View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

On a new content indeterminacy problem in neuroscience.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: On a new content indeterminacy problem in neuroscience.
Authors: Mace, Caitlin (AUTHOR)
Source: Philosophical Psychology. Jul2026, Vol. 39 Issue 5, p2163-2180. 18p.
Subjects: Optogenetics, Memory, Cognition, Philosophy of mind, Causation (Philosophy), Neural codes, Empirical research, Neurosciences
Abstract: Whether neurons represent or play a mere causal role is a foundational issue in philosophy of neuroscience. Evidence that neurons perform a representational role is weakened by the possibility of explaining experimental results by appeal to brute causal processes alone. Despite this, neuroscientists ascribe representational content to patterns of neural activity to explain experimental results. An important problem with this practice is determining which content to ascribe to the neural representation. One view is that researchers are only warranted in ascribing the content determined by particular experimental results. An alternative view is that researchers are warranted in appealing to the broader research domain to determine the content of a putative neural representation. In this paper, I argue that both are warranted; either alone is insufficient. Using optogenetics research on memory engrams as a case study, I show how researchers ascribe content to neural representations and justify their approach. Whether a particular content ascription is warranted depends on particular experimental results, the broader research domain that is appealed to, and how results from various animal models, probes, and experimental paradigms are generalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Philosophical Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 195034963
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: On a new content indeterminacy problem in neuroscience.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mace%2C+Caitlin%22">Mace, Caitlin</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Philosophical+Psychology%22">Philosophical Psychology</searchLink>. Jul2026, Vol. 39 Issue 5, p2163-2180. 18p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Optogenetics%22">Optogenetics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Memory%22">Memory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition%22">Cognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Philosophy+of+mind%22">Philosophy of mind</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Causation+%28Philosophy%29%22">Causation (Philosophy)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neural+codes%22">Neural codes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empirical+research%22">Empirical research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Neurosciences%22">Neurosciences</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Whether neurons represent or play a mere causal role is a foundational issue in philosophy of neuroscience. Evidence that neurons perform a representational role is weakened by the possibility of explaining experimental results by appeal to brute causal processes alone. Despite this, neuroscientists ascribe representational content to patterns of neural activity to explain experimental results. An important problem with this practice is determining which content to ascribe to the neural representation. One view is that researchers are only warranted in ascribing the content determined by particular experimental results. An alternative view is that researchers are warranted in appealing to the broader research domain to determine the content of a putative neural representation. In this paper, I argue that both are warranted; either alone is insufficient. Using optogenetics research on memory engrams as a case study, I show how researchers ascribe content to neural representations and justify their approach. Whether a particular content ascription is warranted depends on particular experimental results, the broader research domain that is appealed to, and how results from various animal models, probes, and experimental paradigms are generalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Philosophical Psychology is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=195034963
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09515089.2025.2512043
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 2163
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Optogenetics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Memory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cognition
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Philosophy of mind
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Causation (Philosophy)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neural codes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empirical research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Neurosciences
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: On a new content indeterminacy problem in neuroscience.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Mace, Caitlin
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 07
              Text: Jul2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 09515089
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 39
            – Type: issue
              Value: 5
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Philosophical Psychology
              Type: main
ResultId 1