Neural Mechanisms In Behavior

Research Awards Index

Neural Mechanisms

This volume brings together new papers advancing contemporary debates in foundational, conceptual, and methodological issues in cognitive neuroscience. The different perspectives presented in each chapter have previously been discussed between the authors, as the volume builds on the experience of Neural Mechanisms (NM) Online – webinar series on the philosophy of neuroscience organized by the editors of this volume. The contributed chapters pertain to five core areas in current philosophy of neuroscience. It surveys the novel forms of explanation (and prediction) developed in cognitive neuroscience, and looks at new concepts, methods and techniques used in the field. The book also highlights the metaphysical challenges raised by recent neuroscience and demonstrates the relation between neuroscience and mechanistic philosophy. Finally, the book dives into the issue of neural computations and representations. Assembling contributions from leading philosophers of neuroscience, this work draws upon the expertise of both established scholars and promising early career researchers.

Neural Mechanisms in Behavior

This book is the product of a two-day symposium held at the University of Texas, Austin, in March 1978. There was double motivation for our hosting a symposium on neural mechanisms in behavior. The 1977-1978 academic year marked both the 50th anniversary of the Department of Psychology at Texas and the 30th anniversary of the famous Hixon Symposium organized by the longest serving member of the department, LLOYD JEFFRESS. PHILIP GOUGH, then chairman of the department, suggested that the department celebrate these two historic events, and honor itself in the process, by holding the first of a series of symposia on topics in experimental psychology. Approval and initial funding for this enterprise came from ROBERT KING, then Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences; additional funds were pro vided by the Program in Cognitive Science of the Sloan Foundation. Proceeds from the sale of this volume will all pass into a fund to help support subsequent symposia and volumes. At 50 we are clearly a young department, even for a psy chology department, but psychology was at least nominally present from the beginning of The University of Texas in 1883. Then, courses in psychology were offered in the School of Philosophy and had wonderful titles, such as "Mental Science (Strictly Speaking). " In 1898, the first experimental psychology course was offered. (Or at least it was intended to be offered; the catalog indicated that it was contingent upon the availability of necessary equipment.