Three comments on Teller's "bridge locus".
J Anthony Movshon
Visual neuroscience November 1, 2013 DOI: 10.1017/s0952523813000527 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Visual cortex Visual pathways Humans Consciousness Visual perception |
| Key points | Argues that the "bridge locus"—a hypothesized set of neurons serving as the immediate substrate of visual perception—is likely part of a tangled web of representations, and that this complexity means the concept, like the neural correlate of consciousness, may no longer be precise enough to usefully ground reasoning about brain activity and perceptual experience. |
Abstract
The notion of a set of neurons that form a "bridge locus" serving as the immediate substrate of visual perception is examined in the light of evidence on the architecture of the visual pathway, of current thinking about perceptual representations, and of the basis of perceptual awareness. The bridge locus is likely to be part of a tangled web of representations, and this complexity raises the question of whether another scheme that relies less on geography might offer a better framework. The bridge locus bears a close relationship to the neural correlate of consciousness (NCC), and like the NCC may be a concept which is no longer precise enough to provide a useful basis for reasoning about the relationship between brain activity and perceptual experience.