Hello, Worlds: A Ludic Theory of Cognition

This article lays the foundation for a ludic theory of cognition. At the core of this approach are two theories of mind and world brought into dialogue with one another: enactive cognition and ludic sociology. Combining these two approaches results in a theory of cognition in which social agents and game players alike rely on cognitive play to enact and inhabit worlds of meaning and significance. In the first section of the article, I draw out the relationship between enactive cognition and cultural theorist Pierre Bourdieu's ludic sociology, consolidating them into a ludic theory of cognition. In the second section, I examine how the ludic nature of cognition facilitates and inhibits understanding between agents and players, such that cognitive play itself is seen as the means by which we understand ourselves, each other, and the worlds around us.