Newsletter of Phenomenology

Keeping phenomenologists informed since May 2002

Gesture following deafferentation

a phenomenologically informed experimental study

Jonathan Cole, Shaun Gallagher, David Mcneill

pp. 49-67

Empirical studies of gesture in a subject who has lost proprioception and the sense of touch from the neck down show that specific aspects of gesture remain normal despite abnormal motor processes for instrumental movement. The experiments suggest that gesture, as a linguistic phenomenon, is not reducible to instrumental movement. They also support and extend claims made by Merleau-Ponty concerning the relationship between language and cognition. Gesture, as language, contributes to the accomplishment of thought.

Publication details

DOI: 10.1023/A:1015572619184

Full citation:

Cole, J. , Gallagher, S. , Mcneill, D. (2002). Gesture following deafferentation: a phenomenologically informed experimental study. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences 1 (1), pp. 49-67.

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