New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute
A kind of “ruthless reductionism” characterized the experimental practices of the first two decades of molecular and cellular cognition (MCC). More recently, new research tools have expanded experimental practices in this field, enabling researchers to image and manipulate individual molecular mecha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.990316/full |
| _version_ | 1811285331169771520 |
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| author | John Bickle John Bickle André F. De Sousa Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva |
| author_facet | John Bickle John Bickle André F. De Sousa Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva |
| author_sort | John Bickle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A kind of “ruthless reductionism” characterized the experimental practices of the first two decades of molecular and cellular cognition (MCC). More recently, new research tools have expanded experimental practices in this field, enabling researchers to image and manipulate individual molecular mechanisms in behaving organisms with an unprecedented temporal, sub-cellular, cellular, and even circuit-wide specificity. These tools dramatically expand the range and reach of experiments in MCC, and in doing so they may help us transcend the worn-out and counterproductive debates about “reductionism” and “emergence” that divide neuroscientists and philosophers alike. We describe examples of these new tools and illustrate their practical power by presenting an exemplary recent case of MCC research using them. From these tools and results, we provide an initial sketch of a new image of the behaving organism in its full causal-interactive complexity, with its molecules, cells, and circuits combined within the single system that it is. This new image stands in opposition to the traditional “levels” image of the behaving organism, and even the initial sketch we provide of it here offers hope for avoiding the dreary metaphysical debates about “emergence” and “downward causation,” and even the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute, all dependent upon the familiar “levels” image. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:42:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bd742d63a3cb4ec5b23b86e06fa9a8dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T02:42:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-bd742d63a3cb4ec5b23b86e06fa9a8dc2022-12-22T03:06:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-08-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.990316990316New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction disputeJohn Bickle0John Bickle1André F. De Sousa2Alcino J. Silva3Alcino J. Silva4Alcino J. Silva5Department of Philosophy and Religion, Shackouls Honors College, Mississippi State University, Starkville, MS, United StatesDepartment of Advanced Biomedical Education, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDepartment of Neurobiology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychiatry and Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesDepartment of Psychology and Integrative Center for Learning and Memory, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United StatesA kind of “ruthless reductionism” characterized the experimental practices of the first two decades of molecular and cellular cognition (MCC). More recently, new research tools have expanded experimental practices in this field, enabling researchers to image and manipulate individual molecular mechanisms in behaving organisms with an unprecedented temporal, sub-cellular, cellular, and even circuit-wide specificity. These tools dramatically expand the range and reach of experiments in MCC, and in doing so they may help us transcend the worn-out and counterproductive debates about “reductionism” and “emergence” that divide neuroscientists and philosophers alike. We describe examples of these new tools and illustrate their practical power by presenting an exemplary recent case of MCC research using them. From these tools and results, we provide an initial sketch of a new image of the behaving organism in its full causal-interactive complexity, with its molecules, cells, and circuits combined within the single system that it is. This new image stands in opposition to the traditional “levels” image of the behaving organism, and even the initial sketch we provide of it here offers hope for avoiding the dreary metaphysical debates about “emergence” and “downward causation,” and even the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute, all dependent upon the familiar “levels” image.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.990316/fullmolecular and cellular cognitionruthless reductionismmemory linkingC-C chemokine receptor type 5head-mounted miniscopeslevels image |
| spellingShingle | John Bickle John Bickle André F. De Sousa Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva Alcino J. Silva New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute Frontiers in Psychology molecular and cellular cognition ruthless reductionism memory linking C-C chemokine receptor type 5 head-mounted miniscopes levels image |
| title | New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute |
| title_full | New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute |
| title_fullStr | New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute |
| title_full_unstemmed | New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute |
| title_short | New research tools suggest a “levels-less” image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs. anti-reduction dispute |
| title_sort | new research tools suggest a levels less image of the behaving organism and dissolution of the reduction vs anti reduction dispute |
| topic | molecular and cellular cognition ruthless reductionism memory linking C-C chemokine receptor type 5 head-mounted miniscopes levels image |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.990316/full |
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