Participatory knowing, as illuminated by Jordan Hall, refers to an embodied, immersive form of understanding that arises through direct engagement and interaction with the world. Unlike conceptual or propositional knowledge, which are abstract and detached, participatory knowing is rooted in the lived experience and the co-creative process of being within a dynamic system. It emphasizes the relational and integrative aspects of cognition, where knowing is a holistic activity grounded in the reciprocal interplay between the individual and their environment. This form of knowing is inherently context-sensitive, evolving through the continuous feedback loop of perceiving, responding, and adapting, thereby enhancing one’s capacity for situational awareness and meaningful action.

See also: collective intelligence, distributed cognition, feedback loop, possibility space, simulated thinking