On the embodied nature of knowledge: From neurons to numbers

Abstract

AbstractInterdisciplinary investigations of the human mind through the cognitive sciences have identified a key role of the body in representing knowledge. After characterizing knowledge at grounded, embodied, and situated levels, number knowledge is analyzed from this hierarchical perspective. Lateralized cortical processing of coarse versus fine detail is identified as a grounding substrate for the population stereotype few/left, many/right, which then contributes to number‐related sensory and motor biases at the embodied and situated levels. Implications of this perspective for education and rehabilitation are discussed.