Eliminative Materialism and the Nervous System
Eliminative Materialism
Eliminative materialism, within the neurocomputational theory of mind, asserts that only neural events exist. This makes it an eliminativist theory, as it believes solely in neural and physical events to explain human behavior. It discards pop psychology, considering it a false and defective way of explaining behavior. This theory is strongly advocated by the Churchlands, who argue that mental events must be explained through neurological states. This also implies a rejection of the language and descriptions of pop psychology in favor of the language and descriptions of neuroscience. Our own lives would be affected because eliminative materialism proposes a shift in popular and everyday language. We would refer to ourselves and our feelings or emotions differently, discarding expressions like ‘fear’ or ‘desire’.
Description of the Nervous System
The brain is composed of a hundred trillion connections woven by one hundred billion neurons with different structures, functions, composition, and the ability to weave new networks. The nervous system is divided into two groups that operate together, although separately:
- The peripheral nervous system consists of ganglia and peripheral nerves outside the spinal cord and brain.
- The central nervous system consists of the spinal cord and encephalon, where information processing occurs.
The nervous system is divided into seven regions:
- Spinal cord: Receives sensory information from the skin, joints, and muscles and contains different neurons responsible for movement.
- Medulla oblongata: A prolongation of the spinal cord that partly regulates respiration and blood pressure.
- Pons: Formed by neurons that distribute information from the cerebral hemispheres to the cerebellum.
- Cerebellum: Receives information from various other parts of the nervous system and the ear, and coordinates the planning of movements.
- Midbrain: Partly controls eye movements and skeletal muscle. It is a relay station for auditory and visual signals.
- Diencephalon: Divided into the thalamus, which processes motor and sensory information that reaches the cortex and regulates emotional aspects, and the hypothalamus, which regulates the autonomic nervous system and hormonal secretion.
- Cerebral hemispheres: Two major regions of the brain composed of nuclei formed by groups of neurons connected to the basal ganglia, hippocampal formation, and amygdala, as well as the cerebral cortex.
Cerebral Cortex
The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes: frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital. These areas differ in how they process sensory information and motor commands.
Areas of the Brain Where Cognitive Functions are Localized
Specific areas of the brain are more involved than others in developing cognitive functions, which are carried out by the cooperation of neurons in different areas:
- Prefrontal and premotor area: They receive sensory information to plan connections that execute movement. They plan the individual’s behavior, weighing the consequences of their actions.
- Parieto-temporo-occipital association cortex: Consists of areas interspersed between areas with somatic, visual, and auditory functions, from which it receives projections. It helps process sensory information for perception and language.
- Limbic association cortex: Located in different parts of the frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, it receives input from various cortical regions. It connects emotions with motor planning.