Addressing the gaps in the current debate," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 117-125.
    6. Willamo, R. & Helenius, L. & Holmström, C. & Haapanen, L. & Sandström, V. & Huotari, E. & Kaarre, K. & Värre, U. & Nuotiomäki, A. & Happonen, J. & Kolehmainen, L., 2018. "Learning how to understand complexity and deal with sustainability challenges – A framework for a comprehensive approach and its application in university education," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 370(C), pages 1-13.
    7. Schlüter, Maja & Baeza, Andres & Dressler, Gunnar & Frank, Karin & Groeneveld, Jürgen & Jager, Wander & Janssen, Marco A. & McAllister, Ryan R.J. & Müller, Birgit & Orach, Kirill & Schwarz, Nina & Wij, 2017. "A framework for mapping and comparing behavioural theories in models of social-ecological systems," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 21-35.
    8. Andrew S. Mitchell, 2021. "Rethinking theories of change in the light of enactive cognitive science: Contributions to community‐scale local sustainability initiatives," Systems Research and Behavioral Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 448-458, August.

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