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Thomas Willis: the faculties and his two cognitive frameworks.

Jody McNabb1

  • 1McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada.

Brain and Cognition
|December 3, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Thomas Willis

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • History of Science
  • Philosophy of Mind

Background:

  • Thomas Willis' seminal 1664 work, 'The Anatomy of the Brain,' is a foundational text in clinical neuroscience.
  • Willis initially proposed a materialistic view, linking cognitive faculties directly to the nervous system.
  • Contemporary scholarship often overlooks 'The Anatomy,' focusing instead on his later, dualistic work.

Observation:

  • Willis' 1672 publication, 'The Two Discourses Concerning the Soul of Brutes,' marked a significant departure from his earlier materialistic stance.
  • This later work reasserted dualism, posited immateriality of cognition, and redefined the anatomical locations of cognitive functions.
  • The shift in Willis' perspective may be attributed to historical and intellectual pressures, though his exact motives remain debated.

Findings:

Keywords:
Faculty LocalisationHistoryHuman brainSensitive and immortal soulsThomas Willis

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  • A closer analysis of 'The Anatomy of the Brain' reveals a more materialistic framework than commonly acknowledged.
  • This study re-examines Willis' concept of rationality within 'The Anatomy,' highlighting its significance for early nervous physiology and faculty localization techniques.
  • The research contrasts this with the role of imagination and the immortal soul in Willis' later, dualistic framework presented in 'The Soul of Brutes.'

Implications:

  • Re-evaluating Willis' 'The Anatomy' offers a more nuanced understanding of early brain science and its materialistic underpinnings.
  • This work clarifies the historical development of faculty localization and its connection to nervous physiology.
  • Understanding Willis' intellectual trajectory provides insights into the historical interplay between scientific observation and philosophical/theological doctrines.