Colombo, Matteo (2015) Why Build a Virtual Brain? Large-scale Neural Simulations as Test-bed for Artificial Computing Systems. [Preprint]

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Abstract

Despite the impressive amount of financial resources invested in carrying out large-scale brain simulations, it is controversial what the payoffs are of pursuing this project. The present paper argues that in some cases, from designing, building, and running a large-scale neural simulation, scientists acquire useful knowledge about the computational performance of the simulating system, rather than about the neurobiological system represented in the simulation. What this means, why it is not a trivial lesson, and how it advances the literature on the epistemology of computer simulation are the three preoccupations addressed by the paper.

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Item Type:	Preprint
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID Colombo, Matteo m.colombo@uvt.nl
Additional Information:	To appear in CogSci15 proceedings
Keywords:	Large-scale neural simulations; epistemology of computer simulation; target-directed modeling; neuromorphic technologies
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence General Issues > Models and Idealization
Depositing User:	Dr. Matteo Colombo
Date Deposited:	10 Apr 2015 14:04
Last Modified:	10 Apr 2015 14:04
Item ID:	11416
Subjects:	Specific Sciences > Cognitive Science Specific Sciences > Artificial Intelligence General Issues > Models and Idealization
Date:	11 April 2015
URI:	https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11416

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