Cognitive Ecologies and the History of Remembering: Religion, Education and Memory in Early Modern England (Palgrave Macmillan Memory Studies)

This book unites research in philosophy and cognitive science with cultural history to re-examine memory in early modern religious practices. Offering an ecological approach to memory and culture, it argues that models derived from Extended Mind and Distributed Cognition can bridge the gap between individual and social models of memory. This book presents a new approach to memory studies through a cognitive cultural history of religion in early modern England. Offering an ecological approach to the relationship between memory and culture, the authors argue that a 'distributed' and 'extended' approach can bridge the gap between individual and social models of memory. The work of memory cannot be located in individuals, objects, or social systems alone, but spreads across the entire system. The model retains its historical purchase and takes account of the vital importance of attending to human cognitive mechanisms. The concept of 'cognitive ecology' offers a lens through which to view this operation of cognitive mechanisms, objects and social systems in past societies and has the potential to take cultural history in a new direction Front Matter....Pages i-x Introduction: Cognitive Ecologies, Distributed Cognition, Extended Mind and Memory Studies....Pages 1-18 Attention, Coordination and Memory in Pious Practice: Prayer and Catechism....Pages 19-46 Sacred Space: The Reconfiguring of Cognitive Ecologies in the Parish Church....Pages 47-70 Cognitive Ecologies and Group Identity: Print and Song....Pages 71-106 Models of Mind and Memory in the Cognition of Religion: A Case Study in Early Quakerism....Pages 107-131 Conclusion: Educational Systems and Mnemonic Priorities....Pages 132-151 Back Matter....Pages 152-183 "This book unites research in philosophy and cognitive science with cultural history to re-examine memory in early modern religious practices. Offering an ecological approach to memory and culture, it argues that models derived from Extended Mind and Distributed Cognition can bridge the gap between individual and social models of memory"-- NL-ZmNBD