Modal Considerations on Information Processing and Computation in the Nervous System

We can characterize computationalism very generally as a complex thesis with two main parts: the thesis that the brain (or the nervous system) is a computational system and the thesis that neural computation explains cognition. As Piccinini and Bahar (2012) point out, over the last six decades, computationalism has been the mainstream theory of cognition. Nevertheless, there is still substantial debate about which type of computation explains cognition, and computationalism itself still remains controversial. My aim in this paper is to make two main contributions to the debate about the first subthesis of computationalism, i.e. that the brain is a computational system. First, I want to offer an accurate elucidation of the notion relevant for understanding computationalism (the notion of computation) and clarify the relation between computation and information as well as the relations between both computation and information processing and the nervous system. Second, I want to argue against a peculiar form of computationalism: the thesis that neural processes are constitutively computational in some sense; that neural processes cannot be realized by a system that is not in some sense computational. I will call this thesis "modal computationalism". In particular, I want to argue that neural processing can be realized by a system that is not a sui generis computer (i. e., a computing system that is neither digital nor analog) and by a system that is not a generic computer (a computer in the most general sense: one that includes digital, analog, and any other kind of computation). Actual neural processing is presumed to be computational in these two senses (Piccinini and Bahar 2012). I will argue that, even if this is true, neural processing can be realized by a computing system that is not of the same kind as those that perform actual neural processing and even by a system that is not computational at all.Fil: Wajnerman Paz, Abel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Pluralistic Mechanism

Un argumento recientemente propuesto por Chirimuuta (2014) parece motivar el rechazo de la tesis de que todo fenómeno neurocognitivo puede tener una explicación mecanicista y de la tesis de que toda explicación neurocognitiva es mecanicista. En este trabajo me centro en los modelos de codificación eficiente que involucran las llamadas “computaciones euronales canónicas” y argumento que, aunque implican una forma de pluralismo, son compatibles con dos generalizaciones mecanicistas: todas las explicaciones neurocognitivas son (al menos en parte) mecanicistas; y todos los fenómenos neurocognitivos que tienen una explicación tienen (al menos) una explicación puramente mecanicista.; An argument recently proposed by Chirimuuta (2014) seems to motivate the rejection of the claims that every neurocognitive phenomenon can have a mechanistic explanation and that every neurocognitive explanation is mechanistic. In this paper, I focus on efficient coding models involving the so-called “canonical neural computations” and argue that although they imply some form of pluralism, they are compatible with two mechanistic generalizations: all neurocognitive explanations are (at least in part) mechanistic; and all neurocognitive phenomena that have an explanation have (at least) a purely mechanistic explanation

An efficient coding approach to the debate on grounded cognition

The debate between the amodal and the grounded views of cognition seems to be stuck. Their only substantial disagreement is about the vehicle or format of concepts. Amodal theorists reject the grounded claim that concepts are couched in the same modality-specific format as representations in sensory systems. The problem is that there is no clear characterization of (modal or amodal) format or its neural correlate. In order to make the disagreement empirically meaningful and move forward in the discussion we need a neurocognitive criterion for representational format. I argue that efficient coding models in computational neuroscience can be used to characterize modal codes: These are codes which satisfy special informational demands imposed by sensory tasks. Additionally, I examine recent studies on neural coding and argue that although they do not provide conclusive evidence for either the grounded or the amodal views, they can be used to determine what predictions these approaches can make and what experimental and theoretical developments would be required to settle the debate

A defense of Anti-luck Epistemology: On the Relation between Safety and Ability

Pritchard (2012) propone revitalizar el proyecto analítico para la noción de conocimiento: ofrecer una caracterización informativa y no circular de la misma. Cree que la clave es entender que las dos intuiciones centrales a esta noción imponen demandas independientes. Sostengo, por el contrario, la suficiencia de la condición anti-suerte. No solo respondo al argumento de Pritchard sino que desarrollo una línea alternativa inadvertida por él, pero implicada por supuestos suyos sobre la condición anti-suerte. Sostengo que una concepción evidencial de la seguridad la hace dependiente de una condición de habilidad. Fortalezco la defensa de la epistemología anti-suerte minando dicha concepción.Pritchard (2012) proposed to revitalize the analytic project about knowledge: offering an informative and non-circular characterization. He believes that this depends on noticing that two main intuitions about knowledge imply two independent conditions. I argue that we can characterize knowledge using only the anti-luck condition. I do not offer only a response to Pritchard´s argument but I also develop an alternative strategy, unnoticed by Pritchard, but based on his own assumptions regarding the anti-luck condition. I claim that an evidentialist characterization of safety makes it dependent on an ability condition. I strengthen the defense of anti-luck epistemology discussing this characterization.Fil: Wajnerman Paz, Abel. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

An efficient coding approach to the debate on grounded cognition

The debate between the amodal and the grounded views of cognition seems to be stuck. Their only substantial disagreement is about the vehicle or format of concepts. Amodal theorists reject the grounded claim that concepts are couched in the same modality-specific format as representations in sensory systems. The problem is that there is no clear characterization of (modal or amodal) format or its neural correlate. In order to make the disagreement empirically meaningful and move forward in the discussion we need a neurocognitive criterion for representational format. I argue that efficient coding models in computational neuroscience can be used to characterize modal codes: These are codes which satisfy special informational demands imposed by sensory tasks. Additionally, I examine recent studies on neural coding and argue that although they do not provide conclusive evidence for either the grounded or the amodal views, they can be used to determine what predictions these approaches can make and what experimental and theoretical developments would be required to settle the debate

