Terminology & Taxonomy: of Agent-Environment Analyses & Recent Work at Orthogonal Research and Education Lab

How do we talk about the 'inner environment'? This presentation situates recent work at OREL within an intellectual lineage running from the Macy Conferences through cybernetics and into contemporary deep learning. Drawing on prior contributions — including work on lenses of development and neurodiversity (CogSci 2021) and Allostatic Kinds (Neuromatch 4) — the presentation introduces a working taxonomy and terminology for agent-environment analyses, with a focus on key dichotomies such as digital vs. analogue and the mapping relationships between them. Current and forthcoming directions covered include a Catalogue of Dichotomies, VR and XR environments, peripersonal space, and shared cognitive environments (previewing work presented at WeRobot 2022).