PSYCHON
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(2) |
| ID | ◀ 2691 ▶ |
| Object type | Discipline oriented, Epistemology, ontology or semantics |
- “Any neural unit capable of discharging mental functions of some kind” (M. BUNGE, 1979, p.128).
BUNGE, who introduced this neologism, states that “there are three main views concerning the nature and size of psychons: neuronism (sic), holism and systemism. According to neuronism single neurons may possess certain mental abilities — e.g. that of issuing commands. There is no evidence for this view. Holists, on the other hand, assume that nothing short of the whole brain can mind: they speak of ”mass action“ and favor holographic theories of memory and other mental functions. Although there is plenty of evidence for the strong coupling among a number of neural systems, there is also evidence for localization of, e.g., pleasure and speech.
- “So we are left with psychosystemism, or the hypothesis that the brain… is a system of specialized subsystems or organs, some of which are itinerant rather than fixed. There is multiple evidence for psychosystemism, so we shall adopt it” (p.128-9).
BUNGE's neologism has not spread much and the negative aspects of his views may still not be generally accepted.