Neurologism
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Yes, symbolic representation occurs in the brain
Also: Dragons!
In some circles, neural and/or mental representations are controversial. I have recently argued that neural representation clearly occurs, and that the word ‘representation’ is simply a label for a behavior, as opposed to a hypothetical mechanism or entity. I also showed that this pragmatic and causal sense of representation is much older than so-called “cognitivism”,…
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‘Representing’ means exactly what you think it means
The continued defense of a much-maligned placeholder
I. The evocative intermediary In the previous post, I offered a potted history of the debate surrounding neural and/or mental representations, and tried to expand the scope of the typical genealogical narratives, which tend to begin in the post-WWII era, at the birth of cognitive science. I also argued that representations are usually placeholders, especially…
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In defense of placeholders: the case of ‘representation’
Featuring a whistle-stop history of the concept of neural representation
The idea that the brain represents objects, processes and events in the body and the outside world is ubiquitous. It may well be the pre-theoretical default for anyone who believes that the brain, rather than some incorporeal soul, is the seat of perception, intelligence and voluntary behavior. But you don’t have to spend too long…
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