I'm Mark M. James, a cognitive scientist who studies how our behaviours shape the complex systems of which we are a part.

Specifically, I'm interested in how we can use this understanding to shape our health, well-being, and regenerativity.

Broadly speaking I study foresight (how we imagine the future) and design (how we act towards the future).

I have a PhD in cognitive science and an MA in Consciousness and Embodiment. I also have a joint major BA in philosophy and psychology. Currently, I work as a postdoctoral researcher in the Embodied Cognitive Science Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology in Japan.

My approach to cognitive science combines insights from psychology, philosophy of mind, complex adaptive systems science, embodied cognitive science, phenomenology, and interactional sociology.

I study how social factors shape individual minds, and vice versa, through habituation processes.

Using this perspective, I aim to understand how to promote individual and collective health behaviors and improve human relationships.

Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the connection between theory, contemplative practice, and martial arts.

I aim to understand how we can live better lives individually and as communities in the Anthropocene. My goal is to empower us to make positive changes on various levels, ensuring a more just future. I believe that by combining embodied cognitive science and design, we can develop a new understanding of human well-being that values relationships, inclusivity, and diversity, without ignoring the importance of individual and community roles and responsibilities.