Open AccessMental causation and neuroscience: The semantic pruning model
Author(s) -
José Manuel Múñoz
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
theoria
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.2
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 2171-679X
pISSN - 0495-4548
DOI - 10.1387/theoria.17312
Subject(s) - synaptic pruning , causation , pruning , computer science , semantic network , cognitive science , psychology , process (computing) , cognitive psychology , neuroscience , causal model , artificial intelligence , epistemology , mathematics , philosophy , biology , statistics , microglia , agronomy , immunology , inflammation , operating system
In this paper I propose a hypothetical model of mental causation that I call semantic pruning and which could be defined as the causal influence of contents and meanings on the spatial configuration of the network of synapses of an individual. I will be guided by two central principles: 1) the causal influence of the mental occurs by virtue of external semantic constraints and consists in the selective activation of certain physical powers, 2) when the selective activation is continual, it triggers a process of synaptic pruning in the neural and neuromuscular network.