Abstract

According to the extended mind thesis (EM) and other enactivism proposals, the extendedconscious mind thesis (ECM) asserts that the material substrate of conscious mental states can extend beyond theboundary of the brain and into the environment. However, EM does not entail ECM. We examine the argumentsfor and against ECM, focusing on the supporting side's reasoning for the parity principle argument andsensorimotor interaction. We contend that their reasoning is flawed, and that they cannot guarantee the enactiyeeffect in explaining all of the characters of consciousness. As a result, we suggest that we need a consensus onthe theory of consciousness, one that can meet the conceivability and reflexivity criteria of consciousness, as atheoretical prerequisite for exploring ECM while also assisting us in understanding the nature of mind.