Intelligence as Action and Non-Action

                Maturana likes to say that ultimately intelligence leads to action.  One of his favorite examples is about playing the piano.  You can talk all you want about how much you know about the piano, but at some point you have to actually play.  I take the point to be that intelligence is not something that is just mental.  Intelligence is an active element of the world.  This is similar to the point Hutchins makes in Cognition In The Wild, that intelligence is a cultural activity not just an individual capacity.  It makes no sense to think of intelligence as something stored in memory, rather it be in a book, a hard drive or an individual’s mind.  Intelligence is part of our being in the world not just our observation and contemplation of the world.

                I think this is another reason to shift our focus to the body as the center of intelligence.  We act in the world through our body and our senses.  We can think and language about the world, but tangible proof of that is expressed through the body.  The body is in the present.  We can think about the past or the future, but we can only act in the present, which means that we can only be intelligent in the present.

                The other important consideration for me is that intentional non-action is as important as action.  What we choose not to do or say has as much impact as what we say and do.  I want to avoid implying that the body is only present in action.  It can also be still and silent.  In fact, intelligence is often choosing wisely between action and no-action.  I have not called it inaction because that implies a passive and unconscious state.  Intelligence is our mindful participation in existence and not a test score or memory game.

                This post is short, but I hope it makes a point I can return to in the foll