39
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
Artículo de Investigación
Resumen
En este escrito la atención está centrada en
el problema de la totalidad del conocimien-
to del mundo, en particular, el problema del
conocimiento de lo “invisible”. Las auto-
ras se basan en un método fenomenológico
complementado con elementos del método
naturalista. Esta complementación met-
odológica permite una nueva comprensión
del cuerpo, de lo corpóreo y de sus capaci-
dades funcionales. El arte contemporáneo
utiliza esta síntesis metodológica y crea
contextos para formar nuevos signicados
culturales. Se muestra que el objetivo del
artista es encontrar contextos semánticos
que encajen orgánicamente en la teoría de
la mente encarnada. El arte arquitectóni-
co y escultórico activa indirectamente
The phenomenology of embodied heuristics in contemporary art:
exploring novel modes of cognition and thought
La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en el arte contemporáneo:
explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento
Olga Dolska
Tetiana Dyshkant
National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, Ukraine
Universidad Técnica Nacional “Instituto Politécnico de Járkov”, Ucrania
ISSN: 0123-5095
E-ISSN: 2389-9441
Cuestiones de Filosofía Vol. 11 – N° 36, enero - junio, año 2025, pp. 39-53
Recepción / Received: 14 de septiembre del 2024
Evaluado / Evaluated: 17 de octubre del 2024
Aprobado / Accepted: 25 de noviembre del 2024
Historia del artículo / Article Info:
Correspondencia / Correspondence: Olga Dolska y Tetiana
Dyshkant. 2, Kyrpychova str., 61002, Kharkiv, Ukraine (Có-
digo Postal: 61108). Correo-e: dolska2016@gmail.com/ tatd-
ysh@i.ua
cuestiones de conocimiento, creando una
sensación de “altura” a través del propio
cuerpo como camino hacia lo trascenden-
te y al misterio de lo “invisible”. El par-
adigma cognitivo moderno está en crisis:
el desarrollo de la cognición, basado en
herramientas racionales, no capta la obje-
tividad del mundo en su totalidad. El artista
activa una sintonía interna con trayectorias
especícas de pensamiento, ampliando
los límites del conocimiento. El análisis
losóco de la activación de lo sensorial,
teniendo en cuenta las capacidades corpo-
rales y la racionalidad encarnada, señala un
posible camino para el desarrollo del cono-
cimiento en el futuro.
Palabras clave: fenomenología, cognición, invisible, cuerpo, trascendental
Citación / Citation: Dolska, O y Dyshkant, T. (2025). The
phenomenology of embodied heuristics in contemporary art:
exploring novel modes of cognition and thought. Cuestiones de
Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
40 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
Abstract
This paper focuses on the problem of the entirety of knowledge of the world,
in particular the problem of knowledge of the “invisible”. The authors use a
phenomenological research method, complemented by elements of the natu-
ralistic method. These methods complement each other and create the con-
ditions for a new understanding of the body, the corporeal and its functional
capacities. Contemporary art uses this methodological synthesis and creates
context to form new cultural meanings. It shows that the artist’s aim is to
search for new semantic contexts that t organically into the theory of the
embodied mind. Architectural and sculptural art indirectly activated ques-
tions of knowledge, creating a sense of “height” through one’s own body as
a path to the transcendent and access to the mystery of the “invisible”. The
modern cognitive paradigm is in crisis: the development of cognition based
on rational tools is unable to grasp the objectivity of the world in its totality.
The artist activates an inner attunement to specic trajectories of thought,
thus destroying the limits of knowledge and expanding its boundaries. The
philosophical analysis of the activation of the senses, taking into account
bodily capacities and embodied rationality, points to a possible path for the
development of knowledge in the future.
Keywords: phenomenology, cognition, invisible, body, transcendent.
41
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
Introduction*
The contemporary paradigm of cognition is largely rooted in the philoso-
phy of Francis Bacon, emphasizing a rational comprehension of the world
as the central aspect of cognitive processes. This paradigm focuses primarily
on the study of the visible, material aspects of the natural world. However,
throughout human history, there has been a persistent interest in transcending
these limitations, a desire to comprehend the ‘invisible’. This inclination is
evident in works of art, ethical principles, and the very essence of human
existence, which both inspire and confront human heuristic endeavours. The-
se aspirations, in their pursuit of new cognitive horizons, frequently encoun-
ter inherent boundaries.
