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CogOnt Seminar: J. McCaffrey
December 3, 2020 @ 9:00 am - 10:30 am EST
Joe McCaffrey (University of Nebraska, Omaha), Atlas of the Mind: Neural Degeneracy and Pluralistic Ontologies
Part of our ongoing online seminar series. See the full list of talks here.
Register using this link: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KMNKu4fmQ9Wh5ZjvXJ3qQA
Please note, registration will be for the entire seminar series.
ABSTRACT: The recent debate on “Cognitive Ontology” has at its core the assumption that there is a single, correct taxonomy of mental kinds. In this talk, I examine the assumption that there could be a single “map”–instantiated in a database or taxonomy–of mental kinds. I argue that this assumption is mistaken, and illustrate how neural degeneracy (i.e. different brain structures perform “the same” function at different times) in neurotypical individuals and patient populations creates a need for plural taxonomies of mental kinds. Thus, the development of cognitive ontologies is more like constructing an “atlas” or collection of maps rather than representing a unified taxonomy.