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How do Computational Models in the Cognitive and Brain Sciences Explain?
  • Cédric Brun,
  • Jan Pieter Konsman,
  • Thomas Polger
Cédric Brun
Université de Bordeaux École Doctorale Montaigne Humanités
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Jan Pieter Konsman
Immuno ConcEpT
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Thomas Polger
University of Cincinnati

Corresponding Author:thomas.polger@uc.edu

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Abstract

The nature of explanation is an important area of inquiry in philosophy of science. Consensus has been that explanation in the cognitive and brain sciences is typically a special case of causal explanation, specifically, mechanistic explanation (Craver 2007). But recently there has been increased attention to computational explanation in the brain sciences, and to whether that can be understood as a variety of mechanistic explanation. After laying out the stakes for a proper understanding of scientific explanation, we consider the status of computational explanation in the brain sciences by comparing the mechanistic proposal to computational accounts advanced by Piccinini (2015), Milkowski (2013)), Cao (2019), Chirimuuta (2014, 2018), and Ross (Ross 2015, 2023). We argue that many of these accounts of computational explanation in neuroscience can satisfy the same explanatory criteria as causal explanations, but not all. This has implications for interpretation of those computational explanations that satisfy different criteria.
09 Apr 2024Submitted to European Journal of Neuroscience
14 Apr 2024Submission Checks Completed
14 Apr 2024Assigned to Editor
15 Apr 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Jun 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Major
26 Sep 20241st Revision Received
11 Oct 2024Submission Checks Completed
11 Oct 2024Assigned to Editor
11 Oct 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Oct 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
31 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Major
01 Nov 20242nd Revision Received
02 Nov 2024Submission Checks Completed
02 Nov 2024Assigned to Editor
02 Nov 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
22 Nov 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
12 Dec 2024Editorial Decision: Accept