Alfredo Pereira

Alors que les r sultats de la recherche en neurosciences influencent profond ment de nombreux aspects de notre vie, depuis la compr hension th orique de la base biologique de l'esprit jusqu' l'application clinique de la recherche scientifique, les fondements conceptuels de ce domaine n'ont re u que peu d'attention. La recherche empirique a g n r un grand nombre de r sultats exp rimentaux, mais ces connaissances doivent encore tre int gr es dans une image convaincante de la mani re dont les processus cognitifs, affectifs et moteurs sont engendr s et contr l s par le cerveau. Les limites proviennent en partie de la difficult intrins que de produire une th orie unifi e des fonctions c r brales. Cet examen pist mologique des neurosciences cognitives a pour but de d finir certaines questions centrales soulev es par ce domaine passionnant, ainsi que d'organiser les r ponses possibles ces questions. Il s'agit galement d'un registre historique des questions pist mologiques en neurosciences soulev es la toute fin du XXe si cle, servant de r f rence pour la comparaison avec les avanc es obtenues au cours du nouveau mill naire. Ces questions m ritent l'attention des neuroscientifiques contemporains, des philosophes des sciences et de tous ceux qui s'int ressent aux approches interdisciplinaires des fonctions c r brales.

W hrend die Ergebnisse der neurowissenschaftlichen Forschung viele Aspekte unseres Lebens tiefgreifend beeinflussen, vom theoretischen Verst ndnis der biologischen Grundlagen des Geistes bis hin zur klinischen Anwendung wissenschaftlicher Forschung, haben die konzeptionellen Grundlagen dieses Fachgebiets bisher wenig Beachtung gefunden. Empirische Forschung hat eine gro e Anzahl experimenteller Ergebnisse hervorgebracht, aber dieses Wissen muss noch in ein berzeugendes Bild davon integriert werden, wie kognitive, affektive und motorische Prozesse vom Gehirn erzeugt und gesteuert werden. Einschr nkungen ergeben sich zum Teil aus der Schwierigkeit, eine einheitliche Theorie der Gehirnfunktion zu erstellen. Diese erkenntnistheoretische bersicht ber die kognitive Neurowissenschaft dient dazu, einige zentrale Fragen zu definieren, die dieses spannende Gebiet aufwirft, und m gliche Antworten auf die Fragen zu organisieren. Es handelt sich auch um ein historisches Verzeichnis der erkenntnistheoretischen Fragen in den Neurowissenschaften, die Ende des 20. Jahrhunderts aufgeworfen wurden, und dient als Referenz f r den Vergleich mit den Fortschritten, die im neuen Jahrtausend erzielt wurden. Diese Fragen verdienen die Aufmerksamkeit zeitgen ssischer Neurowissenschaftler, Wissenschaftsphilosophen und aller, die sich mit interdisziplin ren Ans tzen zur Gehirnfunktion befassen.

Mentre i risultati della ricerca sulle neuroscienze influenzano profondamente molti aspetti della nostra vita, dalla comprensione teorica delle basi biologiche della mente all'applicazione clinica della ricerca scientifica, le basi concettuali di questo campo hanno ricevuto poca attenzione. La ricerca empirica ha generato un gran numero di risultati sperimentali, ma queste conoscenze non sono ancora state integrate in un quadro convincente di come i processi cognitivi, affettivi e motori siano generati e controllati dal cervello. Le limitazioni derivano in parte dalla difficolt intrinseca di produrre una teoria unificata del funzionamento del cervello. Questa rassegna epistemologica delle neuroscienze cognitive ha il ruolo di definire alcune questioni centrali sollevate da questo campo entusiasmante, nonch di organizzare le possibili risposte alle domande. anche un registro storico delle questioni epistemologiche delle neuroscienze sollevate alla fine del XX secolo, che serve come riferimento per il confronto con i progressi ottenuti nel nuovo millennio. Queste questioni meritano l'attenzione dei neuroscienziati contemporanei, dei filosofi della scienza e di tutti coloro che si occupano di approcci interdisciplinari al funzionamento del cervello.

Embora os resultados da investiga o em neuroci ncias influenciem profundamente muitos aspectos da nossa vida, desde a compreens o te rica da base biol gica da mente at aplica o cl nica da investiga o cient fica, os fundamentos conceptuais deste dom nio t m recebido pouca aten o. A investiga o emp rica gerou um grande n mero de resultados experimentais, mas este conhecimento ainda n o foi integrado numa imagem convincente da forma como os processos cognitivos, afectivos e motores s o gerados e controlados pelo c rebro. As limita es resultam, em parte, da dificuldade intr nseca de produzir uma teoria unificada do funcionamento do c rebro. Esta an lise epistemol gica da neuroci ncia cognitiva tem o papel de definir algumas quest es centrais levantadas por este dom nio apaixonante, bem como de organizar as respostas poss veis a essas quest es. tamb m um registo hist rico das quest es epistemol gicas nas neuroci ncias levantadas no final do s culo XX, servindo de refer ncia para compara o com os avan os obtidos no novo mil nio. Estas quest es merecem a aten o dos neurocientistas contempor neos, dos fil sofos da ci ncia e de todos os que se preocupam com abordagens interdisciplinares do funcionamento do c rebro.

We could start writing this book by saying, with several other authors, that the brain is the most powerful and complex information processing device known, whether naturally developed or created artificially. Although we fully agree with this statement, in doing so we would be misleading the reader, in the sense that the present book basically aims to formalize the knowledge concerning brain physiology accumulated over the past few decades. Instead of merely describing the complexity of the cerebral str- ture or presenting a collection of commentaries and reviews of interesting experimental results, we take into account novel achievements in quantum information and quantum computation, and avail ourselves of recently - veloped mathematical tools. Neuroscience was bom in the 19'~ century with the works of Paul Brocca. However, this fledgling field experienced a boom only in recent times, following the development of powerful non-invasive techniques for probing the neural circuitry supporting the complex cognitive functions of the human brain. Although sophisticated mathematical models and phy- cal theories are the basic tools behind the conceptual foundations and a- lytical implementation of these modem techniques, to the best of our knowledge no effort was made to formalize the actual knowledge about brain function into a coherent theoretical framework incorporating the - cent developments in mathematical and physical science. Addressing this lack was our first motivation in writing this book.

We could start writing this book by saying, with several other authors, that the brain is the most powerful and complex information processing device known, whether naturally developed or created artificially. Although we fully agree with this statement, in doing so we would be misleading the reader, in the sense that the present book basically aims to formalize the knowledge concerning brain physiology accumulated over the past few decades. Instead of merely describing the complexity of the cerebral str- ture or presenting a collection of commentaries and reviews of interesting experimental results, we take into account novel achievements in quantum information and quantum computation, and avail ourselves of recently - veloped mathematical tools. Neuroscience was bom in the 19'~ century with the works of Paul Brocca. However, this fledgling field experienced a boom only in recent times, following the development of powerful non-invasive techniques for probing the neural circuitry supporting the complex cognitive functions of the human brain. Although sophisticated mathematical models and phy- cal theories are the basic tools behind the conceptual foundations and a- lytical implementation of these modem techniques, to the best of our knowledge no effort was made to formalize the actual knowledge about brain function into a coherent theoretical framework incorporating the - cent developments in mathematical and physical science. Addressing this lack was our first motivation in writing this book.