ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter begins with a snapshot of current research to document the multidisciplinary nature of embodied cognition as a new theoretical frame for the study of the human mind. Theoretical tolerance towards representationalism and methodological openness are discussed as explanations for the current popularity of embodied cognition. Next, research questions and guiding principles for embodied cognition from different disciplines are discussed, including philosophy, cognitive psychology, cognitive neuroscience, cognitive linguistics, cognitive anthropology, and artificial intelligence. Throughout this survey, reference is made to subsequent contributions to this book in order to identify cross-disciplinary methodological issues and ideas. The chapter concludes with a distinction between grounded, embodied and situated cognition to address the current terminological confusion in the field.
