Playing in streams of knowledge

multimodality in perception and action

Justin Christensen

pp. 147-160

in: Luca Tateo (ed), An old melody in a new song, Berlin, Springer, 2018

Abstract

In this chapter, I propose dynamic systems theory as a means of understanding how we develop knowledge about our sensory modalities, our world and ourselves. Alongside this, I propose that we look at this dynamic development of knowledge mainly from a top–down perspective, whereby we predict our world in advance of our perceptions and actions in it, which thus leads our predictions to guide and shape our sensations and actions in the world. When we do this, I argue that we see how important our participation and play in the world are in enacting our world and allowing us our autonomy from the world. Finally, I suggest that if we consider top–down processing as a means of interacting with a meaningful world (one where our perceptions are seen as opportunities for action), then our aesthetic experiences can be seen as opportunities for transformation.