Music as a scientific metaphor for mind and brain.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews June 1, 2026 Agustin Ibanez, Nick Roth, Aaron Colverson et al.
Metaphors have long shaped how scientists conceptualize the mind and brain, from early analogies like hydraulic systems to the modern computer metaphor. This paper proposes music as a new scientific metaphor for understanding brain dynamics and cognitive functions. Unlike static metaphors, music emphasizes continuous adaptation, context-dependence, cultural embedding, and simultaneous engagement with multiple layers of meaning. The authors argue that music's hierarchical structure, temporal complexity, and capacity to integrate multiple processes parallel key features of brain architecture and cognition. Drawing on research in neural oscillations, plasticity, predictive coding, and emotional processing, they illustrate how a musical paradigm can capture the rich interplay of mind and brain across large-scale dynamics, development, consciousness, and affect.