Today we are seeing deep contradictions in absolutely all spheres of life, in
other words, we are faced with a crisis in cognition, a change in thinking
and, as a consequence, a change in both the cognitive and anthropological
paradigms. Understanding of the world is always built on certain meanings,
which formulate the logical line of our reasoning and indicate the connec-
tions between the nodal points of the article. The latter will make it possible
to describe the crises noted above in the understandable logic of philosophi-
cal analysis.
This article employs the phenomenological method to explore an innovative
perspective on the role of the human body in cognition and the signican-
ce of the relationship between the body and its spatial context. This unique
approach oers a novel framework for understanding the meaning of bodily
actions and serves as a rationale for the necessity of embracing new cognitive
formats in human thought. In this study, the authors employ a combination of
methodologies to explore the role of bodily practices and sensory experien-
ces in cognition and semantic constructions.
These methodologies include the phenomenological method, which we utili-
ze to investigate semantic constructions and new semantic contexts; the cul-
ture of presence method proposed by H. U. Gumbrecht (2003), the concept
that nds its expression in modern monumental sculpture, providing insights
into the embodiment of meaning; as well as methodological principles of the
naturalistic and linguistic turns in epistemology.
* This thought-provoking article was prepared as part of the research work “Philosophical Analysis of
Man, Nature, Modern Society”, Department of Philosophy, Institute of Social and Humanitarian Techno-
logies, National Technical University “Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute”, Ukraine.
42 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
Phenomenological reection as an indication of the crisis in knowledge
When we consider the initial readers of Husserl, such philosophers as
Merleau-Ponty, Sartre, and Heidegger directed their attention toward the
meanings embedded in the art of their time. For instance, Heidegger su-
ggested the possibility of ontological justications within artistic works.
Subsequently, within the French phenomenological tradition, scholars
explored the concept of transcending to the ‘invisible’, a central theme
in modern phenomenology. Thinkers like Ricoeur, Levinas, and Derrida
continued the endeavor to substantiate this phenomenological experience
within the framework of new modes of thinking.
The method of aestheticization of knowledge, as reimagined by H. U.
Gumbrecht in his concept of the culture of presence, underscores a
fundamental skepticism toward the coherence of Enlightenment rationality.
Gumbrecht’s work displays a bold evaluation of subjectication within the
context of an emerging comprehension of humanistic practices. He contends
that a thorough analysis of culture can only transpire by reinstating human
presence in reality. This restoration involves a nuanced examination of
intricate semantic congurations, with particular attention to the spatial and
bodily dimensions. In “the culture of presence, the world is conceived as a
realm in which individuals endeavor to establish profound connections with
their surroundings, including a reconnection with themselves, their bodies,
and the wider environment” (pp. 88-89).
In the realm of epistemology, we have witnessed two signicant intellectual
turns: “the linguistic turn” and “the naturalistic turn” (Dolska and Lobas,
2021). The naturalistic turn draws inspiration from various natural sciences,
with key inuence stemming from Chilean biologists such as Maturana and
Varela. On the other hand, the linguistic turn, while rooted in neopositivism
(e.g., Wittgenstein), originates in Husserl’s ideas regarding the formation of
meanings as human consciousness engages with the world.
Building upon the phenomenological framework established by Husserl, the
heuristic nature of cognition comes into sharper focus, particularly as sen-
sory, aective, and non-rational elements contribute distinct nuances to the
shaping of meanings. In our perspective, contemporary art plays a pivotal
role in activating this cognitive sphere. By transcending the boundaries of the
purely rational, art extends the semantic horizons of cognition, illustrating
43
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
how human experiences evolve and acquire new dimensions that inuen-
ce the construction of semantic content within consciousness. Through the
analysis of modern sculpture, we aim to demonstrate how art continues to
deepen and enrich the aforementioned turns in the theory of knowledge.
Classical phenomenology, as developed by Husserl, oers valuable concep-
tual tools for analyzing human heuristics. Among these tools, corporeality, or
embodiment, stands as a fundamental concept. Corporeality encompasses a
cognitive process through which an egoistic subject is constituted as a world-
ly and bodily entity, giving rise to a unique form of lived experience. This
process entails the ego’s perception of the sensations inherent to the object
and the knowable reality. It represents a distinct phenomenological boundary,
where the ego navigates the interface between self and the external world.
