The Sensation Modulating Network:Haltability as the architectural ground for object-directed phenomenology
arXiv:2605.26856v1 Announce Type: cross Abstract: Cognitive science remains split between cognitivism - which accounts for recursion and language but cannot ground formal symbols in meaning - and 4E approaches - which ground cognition in the body but rarely specify the body's architecture in enough detail to support generativity. We argue the impasse stems from an incomplete account of the embodied agent's architecture, and propose one: the Sensation Modulating Network (SMN), the cognitive agent conceived as the whole body, organized at every anatomical scale by opponent dynamics, built from S
This publication represents a theoretical advancement in understanding the architectural underpinnings of embodied cognition, aiming to bridge a long-standing divide in cognitive science as AI development continues to seek more human-like intelligence.
A strategic reader should care because deeper theoretical understanding of embodied cognition can fundamentally inform the design of future AI systems, potentially leading to more robust, adaptive, and 'sensate' intelligence.
The proposed Sensation Modulating Network offers a new architectural framework for AI, moving beyond purely symbolic or purely embodied approaches to a more integrated 'whole body' design for cognitive agents, especially relevant for robotics.
- · AI researchers in embodied cognition
- · Robotics developers
- · Cognitive science
- · Purely symbolic AI development
- · Oversimplified 4E approaches to AI
The theoretical framework might inspire new AI architectures for perception and action.
This could accelerate the development of more sophisticated and adaptable AI agents, particularly in robotics.
It might influence philosophical debates on consciousness and the nature of intelligence as AI capabilities evolve.
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Read at arXiv cs.AI