The Kantian brain: brain dynamics from a neurophenomenological perspective.
Current Opinion in Neurobiology April 1, 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2014.12.006 (opens in new tab) via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractRecent research on spontaneous brain rhythms and neural network coordination supports Immanuel Kant's concept of cognitive spontaneity—the mind's ability to organize sensory input in new ways. However, linking brain activity to cognition precisely remains difficult. Neurophenomenology, which incorporates subjective experience to explain variations in brain dynamics, provides a promising approach to this problem.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 64 |
| Key finding | Proposes that neurophenomenology, using phenomenological data on subjective experience, can help clarify the relationship between spontaneous brain rhythms and cognitive spontaneity. |
Abstract
Current research on spontaneous, self-generated brain rhythms and dynamic neural network coordination cast new light on Immanuel Kant's idea of the 'spontaneity' of cognition, that is, the mind's capacity to organize and synthesize sensory stimuli in novel, unprecedented ways. Nevertheless, determining the precise nature of the brain-cognition mapping remains an outstanding challenge. Neurophenomenology, which uses phenomenological information about the variability of subjective experience in order to illuminate the variability of brain dynamics, offers a promising method for addressing this challenge.