Skip to main content
Log in

Francisco Varela: A new idea of perception and life

  • Published:
Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Connections among Varela's theory of enactive cognition , his evolutionary theory of natural drift, and his concept of autopoiesis are made clear. Two questions are posed in relation to Varela's conception of perception, and the tension that exists in his thought between the formal level of organization and the Jonasian notion of the organism.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Jonas, H. 1966. The Phenomenon of Life. Towards a Philosophical Biology. Chicago: Chicago University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varela, F. J. 1979. Principles of Biological Autonomy. New York: Elsevier/North-Holland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varela, F. 1989. Autonomie et connaissance. Paris: Seuil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varela, F. 1993. L'inscription corporelle de l'esprit. Paris: Seuil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weber, A. and Varela, F. 2002. Life after Kant: Natural purposes and the autopoietic foundations of biological individuality. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences 1: 97-125 (this issue).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Barbaras, R. Francisco Varela: A new idea of perception and life. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences 1, 127–132 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020332523809

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020332523809

Keywords

Navigation