Abstract

The 4E cognition framework—embodied, embedded, enacted, and extended cognition— emphasizes the spatial aspects of cognition, with less attention to temporal dynamics and the fluidity of cognitive states. In introducing "ephemeral cognition" as an expansion to the 4E model, I propose the “ephemeral mind” perspective that accounts for the transient, emergent, and variable nature of cognitive processes over time. Ephemeral cognition asserts that mental states are inherently dynamic, evolving, and dissolving in response to internal and external factors. I explore evidence from neuroplasticity, developmental psychology, altered states of consciousness, and cognitive fluctuations, demonstrating that cognitive functions are not fixed but exhibit a form of temporal elasticity. By incorporating this dimension into the 4E framework, I propose a more comprehensive understanding of cognition that acknowledges the mind's temporality and inherent changeability. This ephemeral perspective invites reconsideration of cognition not as a stable entity but as a process constantly in flux, shaped by interactions with both the environment and temporal variables.