An Ecumenical Approach to the Cognitive Science in Education: A Lesson from the Methodology of Reciprocal Constraints

Background and Aim: The conventional methodology in cognitive science is experimental, reductionistic, and representative. It aimed the explanation of mental function, cognition, and conscious states. Electroencephalography (EEG), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and optogenetics are some explanatory instruments for the studying of neuro-system function, perceptual and cognitive behaviors. Brain, mind, and computer are three issues in cognitive science that are pursued by representation, computation, and connectionism. Under the explanation, generalizability, simplicity, testability, predictability, parsimony and internal consistency are considered. The philosophical and methodological examinations show explanation, as stated, although it has some advantages, but ignores the universality, and uniqueness of human life. For example, simplicity in cognitive science challenges every work in social and human domains based on cognitive sciences. In these conditions, "understanding" is an alternative aim. "Understanding" is a result of using the phenomenological, hermeneutic, and contextual studies methods which focus on uniqueness, emergency, and unfolds the internal relationships. In the ۸۰s, Francisco J. Varela (۱۹۴۶-۲۰۰۱) proposed "Neurophenomenology" as an alternative approach for solving the explanation gap problem. "Neurophenomenology" is a pluri-disciplinary idea that undertakes the brain, body, and world interwoven that establish a unique cognitive system. The basic principle of the co-determining between the environment and organism and their structural coupling is "enaction." The structural coupling means the reproducer systems and environment (world) are interweaving and interact with each other and is accomplishment by "methodology of reciprocal constraints" (MRC) that pays attention to all information. The integral theory and the holographic approach to the universe can be considered as the MRC analyzing context. Therefore, this approach, by considering openness to the data, emergency, depending on the situation and precision and imprecision coupling, aimed an alternative solution to neuro-educational research. In this article, the gap between subject and object is examined by a critical approach to show how "understanding explanation" is provided with MRC and how observations and personal understanding, scientific explanations, and dynamic systems develop cognitive education. Methods: philosophical and speculative Results to reach an ecumenical approach to the cognitive science in education, to aim an alternative solution to neuro-educational research with introduce "Neurophenomenology." Conclusion: "Neurophenomenology" by methodology of reciprocal constraints" (MRC) that pays attention to all information by considering openness to the data, emergency, depending on the situation and precision and imprecision coupling, aimed an alternative solution to neuro- educational research.

کلیدواژه ها:

education ، cognitive science ، Neurophenomenology ، understanding ، explanation