[SydPhil] HPS Research Seminar - Monday 3rd June

[Debbie Castle]

Dear All,

Next week's HPS Seminar will be presented by....

[colin klein]

Colin Klein (University of Illinois)
"What is your brain doing when you're not doing anything"

Even when you are doing nothing in particular, your brain is active. Brain activity at rest has recently garnered serious scientific and philosophical interest. Most discussions identify neural activity at rest with activity in the so-called 'default mode network.' They then use that identification to hypothesize about the functional role of rest in self-reflection and social reasoning.

I think we should resist this story. Activity in the resting state does not represent the engagement of a particular type of cognitive process. Rather, we ought to view intrinsic neural activity as providing the long-term context for short-term processes. Doing so sheds light on the distinctive activity of the default mode network, and provides a philosophically satisfying foundation for studying rest. Along the way, I'll examine the physiological correlates of brain activity, sort out some thorny issues involving differential neural activity as a source of data, solve a methodological dilemma first posed by Morcom and Fletcher, and discuss what 'intrinsic' activity in a complex and constantly active system could possibly mean.
WHEN: 6pm, Monday 3rd June
VENUE: New Law Annex 105

We look forward to seeing you there!


Chloe (in for Debbie)
Unit for History and Philosophy of Science
Room 441, Carslaw Building F07| THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY   NSW  2006
T: + 61 2  9351 4226 E: debbie.castle at sydney.edu.au
OFFICE HOURS: MONDAY, TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY 9AM TO 4.30PM
www.sydney.edu.au/science/hps

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