Abstract: With the rise of 4E cognitive approach， practical cognitive science has become the development trend of contemporary cognitive science. In a sense， it can be said that the contemporary cognitive science in the practice turn “confirms” Mao Zedong's practice-based epistemology， which indicates the significance of Mao Zedong's epistemology to the development of contemporary cognitive science. Such limitations faced by contemporary cognitive science as theoretical integration problem， engineering practice dilemma， and subject positioning confusion can be overcome with the help of Mao Zedong's epistemology. Contemporary cognitive science also enlightens us to deepen the study of Mao Zedong's epistemology from such aspects as changing research methods， broadening research fields， refining research contents and strengthening individual research.

Key words: Mao Zedong's epistemology; cognitive science; embodied cognition; embedded cognition; extended cognition; enacted cognition