Embodiment Theory and Mathematics Education Research

• In Event: Roundtable Session 118
  In Roundtable Session: Mathematical Discourse and Student Learning

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to describe a theory drawn from second-generation cognitive science: the theory of embodiment. The utility of this theory in understanding mathematical thinking will be illustrated by applying it to the analysis of selected mathematical ideas. The theory will also be compared with other influential theories in the field. The argument is made that mathematical ideas are grounded in embodied physical experiences, either directly or indirectly, through mechanisms involving conceptual mappings among mental spaces.

Author

• Laurie D. Edwards, Saint Mary's College of California