Cognitive independence worth appreciating requires cognitive dependence on others, as well as on tools and technology.
In their book How to Control Our Minds Through Others, J. Adam Carter and Neil Levy argue that meritorious cognitive autonomy requires different kinds of cognitive dependence on others, as well as on tools and technology. By challenging the Cartesian ideal of self-sufficient knowledge acquisition, they show that epistemic dependence is both inevitable and beneficial.Social relations and institutions mediate the process of self-governance; We manage our beliefs and interests through cooperation, trust, and the influence of others. This crystallizes the reconceptualization of cognitive autonomy as highly social and highly supported.Incorporating insights from philosophy, cognitive science, AI ethics, and media studies, the authors present a positive, socially grounded conceptualization of cognitive self-governance. Topics they address include cognitive autonomy in the context of divided attention, intellectual collaboration with others in group settings, artificial intelligence, direct understanding, guidance and inquiry, cognitive feedback loops, and adaptive control.Their arguments have implications for educators and digital platform designers, as well as for those working in the emerging landscape of AI law, digital rights, and mental privacy.
