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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Perspectives on Neuroscience
Published on: July 31, 2007
[The brain-mind debate. Problems in the philosophy of science with regard to psychiatry]
1Suchtabteilung, Bezirkskrankenhaus Haar, München. tretter@krankenhaus-haar.de
Abstract:
The present interdisciplinary brain-mind debate with regard to neurobiology shows deficits in the criticism of methods and in the precision of language and argumentation. Simplifying localisations of psychic functions, insufficient explanations and over-interpretations in the sense of physical determinism are the consequence. This can be demonstrated in deficits of neurobiological theories of volitional action. Therefore, the current concept of man is less perturbed than is proposed by neurobiologists. For psychiatry besides the neurobiological approach also a separate way of building models seems to be useful if present theoretical psychology and systems science would be regarded. In particular, the systems science of natural systems offers new opportunities to bridge gaps between disciplines involved in the brain-mind debate.
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