The Idealized Mind (2025) examines how idealized models are used to interpret the nature and function of the mind and brain, whilst defending a version of scientific realism. Drayson presents several challenges to this project. She says that The Idealized Mind claims that “some scientific theories are neither true nor …
Challenging Kirchhoff on the Semantics of Models and TheoriesZoe DraysonThe bold claim at the heart of Kirchhoff’s (2025) The Idealized Mind is that some scientific theories are neither true nor false. This makes Kirchhoff one of the very few philosophers since the logical empiricists to deny semantic realism: the view …
“Milk production at a dairy farm was low, so the farmer wrote to the local university, asking for help. A multidisciplinary team of professors was assembled, headed by a theoretical physicist, and two weeks of intensive on-site investigation took place. The scholars then returned to the university, where the task …
This week, we are featuring a symposium on Michael D. Kirchhoff’s book, The Idealized Mind. There will be amazing commentaries from Zoe Drayson, Frances Egan, Corey Maley, and Karl Friston, and corresponding Kirchoff responses each day throughout the week, so make sure to check back frequently. Please join us!
University of Missouri 2026 Virtual Summer School on the Foundations of the Mind Sciences We are pleased to announce the University of Missouri 2026 Virtual Summer School on the Foundations of the Mind Sciences, sponsored by the Florence G. Kline Chair in Philosophy and directed by Gualtiero Piccinini. This program …
Please join us for the final installment of our interview series on AI and Agency, featuring Karl Friston in discussion with Brains editor Majid D. Beni!
Brains Blog Symposium on Concepts at the Interface Author’s Reply to Commentaries Nicholas SheaInstitute of Philosophy, School of Advanced Study, University of Londonnicholas.shea@sas.ac.uk Reply to Sarah Fisher Turning to Sarah Fisher’s helpful commentary, she raises a challenging question about concepts in LLMs. I was very pleased to have a chance …
