A shifting boundary: The dynamics of internal cognition and the web as external representation

Various disciplines have begun to emphasise the role of the external environment in human cognition. While initially focused on physical interactions, these theories are also of clear relevance to the web, especially in its role as external representation of human knowledge, potentially obviating the need to remember basic facts. Internal representation and cognition remain important, but change in the face of a pervasive digital environment. This paper explores the evolving dynamic between internal and external cognition, in particular the shift from knowledge to meta-knowledge and the way this impacts learning, society and, perhaps, the very nature of our own minds.