ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Extended mind thesis

Have you ever been playing with a toy and needed help figuring out how to use it? Maybe you asked a grown-up or a friend for help. This is kind of like what the extended mind thesis is all about.

Usually, we think that our minds are just inside our heads. We have thoughts and ideas and feelings that stay in our brain. But some people believe that our minds can extend beyond our bodies and into the things that we use to help us think.

Think about a calculator. This is a tool that we use to help us do math. When we use a calculator, it's not just our brain doing the math, it's also the calculator working with us. Without the calculator, we might not be able to do the math as quickly or as accurately. So, some people would say that the calculator is part of our extended mind.

Another example is a notebook. Say you're trying to remember something important, like a phone number. You write it down in your notebook so you don't forget. The notebook is helping you remember, just like the calculator is helping you do math. So, the notebook is also part of your extended mind.

The extended mind thesis is the idea that our minds can extend beyond our bodies and into the things we use to think. This means that our environment can play a big role in how we think and remember things. It's like having an extra brain, made up of all the things we use to help us think and learn.