%0 Journal Article
%T CajalĄ¯s Law of Dynamic Polarization: Mechanism and Design
%A Sergio Daniel Barberis
%J -
%D 2018
%R https://doi.org/10.3390/philosophies3020011
%X Abstract Santiago Ram¨Žn y Cajal, the primary architect of the neuron doctrine and the law of dynamic polarization, is considered to be the founder of modern neuroscience. At the same time, many philosophers, historians, and neuroscientists agree that modern neuroscience embodies a mechanistic perspective on the explanation of the nervous system. In this paper, I review the extant mechanistic interpretation of CajalĄ¯s contribution to modern neuroscience. Then, I argue that the extant mechanistic interpretation fails to capture the explanatory import of CajalĄ¯s law of dynamic polarization. My claim is that the definitive formulation of CajalĄ¯s law of dynamic polarization, despite its mechanistic inaccuracies, embodies a non-mechanistic pattern of reasoning (i.e., design explanation) that is an integral component of modern neuroscience. View Full-Tex
%K Cajal
%K law of dynamic polarization
%K mechanism
%K utility
%K design
%U https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9287/3/2/11