In the second volume of Ideas Pertaining to a Pure Phenomenology and
to a Phenomenological Philosophy, Husserl delves into the examination of
bodily capabilities and the nuances of bodily heuristics within the context of
synthesizing naturalistic and egoistic perspectives. In essence, Husserl pro-
poses that naturalistic and phenomenological research should not be viewed
as opposing paradigms in the construction of semantic space but rather as
complementary perspectives enriching our understanding (1989). Phenome-
nologist Sara Heinämaa underscores a key characteristic in the phenomeno-
logy of embodiment, often culminating in a fundamental dichotomy between
the body as the subject of experience and the body as the object of cognition.
This distinction is rooted in the epistemological dierentiation between “the
subjective and objective qualities of things, and the ontological separation
between subjective and objective being” (2018, p. 536).
These assertions about bodily tools in phenomenology inherently challenge
the ideals of the classical cognitive paradigm. It is important to recall that,
according to Enlightenment ideals, the concept of the body was primarily
associated with a biological, natural entity. In this view, medicine played a
signicant role in reinforcing this perspective by transforming the body into
an organism through scientic understanding.
Phenomenology as a new way of discussing the body
Husserl’s ideas regarding the role of the body were adopted by numerous
thinkers, yet the thesis concerning the profound importance of the body
in the cognitive process, particularly in terms of comprehending complex
44 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
phenomena like the mind’s reliance on the body, found its most extensive
development in works dedicated to the analysis of art. This juncture was not
a fortuitous occurrence in both phenomenology and cognitive studies, as
sensuality plays a pivotal role in shaping an individual’s existence, consti-
tuting a vital element of the irrational. This sensuality exerts a considerable
inuence on the operation of the mind and consciousness. For instance, in
1910, Kandinsky dened art as the embodiment of our emotions, noting,
“every work of art is a product of its era, often it is the source of our emo-
tions. Thus, each cultural period engenders its own art, a unique creation
that cannot be replicated” (1951, p. 15).
One of the earliest thinkers to highlight the departure of art from the con-
nes of rationality in the construction of meanings was Merleau-Ponty. While
contemplating Cézanne’s paintings, he endeavored to characterize the foun-
dational principles of Cézanne’s aesthetics, which stood outside the conven-
tional dichotomies of his era. Merleau-Ponty’s insights were inuenced by
Cézanne’s dialogues with Émile Bernard. He articulated, “Cézanne consis-
tently sought to evade the stereotypical dichotomies imposed upon him, such
as emotions versus reason, the perceiving artist versus the thinking artist, na-
ture versus composition, primitivism versus tradition” (Merleau-Ponty, 1964,
p. 13). Merleau-Ponty’s approach involved developing a unique optical pers-
pective, denoting a form of logical vision. Rather than employing dichotomies
better suited to academic traditions, he delved into the genuine essence of
Cézanne’s work, repeatedly questioning established conventions (1964). In
Merleau-Ponty’s view, Cézanne concentrated on procedures that considered
“(…) the inuence of individual parts of the painting on each other, percei-
ving the body as a consequence of these interactions” (p. 18). In essence, the
body serves as a foundational element for the creation of cultural meanings.
We aim to support this thesis by drawing upon the insights of contem-
porary aesthetics and theorists of contemporary art. In alignment with
Merleau-Ponty’s ideas, Martin Seel, a prominent gure in modern aesthe-
tics, contends that aesthetic experiences do not necessitate discursive inter-
pretation. He posits that cognitive experiences, rooted in sensory percep-
tion, suce to grasp the essence of aesthetic encounters. Seel advocates a
paradigm shift in aesthetics, centering it on the category of “appearance”.
We posit that this notion resonates with Merleau-Ponty’s concept of the
“ontology of vision” (Merleau-Ponty, 1985). Seel’s concept of ‘appearance’
45
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
encompasses the conditions through which the world is presented to us, pri-
marily rooted in our senses and sensuality. This “aesthetics of appearance”
essentially assumes the form of aesthetically framing cognition. It serves as
a poignant reminder to our consciousness of the materiality of the body, the
intricacies of bodily sensations, and the novel perspectives through which
we perceive and engage with the world (Seel, 2014). It is worth noting that
phenomenology is actively seeking new avenues to engage with the body,
and it can be boldly asserted that contemporary aesthetics provides both
naturalistic and semantic justications for understanding the body and cor-
poreality. To support this assertion, we can turn to the artistic developments
that began at the beginning of the 21st century. These developments, set in
motion by gures like Jérôme de Gramont in his work Au commencement,
introduced innovative ways of discussing the body and novel forms of bo-
dily manipulation (2013).
