Siren call of metaphor: subverting the proper task of neuroscience.
Under the assumption that nervous systems form a distinct category among the objects in Nature, applying metaphors of psychological and behavioral science disciplines is flawed and invites confusion. Moreover, such practices obscure and detract from the primary task of Neurophysiology: to investigate the intrinsic properties of nervous systems, uncontaminated with concepts borrowed from other disciplines.
Werner
Gerhard
G
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1 University Station C0800, Austin TX, 78712-0238, USA. gwer1@mail.utexas.edu
D000818:Animals; D001525:Behavioral Sciences; D006801:Humans; D019365:Metaphor; D008954:Models, Biological; D009484:Neuropsychology / Q000639:trends; D009488:Neurosciences / Q000639:trends