You've got to move it move it

According to an article in Boston Globe, "Don't Just Stand There, Think," everything we understand is confined to and defined by the movement that humans make. They refer to this new theory as embodied cognition. The article says:

But today, neuroscientists, linguists, and philosophers are making much bolder claims. A few argue that human characteristics like empathy, or concepts like time and space, or even the deep structure of language and some of the most profound principles of mathematics, can ultimately be traced to the idiosyncrasies of the human body.

I think that is an interesting concept, especially in linguistics. When learning a new language, one of the most confusing things is whether you are saying "I gave the pop rocks to you” or "You gave the pop rocks to me" for example. Hand motions make conceptualization a lot easier, and you would never point at yourself if you really meant 'you'. I totally believe that our understanding (at least through language) is contingent on bodily movement.

I decided to post a photo of artwork from one of my favorite artists of all time, Alexander Calder. His works are kinetic.