Chapitre 1. L’identification des objets et celle des lieux sont-elles interdépendantes ?

The purpose of this article is to analyze a traditional philosophical thesis that has fundamental consequences for any study of the cognition of space and objects. This thesis relates our representations, at the level of conceptual thought, of physical objects with our representations of the locations occupied by objects. It upholds the existence of a two-way dependence between identifying physical objects and identifying locations, and is consequently called « the thesis of two-way dependence ». We try to determine to what extent recent findings in the research field of object perception and spatial cognition could help refine the thesis. The interdisciplinary method that we promote emphasizes the mutual enrichment of the conceptual analyses conducted in philosophy and the empirical findings brought forth by psychophysics and cognitive neuroscience. We start by expounding on the philosophical significance of the thesis of two-way dependence. Then, we examine theories and empirical findings regarding the capacities of topographic representation of locations and deictic (or demonstrative) reference to objects, which seem to refute the thesis. Although the thesis of two-way dependence may involve circularity at the conceptual level (the identification of objects depending on that of locations and vice versa), our conclusion is that it remains valid at that very same level. The difficulties relating to circularity are overcome insofar as the identification of objects and locations depends on the anchoring function specific to the direct access provided by deictic and topographic abilities