Sánchez-Flores M. J. (2020) Human language as trans-actional autopoiesis. In: Morgner C. (ed.) John Dewey and the notion of trans-action. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham: 253–283. https://cepa.info/6573
Sánchez-Flores M. J.
(
2020)
Human language as trans-actional autopoiesis.
In: Morgner C. (ed.) John Dewey and the notion of trans-action. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham: 253–283.
Fulltext at https://cepa.info/6573
Human language, according to Humberto Maturana, can be seen as existing in the relationality of human organisms who in turn emerge as persons from autopoietic co-constitutive relationships. I propose that this autopoietic conception of language is eminently trans-actional in the Deweyan sense. A trans-actional presentation of knowledge means that everything that we seek to explain as observers exists in continuity with everything else. Such trans-actional continuity is grounded on a physical continuity that I propose is best exemplified by entanglement in quantum physics; which is quite counter-intuitive to our deterministic Newtonian-Cartesian “habits of mind.” This illustrates why we need finer tools, such as trans-actional autopoiesis, to approach our experience. Maturana explains how human language is made possible by our nervous system, embodied in an autopoietic manner; in constant trans-action with human embodiment and other humans and non-humans, as well as embedded in and having an effect on our environment.

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