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Is the mind in the brain in contemporary computational neuroscience?
1Philosophy Department, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave. Mount Carmel, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science
|June 24, 2023
Summary
Computational neuroscience faces insoluble problems regarding multiple computations and realizations within the brain. A new physicalist reductive identity theory, generalizing statistical mechanics, offers a physical solution, replacing functionalism in mind theory.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
- Statistical Mechanics
Background:
- Contemporary computational neuroscience links mental states to brain computations.
- Theories of mind face challenges like multiple computations and multiple realizations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the insolubility of multiple computation and realization problems in computational neuroscience from a physical standpoint.
- To evaluate the efficacy of environmental interactions in solving these problems.
- To propose an alternative physicalist theory for mind and brain science.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of computational neuroscience problems using foundations of statistical mechanics.
- Examination of environmental interaction solutions.
- Development of a physicalist reductive identity theory.
Main Results:
- The problems of multiple computations and multiple realizations are physically insoluble within the computational theory of mind.
- Environmental interactions require non-physical factors, failing physical grounds.
- Functional theories, including causal functionalism, are also susceptible to these problems.
Conclusions:
- Functionalism in mind theory must be superseded by a physicalist reductive identity theory.
- This new theory offers physical solutions to long-standing problems in computational neuroscience.
- The findings have significant implications for brain science research programs.
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