Abstract

VENTURELLI, A. Nicolás  and  BRANCA, Itatí. Evidence and Cognitive Neuroscience: The Case of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Tópicos (México) [online]. 2016, n.50, pp.177-207. ISSN 0188-6649.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging is one of the most commonly used neuroimaging techniques in cognitive neuroscience. Its influence had a central role in establishing the experimental side of the field. Given this, we consider that its status as a source of evidence has not been sufficiently dealt within the philosophical literature. We focus on this issue from the standpoint of the classical problem of defining the scope of localizationist approaches in neuroscience. We attend to the way this tension unfolds today, considering some recent examples of neuroscientific approaches that tackle the dynamic character of the brain's large scale activity. We take into account a number of limitations that functional magnetic resonance imaging presents, distinguishing those of them whose treatment involves not merely technical issues. On the basis of an analysis of some ways researchers deal with them, we claim that there is a considerable extent in which this kind of neuroimaging studies can be oriented according to general assumptions and theoretical considerations. We conclude that this particular theoretical permeability is a main factor affecting the technique's status as neuroscientific evidence.

Keywords : Functional magnetic resonance imaging; neuroimaging; scientific evidence; cognitive neuroscience; dynamical approach.

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