Abstract

The issue of “extended writingµ is addressed in comparison with traditional writing in a wider context considering the cognitive and the environmental dimensions of the issue. Reflecting on the notions of niche construction and affordance – and the consequent idea of a strong organism-environment complementarity – we emphasize how human cultural niche construction is creative, rich in meaning (“meaning-fullµ), and teleological. Hence, after discussing some analogies and differences between “traditionalµ and extended writing, we highlight how the aesthetic use of extended writing might favour the emergence of novel ends for such a technological practice – in line with our understanding of cultural evolution more generally. We conclude by emphasizing that “rewriting the environmentµ – with its links to affordance perception, niche construction, creativity, meaning richness, teleology and cultural evolution – has brought, currently brings and likely will bring about substantial “remaking of humanityµ. Extended writing is thus framed within this wider, empirically based, conceptual framework.