Notably, these artistic explorations have given rise to entirely unexpected
discourses on the corporeal. One illustrative example is the artistic duo Art
Orient Object, comprising Marion Laval-Jeantet and Benoît Mangin, who
have been collaborating since the 1990s. They have been actively involved
in performance art practices with a strong emphasis on addressing political
and environmental concerns. Their recent work includes the incorporation of
biomedical experiments into their creative endeavors, particularly focusing
on the utilization of human and animal microbiota (Laval-Jeantet, 2020).
In our quest to address the questions at hand, we nd valuable insights
from representatives of French phenomenology, including Michel Henry,
Jean-Luc Marion, Jean-Louis Chrétien, and Jean-Luc Nancy. These
thinkers delved into the realm of art and signicantly contributed to the
emergence of novel meanings, a fundamental pursuit within the realm of
phenomenology. They often grounded their work in biblical texts, which
served as a foundational context and platform for their explorations (it is no
coincidence that Jérôme de Gramont, in Au commencement, characterizes
phenomenology as a ‘struggle with an angel’, underlining the profound and
often spiritual nature of this endeavor).
Furthermore, Marc Jimenez has aptly observed that their conceptual tools
were compelling enough to warrant the introduction of the term “augmented
aesthetics” (esthetique augment) (2010). All these seemingly “insignicant”
46 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
elements contribute to shedding light on new dimensions of the body and
corporeality, underscoring the intricacies of contemporary phenomenologi-
cal discourse. For example, according to the Polish researcher Monica Mu-
rawska, these shifts received the status of an “aesthetic turn in phenome-
nology”. She posed a rather fundamental question: does the artist violate
the post-phenomenological framework or expand the boundaries of heuristic
discourse? (2020). A profound question posed by Murawska centers on whe-
ther the artist challenges the post-phenomenological framework or expands
the boundaries of heuristic discourse (2020). In our perspective, the burgeo-
ning interest in art from a heuristic-phenomenological standpoint unveils
new internal tensions and gaps, oering insights that directly pertain to the
mechanics of cognition and the evolution of thought.
Heuristics of the body in contemporary sculpture
To bolster our thesis, we examine the works of contemporary renowned
sculptors. The concepts and artistic expressions of certain modern sculptors
provide evidence for the emergence of fresh conceptions of the body situa-
ted within specic spatial contexts, thus contributing to the body’s role as
a novel cognitive tool. Our attention is directed toward the works of two
highly acclaimed artists in the contemporary art world: Antony Gormley and
William Kentridge. We will begin with Gormley. He is one of the most re-
nowned contemporary British monumental sculptors, is widely recognized
for his iconic works, such as the 20-meter “Angel of the North” and the
30-meter “Quantum Cloud” in Greenwich, among others. Gormley’s artistic
fascination lies in the realm of space and its profound signicance for both
the viewer-subject and the author-subject, introducing entirely new dimen-
sions to the comprehension of space. Through his works, we are compelled
to pay attention to and experience space as it exists within us and around
us, all the while acknowledging that we are but ephemeral points in the vast
expanse of space and time.
In the context of Gormley’s artistry, it’s pertinent to mention projects in
which the master deconstructs his own body and engages in experiments
involving the curvature of empty space with the use of mirrors. These en-
deavors are fundamentally rooted in the processes of cognition, introducing
novel mechanisms for understanding and interaction. The human body, in
this context, emerges as both a unique subject of cognition and a distinctive
47
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
tool, mechanism, or element of heuristics, thus expanding our comprehen-
sion of sculptural space, both within and outside of our own perceptions.
At the end of the 1990s, Gormley’s artistic focus centered on the theme of
collective community and the relationship between the Self and the Other.
This thematic shift was manifested in his compelling installations, including
“Allotment”, “Critical Mass”, “Another Place”, “Domain Field”, and “Inside
Australia”. However, as the 21st century unfolded, Gormley’s artistic inte-
rests evolved, directing his attention toward matters related to energy elds,
both on a collective and individual level, and the vectors governing their
distribution within the human community.
It should be noted that the decentralization of artistic objects within the cul-
tural environment and their impact on public spaces have attracted the at-
tention of both scholars and artists. In the aesthetic context, space is clearly
transformed, not only culturally and socially but also cognitively. Gormley is
interested in the bodies of his viewers, which he skillfully incorporates into
the intricate spaces he constructs. And so, without noticing it, you nd your-
self part of the artistic design. It turns out that the main body at the exhibition
is your own!
