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Accepted manuscript

Thinking About Neuron Doctrines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 September 2025

Mara McGuire*
Affiliation:
Department of History and Philosophy of Science University of Pittsburgh
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Abstract.

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Philosophers of science have overlooked the role of theory in neuroscience, resulting in a somewhat surprising naïveté regarding the nature and function of neuroscientific theories. Here I provide a framework that identifies and begins to characterize what we need to know about neuroscientific theories so as to improve our epistemic standing. I argue that we need an account of the structural, interpretive, and functional aspects of neuroscientific theories, using the neuron doctrine as an illustrative case study. I introduce the novel metaphor of theoretical infrastructure as a guide for making sense of neuroscientific theories and their place within neuroscientific practice.

Information

Type
Contributed Paper
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Philosophy of Science Association