The Extended Kin Matters Argument

Abstract Finally, Chapter 10 presents a new, positive argument for The Progenerative View, The Extended Kin Matters Argument. This argument draws on both the HPC view of natural kinds from Chapter 8 and the extended mind thesis from our mindful sociality toolkit in Chapter 2. The capsule idea in The Extended Kin Matters Argument is that sophisticated, culturally specific kinship systems rest on forms of extended cognition that are responsive to progenerative facts. Three tools that help to articulate a version of The Progenerative View attuned to much of what drove the Schneiderian critique of kinship are the HPC view of kin matters, the idea of kinship as an extended cognitive system, and an appeal to progenerative facts as constraints on or anchors for kin matters. A progenerative view of kin matters in the fragile sciences is defensible and we can have progeneration without epistemic or political tears.