Title

Concepts Of Localization: Balkanization In The Brain

Keywords

Anti-localization; Complex systems; Equipotentiationism; Function; Functional localization; Heuristic; Holism; Localization; Phrenology

Abstract

A spate of recent anti-localizationist publications have re-ignited the old debate about the localization of function. Many of the recent attacks on localization, however, are directed at what I will argue to be a narrow and outmoded view of localization, and thus have little conceptual or empirical impact. What I hope to present here is an analysis of functional localization that more adequately reflects the sophistication and complexity of its use in neuroscientific research, both historically and recently. Proceeding first by way of contrast, I examine the anti-localizationist positions of holism and equipotentiationism. Then, I present a four-fold analysis of localization according to physical scope, physical kind, functional scope, and functional kind. Next, I turn to a discussion of the heuristic value of localization in deciphering structure-function relationships. Finally, I hope to show that the overall view of functional localization that emerges from these considerations constitutes a much more elusive target than its critics assume. It serves to mitigate, and in some instances even defeat, some forms of anti-localizationist criticisms.

Publication Date

12-1-2002

Publication Title

Brain and Mind

Volume

3

Issue

3

Number of Pages

313-330

Document Type

Review

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022912227833

Socpus ID

0037698895 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/0037698895

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