MeReX - Mechanistic and Representational Explanation in Cognitive Neuroscience

Explanations in cognitive neuroscience typically identify the neural mechanisms responsible for cognitive phenomena. These mechanisms are often characterised as involving neural representations and computations performed upon them. Our project's starting point is the Compatibility Challenge - an apparent conflict between the norms of mechanistic explanation and the commitments of representationalism. On the basis of empirical case-studies, and with the help of our empirical collaborators, we aim to produce improved theories of mechanistic explanation in cognitive neuroscience. We practice adversarial collaboration, with both representationalists and non-representationalists included in our team.