Simon Penny

I am attempting to build a non-dualist theory of skill. Non-dualist in the sense the purported distinction between ‘mind’ and ‘body’ as theoretically separable entities (substance dualism) is taken to be false. I also argue that the brain/body version dualism (more acceptable in conventional science) implies analytic distinctions that are as obfuscating as they are useful. In the same sense, skill and intelligence are not opposed. In order to build a non-dualist theory of skill as intelligence, I draw upon neuroscience, particularly neurophysiology, phylogenetic neuroscience and paleocognition. The general argument is: the body grew a brain (and not the obverse), and thus skilled action in the world is what the brain is primarily for. I focus on proprioception and draw upon contemporary currents in predictive coding, aphantasia and other topic in order to build a framework for an holistic neurophysiology. This approach allows us to ‘decenter’ the brain and ask such questions as ‘where does knowledge reside, in multimodal networks? Such questions have direct bearing on questions of pedagogy- especially skill pedagogy. The conclusion is that conventional ‘know-that’ pedagogy is inapplicable to embodied skill learning, due to its inherently proprioceptive sensorimotor nature. Such learning – it is argued – is a both a process of building neural and neuromuscular capacity (hence the importance of practice), and the conscious accessing and training of such capacities. This perspective has direct bearing on diverse human practices, including sports, artisanal skills and playing musical instruments, indeed any practice where ‘virtuosity of recognized. Indeed the capacity to recognize expertise is (contra the Dunning Kruger effect) a  characteristic of expertise.