No. 45 (2024): N. 45 (2024) January-June. Lógoi. Revista de Filosofía
In his article "The part of cognitive science that is philosophy", Daniel Dennett (2009), building on the distinction made by Andrew Brook about the relationship between philosophy and cognitive science - namely, "philosophy in cognitive science" vs. "philosophy of cognitive science" - emphasizes the importance of philosophers contributing to cognitive science by addressing both the philosophical problems inherent in cognitive science itself and those arising from the interpretations it makes. Dennett acknowledges philosophers' past mistakes-as well as their arrogance-but asserts that philosophers can still play an important role in clarifying concepts, theories, and experimental designs, which ultimately advances scientific progress.
Additionally, Dennett emphasizes the need for constructive engagement between philosophers and scientists, advocating that philosophers offer testable implications rather than mere criticisms, and provides examples of collaborations between philosophers and scientists that have led to fruitful experimental designs and advances in the understanding of consciousness.
On the other hand, and in the same work, Dennett also criticizes the tendency of scientists to oversimplify philosophical concepts, such as "qualia" and the "Neural Correlates of Consciousness", emphasizing the need for a nuanced philosophical analysis in cognitive science. He suggests, for example, that the search for the "Neural Correlates of Consciousness" may be misguided - it may even be a futile search - and stresses the importance of philosophers in ensuring that scientific progress aligns with our moral and existential concerns.
In short, in his article Dennett argues for a symbiotic relationship between philosophy and cognitive science, with philosophers playing a vital role in refining concepts, designing experiments, and addressing existential questions raised by scientific advances. It is in the spirit of this defense that the present volume of Lógoi, Revista de Filosofía is inscribed.
