Muscles or Movements? Representation in the Nascent Brain Sciences.
1Department of Philosophy, Florida State University, 151 Dodd Hall, Tallahassee, FL, 32306, USA. zward@fsu.edu.
Journal of the History of Biology
|April 19, 2023
Summary
The brain
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- History of Science
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- The concept of the brain as a representational organ emerged in the 19th century.
- Early debates focused on whether the motor cortex represents complex movements or fractional components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the evolving notions of brain representation during the "muscles versus movements" debate (c. 1873-1954).
- To analyze the underlying epistemological disagreements influencing conceptions of representation.
Main Methods:
- Historical analysis of scientific literature and debates.
- Examination of key figures' contributions (Jackson, Walshe, Sherrington, Penfield).
Main Results:
- Participants agreed on superficial aspects of representation but disagreed on its inferential role.
- Divergent epistemological commitments fueled conflicting views on representation.
Conclusions:
- The "muscles versus movements" debate highlights fundamental disagreements in neuroscience regarding representation.
- Epistemology significantly shapes how scientific representation is understood and evidenced.
Keywords:
Inferential role semanticsJohn Hughlings JacksonMotor cortexMuscles versus movementsRepresentationScientific conceptsMore Related Videos
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