In: Anatomy and Physiology
Hi. This is a question for my summer neuroscience class.
Q: Discuss the structure of distributed cognitive-cultural networks, their importance and the role of language.
Distributed cognition highlights and discusses the importance of a collection of individuals and how they interact with each other as well as their environment expressing their cognitive function that shapes their lives and community through social, cultural and technological communication, which is often a product in itself.
One of the reasons for the success of humans (and our ancestors) is the embodiment of information in our interactions. Any form of communication brings with it new packets of information that may benefit or change the perception of the environment by the receiving entity (embodied agents). This is often possible through language or glyphs that imparts an idea of our thought to others. These modes of communication further helps in spreading and passing on this information to other individuals.
The decisions that arise out of the above communication executes enaction among the individuals and they start changing the environmental variables around them to suit the information broadcasted. The change to the environment further creates a change in the cognitive informational sphere of the individuals.
An idea can arise from one mind, it amounts to nothing if it is not shared with other individuals. If the idea is approved and executed, it changes the social/ environmental variables for the individual. The idea, if effective becomes a social norm in a community which the idea continues to be assumed as a basic standard thought. Creation of this community wide cognitive distribution of an idea is basically the brain of an individual expanding upon a community and using their brains to assess and implement this idea faster while working out all the kinks that may retard its growth. Something similar to a single computer processor employing the processing power of a whole server for a task.