Against (theory-neutral) method (in consciousness science)

DAVOODY BENI M.

Neuroscience of Consciousness, cilt.2026, sa.1, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 2026 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1093/nc/niag003
  • Dergi Adı: Neuroscience of Consciousness
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: inference to the best explanation, natural kind reasoning, theory-neutrality
  • Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

This article challenges the assumption that the science of consciousness can proceed from a theory-neutral foundation. I argue that even ostensibly theory-neutral (or theory-light) programmes inevitably rely on substantive background commitments that cannot be cleanly bracketed. The analysis demonstrates that the aspiration to eliminate or minimize theory-dependence in favour of pure observation risks collapsing into naïve empiricism. More broadly, the paper contends that there is no context-independent scientific method—certainly not one that seeks to purge theoretical commitments from the neuroscience of consciousness without significant epistemic cost.