Body of Wisdom

What does it mean to know, act, and be in the world? This book explores the embodied nature of human knowledge. Drawing on phenomenology and cognitive science, it shows how bodily experience shapes the self, social understanding, and practical knowledge. Philosopher and psychologist Shogo Tanaka examines motor learning, body schema, and lived experience to shed light on this subject with chapters exploring intercorporeal sociality, social cognition, narrative identity, and cultural meaning. By reflecting on the methods and limits of studying embodied knowledge, the text reveals how habits, skilled action, and even contemplative practices disclose the body as a medium of insight. This book is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.