Explanation and the “brain sciences”

Abstract

The new orthodoxy in much of contemporary psychology would have progress and theoretical development increasingly dependent on technologies designed to reveal aspects of central nervous system function. The goal (by now a rather superannuated one) is to replace an allegedly primitive “folk psychology” with direct assessments of the allegedly causal processes by which the contents of folk psychology are generated. There are, however, cogent arguments to the effect that this rationale is both flawed and operating in the wrong direction.