Información, suerte epistémica y generalidad

The aim of this paper is to determine the relevance of an informational theory of knowledge to address recently discussed epistemic problems. I argue that Dretske’s classical approach is equivalent to the safety condition proposed by Pritchard to avoid epistemic luck. However, I claim that Pritchard’s condition has to be modified to avoid the so-called “generality problem” for reliabilism. I propose an alternative version of the requirement to deal with these problems and provide an equivalent informational condition. I conclude that this informational version is preferable since it reveals conceptual relationships between the constituents of knowledge.El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar la relevancia de la teoría informacional del conocimiento para el problema de la suerte epistémica. Argumento que el clásico enfoque de Dretske es equivalente a la condición de seguridad de Pritchard. Sin embargo, considero que esta manera de eludir la suerte epistémica exige lidiar con el llamado “problema de la generalidad”. Argumento que una respuesta a este problema requiere una noción de seguridad diferente y propongo un enfoque informacional equivalente a esta versión del requisito. Concluyo que este enfoque es preferible a la condición de seguridad propuesta porque desvela relaciones conceptuales entre los elementos que constituyen el conocimiento

How Do We Understand the Relationship between Censorship and Emotional Development? An Exchange between Platonic Paideia and Cognitive Neuroscience

RESUMEN: En este trabajo elucidamos la relación conceptual entre censura y desarrollo emocional. Empleamos el marco conceptual de la regulación emocional para encuadrar el fenómeno de la censura y explicamos a partir del mismo por qué esta no puede tener el mismo tipo de incidencia sobre el desarrollo emocional que los otros tipos de regulación. Sostenemos que, sin embargo, si nos enfocamos con Platón en la función sociocultural de la censura, vemos que no es un factor ineficaz respecto del desarrollo emocional y puede afectar variables relevantes en la dinámica de procesos emocionales alternativos que pugnan por la dominancia.ABSTRACT: In the present article we attempt to elucidate the conceptual relationship between censorship and emotional development. We employ a framework from emotion regulation studies in order to clarify how censorship works and to explain why it cannot affect emotional development in the same way as the remaining types of emotional regulation. Nevertheless, we argue that, by focusing on Plato’s account of censorship, and specifically of its sociocultural function, one can find that it is not a useless device for emotional development. Censorship affects relevant variables in the dynamics of contraposed emotional processes that compete for dominance.Fil: Noé, Mariana Beatriz. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Columbia University; Estados UnidosFil: Wajnerman Paz, Abel. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Is Mental Privacy a Component of Personal Identity?

One of the most prominent ethical concerns regarding emerging neurotechnologies is mental privacy. This is the idea that we should have control over access to our neural data and to the information about our mental processes and states that can be obtained by analyzing it. A key issue is whether this information needs more stringent protection than other kinds of personal information. I will articulate and support the view, underlying recent regulatory frameworks, that mental privacy requires a special treatment because of its relation to relevant aspects of personal identity. It has been suggested that this approach could be supported by the idea that mental privacy constitutes a fundamental psychological dimension of privacy. The connection between this psychological view of privacy and identity can be traced back to Irwin Altman’s idea that privacy is an interpersonal boundary regulation process. However, it is not clear whether this notion of privacy can be associated with a conception of identity that is relevant in contemporary neuroethics. I will suggest that the narrative and relational approach to identity, a prominent view in recent ethical discussions of neurotechnology, lines up with key aspects of Altman’s proposal. I suggest that if mental privacy is an essential component of identity, the latter could be affected by technological mind-reading

La problemática de la epistemología anti-suerte

D. Pritchard ha sostenido que el conocimiento requiere la satisfacción de una condición de habilidad y una anti-suerte que no guardan relación de implicación entre sí. Se sostiene que la satisfacción de una condición anti-suerte implica cumplir conla condición de habilidad, primero, porque, las características centrales del caso de D. Pritchard (temp) en contra de esta implicación son compartidas con casos en los que hay habilidad; y segundo, el caso de A. Goldman del dios benevolente es másefectivo que temp, pero involucra un tipo de seguridad diferente a la requerida para el conocimiento. Por último, se muestra que la respuesta de D. Pritchard al problema de la generalidad bloquea la implicación de seguridad a habilidad. Se propone un contraejemplo, adaptando un caso tomado de la epistemología del testimonio.D. Pritchard holds that knowledge requires the satisfaction of an ability condition and an anti-luck condition that bear no relation of implication to each other. The article argues that the satisfaction of the anti-luck condition implies satisfying the ability conditionfor two reasons: first, that the main characteristics of Pritchard’s case (temp) against this implication are shared by cases in which there is ability; and, second, that although A. Goldman’s benevolent demon case is more effective than temp, it involves adifferent type of certainty than that required for knowledge. Finally, the article shows that Pritchard’s response to the generality problem blocks the implication between certainty and ability, and proposes a counterexample that draws on the epistemology of testimony

¿Cómo entender el vínculo entre censura y desarrollo emocional? Un caso de intercambio entre paideía platónica y neurociencia cognitiva

In the present article, we attempt to elucidate the conceptual rela- tionship between censorship and emotional development. We employ a framework from emotion regulation studies in order to clarify how censorship works and to ex- plain why it cannot affect emotional development in the same way as the remaining types of emotional regulation. Nevertheless, we argue that, by focusing on Plato’s ac- count of censorship, and specifically of its sociocultural function, one can find that it is not a useless device for emotional development. Censorship affects relevant variables in the dynamics of contraposed emotional processes that compete for dominance