Against (theory-neutral) method (in consciousness science).
Neuroscience of Consciousness February 16, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niag003 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the science of consciousness cannot proceed from a theory-neutral foundation because even theory-light approaches depend on substantive background commitments. |
Abstract
This article challenges the assumption that the science of consciousness can proceed from a theory-neutral foundation. I argue that even ostensibly theory-neutral (or theory-light) programmes inevitably rely on substantive background commitments that cannot be cleanly bracketed. The analysis demonstrates that the aspiration to eliminate or minimize theory-dependence in favour of pure observation risks collapsing into naïve empiricism. More broadly, the paper contends that there is no context-independent scientific method-certainly not one that seeks to purge theoretical commitments from the neuroscience of consciousness without significant epistemic cost.
Citations in the library
Cites 14
- Consciousness, accessibility, and the mesh between psychology and neuroscience. Behavioral and Brain Sciences December 1, 2007
- Distilling the neural correlates of consciousness Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews December 17, 2011
- The search for invertebrate consciousness. Noûs March 1, 2022
- The methodological puzzle of phenomenal consciousness. Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences September 19, 2018
- An adversarial collaboration protocol for testing contrasting predictions of global neuronal workspace and integrated information theory PLoS One February 10, 2023
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