Sommaty

Sommaty is a term used to describe an interdisciplinary concept that centers on the body's role in cognition, perception, and experience. In discussions where it appears, sommaty refers to a framework that emphasizes how somatic states—such as interoceptive signals, autonomic arousal, and proprioceptive feedback—shape thought, emotion, and memory. The concept is not standardized or universally adopted in mainstream cognitive science, but it appears in speculative or theoretical contexts as a way to critique purely propositional accounts of mind.

Etymologically, the name sommaty is formed from a root associated with the body and a suffix that suggests study or inquiry. In practice, proponents use sommaty to argue that bodily processes are not merely peripherals to cognition but integral to how beings perceive, decide, and act within their environments. The approach often intersects with themes from embodied cognition, phenomenology, and enactivism, while aiming to systematize how bodily states interact with external contexts.

Historically, sommaty has appeared in scholarly essays, philosophical discussions, and some experimental dialogues that seek to bridge neuroscience with experiential inquiry. Its proponents emphasize methodological pluralism, incorporating qualitative reports, phenomenological description, and computational or biologically inspired models.

Critics note that the term lacks a settled methodology and that its broad usage can verge on vagueness without clear operational definitions. Nevertheless, sommaty contributes to ongoing conversations about how the body participates in cognitive processes and how embodied factors can be incorporated into theories of mind.

See also: embodied cognition, interoception, phenomenology, enactivism, somatic psychology.