Metaphors of Unity in the Philosophy of Neuroscience

BARBERIS, SERGIO

Buenos Aires

Workshop; Workshop on Philosophy and Neuroscience; 2018

UBA / UNC / INECO

At least since Oppenheim?s & Putnam?s (1958) manifesto, reduction has been nearly synonymous with the explanatory unity of science. Some philosophers still think that there is a reductive path towards the unity in neuroscience (Bickle).  However, specially after the mechanical turn in philosophy, it is acknowledged by many researchers that individual fields are not required to surrender their autonomy in order to contribute to the unity of particular mechanistic research programs (Craver).However, it is still not clear how to articulate the non-reductive unity of neuroscience. There is a motley collection of metaphors in search of a more rigorous philosophical analysis.