William Kentridge, a South-African artist, is no less interesting. He is indeed
a cult avant-garde artist in the world today. Kentridge is a performer, sculp-
tor, video artist, author of collages, animated lms, installations, and he is
also known for his contributions as a theater and opera director. The body
has evolved into a potent conduit for perceiving numerous dimensions, and
within the postphenomenological framework (a term we consider tting for
the works of accomplished artists like William Kentridge), the body amalga-
mates both the sensory and the spiritual. It is the fusion of these two elements
that proves alluring, as the yearning to connect – both from the artist’s and
the viewer’s perspective – or to venture into the transcendental sphere requi-
res a comprehensive exploration of these two components within the realm
of cognition.
It is imperative to highlight that contemporary artists consistently underscore
the body’s role in the perception of continuity, emphasizing not merely vi-
sualization but also the sensation of one’s own body’s “elevation” in the con-
tinuum of space. This amalgamation functions as the primary sensory-ener-
getic internal framework for thought. It transcends the realm of rational
48 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
discourse and instead constitutes an appeal for a fresh impetus in the quest
for the irrational in human knowledge. Discursive knowledge is inherently
clear and logical, yet it has its boundaries –thresholds we cannot traverse due
to the limitations of the rational factor. This threshold bears a distinct label
–the aspiration to transcend or discover a path to the transcendental. Notably,
every exceptional work of art serves as a symbolic step towards the trans-
cendental, facilitating an entry into the imperceptible. The aestheticization of
knowledge oers a clear armation of this paradigm shift.
The optics of the physical as a way out to the “invisible”
Contemporary phenomenology, from its inception, has oered substantial
support to the signicance of aects (emotions) and the sensory realm, be-
ginning with critical assessments of Descartes’ ideas regarding the division
between body and thought. In this context, our reections serve to reinfor-
ce the contributions of modern phenomenology in France, specically the
works of Henry, Marion, Chrétien, and Nancy. These philosophers operate
at the conuence of materialist phenomenology and the phenomenological
approach to understanding the transcendental, particularly in their explora-
tion of religion as a “manner or mindset”, a unique way of contemplating the
invisible within art.
It is essential to underscore that the aforementioned thinkers delve into the
themes of thinking and inquiry, in their quest to grapple with the transcendent
and the divine (God). Consequently, they approach metaphysics with a
critical lens, scrutinizing its modes of thinking. Notably, it was M. Henry
who, inuenced by his reading of Kandinsky’s work About the Spiritual in
art, articulated original ideas during the period spanning his publication of
The Essence of Manifestation (1963) to the release of his treatise Seeing
the Invisible (1988). These original ideas were subsequently developed by
Marion, Chrétien, and Brague.
Michel Fichant in his analysis of the works of M. Henry, has drawn atten-
tion to Henry’s ideas regarding the profound signicance of the living body
(subjective) and its diverse interpretations within the realm of transcendental
inquiries. Fichant highlights the intrinsic necessity of the living body, stating:
“It is precisely because of the immanent necessity of the thing itself that this
unity is identied with the subjective body” (2009, p. 8). This perspective
underscores the radical divergence of the body from other transcendental
49
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
entities. These entities encompass, rstly, a body objectied by biological
science, secondly, a living body presented as such in natural perceptual expe-
riences, and nally, a human body, which possesses distinctive characteristics
in relation to the living body but remains contingent upon the specications
of the structures of transcendental being. Simultaneously, as Henry delves
into non-rational forms of cognition within the intricate process of accessing
the transcendental (invisible), he oers critiques of these approaches.
It is important to acknowledge that both philosophy and art engage in per-
petual questioning, each within its unique interpretation, and they unfold in
the context of hic et nunc (Latin for “here and now”). Heidegger recognized
this aspect, leading him to introduce the term “facticity of life experience”
(1995). He argued that the facticity of human existence necessitates distinc-
tive approaches to addressing the transcendent. Heidegger critiqued Aristotle
for proposing formal guidelines that, in his view, restricted thinking to xed
categorical meanings, prohibiting any deviation from them (2013).
