Two views on the cognitive brain

Neuroscience can explain cognition by considering single neurons and their connections (a 'Sherringtonian' view) or by considering neural spaces constructed by populations of neurons (a 'Hopfieldian' view). In this Perspective, Barack and Krakauer argue that the Hopfieldian view has the conceptual resources to explain cognition more fully the Sherringtonian view. Cognition can be defined as computation over meaningful representations in the brain to produce adaptive behaviour. There are two views on the relationship between cognition and the brain that are largely implicit in the literature. The Sherringtonian view seeks to explain cognition as the result of operations on signals performed at nodes in a network and passed between them that are implemented by specific neurons and their connections in circuits in the brain. The contrasting Hopfieldian view explains cognition as the result of transformations between or movement within representational spaces that are implemented by neural populations. Thus, the Hopfieldian view relegates details regarding the identity of and connections between specific neurons to the status of secondary explainers. Only the Hopfieldian approach has the representational and computational resources needed to develop novel neurofunctional objects that can serve as primary explainers of cognition.

Automated summary

Neuroscience can explain cognition through the perspectives of single neurons and neural spaces constructed by populations of neurons, known as the 'Sherringtonian' and 'Hopfieldian' views respectively. The authors argue that the 'Hopfieldian' view provides a more comprehensive explanation of cognition compared to the 'Sherringtonian' view, as it focuses on transformations within representational spaces. With the 'Hopfieldian' approach, specific neurons and connections are considered secondary explainers, while the primary focus is on developing novel neurofunctional objects to explain cognition.