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Context and Neural Function

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 October 2024

David L Barack Open the ORCID record for David L Barack [Opens in a new window]
David L Barack*
Affiliation:
Departments of Philosophy and Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
*
Email: dbarack@gmail.com
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Abstract

The debate over context and neural function pits contextualists, who maintain that neural functions vary by context, against invariantists, who maintain that they do not. In this article, I defend a moderate position that permits some context sensitive yet invariant functions. I distinguish performance from competence as well as different types of contexts, accounting for many cases of variability by context. The discussion suggests changes in networks can sometimes change the competences of parts. I conclude that some context sensitivity of function is consistent with invariant functions whereas other changes in context imply changes in the competence to perform functions.

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Article
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Philosophy of Science , Volume 92 , Issue 1 , January 2025 , pp. 185 - 203
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Philosophy of Science Association

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