Let us revisit the reections of contemporary phenomenologists who openly
emphasize the necessity of cultivating new modes of thinking. Their discus-
sions are rooted in the ideas of Heidegger, who explicitly delineated the shift
toward new thinking along the following trajectory: “formal instruction aban-
dons the nal understanding, which can only be given in genuine religious
experience” (1995, p. 67). We are delving into the philosophy of factuality,
where understanding blossoms from the “experience, feeling” of life. Pos-
tphenomenological thinkers have engaged with questions of subjectivity and
methods of cognition, particularly in overcoming the primacy of contempla-
tion when considering matters related to God (i.e., the question of the invisi-
ble). In this intellectual journey, such prominent gures as John Caputo and
Richard Kearney have taken center stage. Caputo, fundamentally, advocates
for a rethinking of God beyond the connes of onto-theology. While criti-
quing metaphysics, he prompts an exploration of the potential for justifying
new modes of thinking (Caputo, 2013). Kearney argues that there is another
type of thinking ‒ poetics, since it sets the limits of “conceptual reection”.
He calls this type of thinking “understanding with the heart” (2011). In our
perspective, this intersects with the aestheticization of cognition as an avenue
toward new thinking. In such a mode of thinking, the precision of reason
converges with a unique resonance of the imagination, oering a means to
sidestep the dogmatism that Heidegger vehemently opposed.
50 Cuestiones de Filosofía No. 36 - Vol. 11 Año 2025 ISSN 0123-5095 Tunja-Colombia
In substantiating the approach to a new paradigm of cognition and thinking, it
is benecial to consider the statements of George Lako, one of the founders
of the modern transdisciplinary eld of cognitive science, regarding the role
of the body and the emergence of a “(...) new form of rationality ‒ embodied
rationality” (1999, p. 477). Lako asserts that fundamental ideas are shaped
by the functioning and interaction of our bodies with space. He posits that the
genuine theory of rationality involves thinking through frames, metaphors,
and narratives. According to him, our brains adapt incoming information,
leading to varied conclusions. This theory is termed embodied rationality, a
departure from the anti-scientic Cartesian theory of rationality. Lako does
not negate rationality; instead, he seeks to provide it with a truly scientic
denition (1999). The author contends that many past thinkers perceived lo-
gic as detached from bodies and the environment. They considered thinking
to be automated programs directed by the human brain and conceptualized
reason as universal, pure, and abstract.
Art emerges as the pinnacle of human eorts to comprehend thinking, si-
multaneously serving as evidence of a crisis in knowledge. This crisis is also
reected in scientic endeavors. In the contemporary scientic paradigm,
characterized by materialism, there is a conict between the ability to engage
with the visible and the challenge of apprehending the invisible. Quantum
physics introduces a unique perspective, suggesting that, in artistic-aesthetic
terms, the role of the body/consciousness is enacted by an entity referred to
as the “observer”. This implies a redened understanding of the subject and
its associated meanings, which the current scientic paradigm struggles to
elucidate. It is crucial to acknowledge the signicance of continuum per-
ception in the cognitive process ‒a vital background for new thinking that is
oriented towards non-rational forms of knowledge.
Final considerations
If reason ensures the survival of man as a species, as the improvement of
this biological representative of nature, then thinking is a tool of a heuristic
nature. The modern paradigm of cognition faces an obstacle, perhaps one of
the most signicant for people today: the (scientic) paradigm does not work
with the invisible. Contemporary art conrms this and leads us to the idea
that the human mind does not rise above the body, the body has the same
weight in the design of the semantic contexts of the world, among which the
51
Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
el arte contemporáneo: explorando nuevos modos de cognición y pensamiento.
Cuestiones de Filosofía, 11 (36), 39-53.
https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
main one is a possible exit to the invisible, bypassing rational discourse. Art
has always guided a person or acted as a tool for accessing the transcenden-
tal. The cognitive structures of the mind for such an exit today remain closed.
Representatives of phenomenology, postphenomenology, and cognitive
science are increasingly focusing on the possibilities of new thinking, starting
precisely from the idea of seeing the invisible. Their research is related to the
idea of possible “communication” or the desire to think about God, but the
impetus for such thoughts is given not only by religious discourse: the spheres
of aesthetics, architectural and sculptural art indirectly activated issues of cog-
nition and thinking. It has become absolutely clear that the logical structure
of knowledge, which relied on reason, does not work today in the broad aspi-
rations of man. It is working with the invisible that demonstrates the limits of
the mind. This indicates a crisis in the format of thinking, the format of cogni-
tion. We need new justications for the possibilities of thinking in a situation
where it strives to “look” beyond the horizon of logical thinking.
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Dolska, O. y Dyshkant, T. (2025). La fenomenología de la heurística corporal en
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https://doi.org/10.19053/uptc.01235095.v11.n36.2025.18150
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