The value of computer science for brain research

Ulrike Pompe

pp. 87-97

in: Hanne Andersen, Dennis Dieks, Thomas Uebel, Wenceslao J. Gonzalez, Gregory Wheeler (eds), New challenges to philosophy of science, Berlin, Springer, 2013

Abstract

The intrinsic relationship between computer science and brain research fuels a number of philosophically interesting questions. The present essay focuses on two major aspects of this relationship: the enabling role of computer science for brain research on the one hand and the use of computational means to simulate or re-build the brain on the other hand. Even though these two streams of thought are distinct their combination helps to elucidate a deeper problem (or so I hope), namely the question what it is exactly that we can find out by rebuilding the brain.