Jens Harbecke
Biographic Data
| ID | 1312740 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jens Harbecke |
| GIVEN NAMES | Jens |
| FAMILY NAME | Harbecke |
| SIGNATURE | HARBECKE J |
| AFFILIATIONS | Witten/Herdecke University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-1124-3302 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 10 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 10 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
From Computational Indeterminacy to the Causal Relevance of Mental Content
A central claim in contemporary cognitive science is that the neural mechanisms that bring about cognitive capacities and behavior are computations. It is also widely assumed that computations are not sensitive to the content, or the semantic properties of representations. From this insensitivity premise, some infer that mental content is causally irrelevant—a position we term the sensitivity argument against the causal relevance of content. This…
Mechanistic Constitution as a Natural Law in Better Best Systems
Building on the existing body of research pertaining to mechanistic constitution, the aim of this paper is two-fold. First, it examines the epistemic lawlikeness of constitutive mechanistic propositions. Second, it explores whether constitution can, in a metaphysical sense, qualify as a natural law. The main hypotheses defended are: (A) Constitutive statements as they are found in contemporary research in cognitive science sometimes satisfy the e…
Counter-Terrorism
Starting in 2015, the terrorist organization known as the "Islamic State" (IS) experienced a gradual decline in territorial control within Syria and Iraq due to military success on the part of various armies and militias, and it was finally defeated as a political entity in February 2019. As predicted by terrorism experts and announced by the leaders of IS, the gradual fall of the IS led to an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe and the US. T…
Causal Proportionality as an Ontic and Epistemic Concept
This paper is concerned with the content of the causal proportionality constraint. It investigates two general versions of the constraint, namely “horizontal” and “vertical” proportionality. Moreover, it discusses whether proportionality is considered an ontic or an epistemic, i.e. explanatory, constraint on causation in the context of some of the most prominent theories of causation. The following main claims are defended: (1) The horizontal (HP…
Counterfactual theories of causation and the problem of large causes
As is well-known, David Lewis’ counterfactual theory of causation is subject to serious counterexamples in ‘exceptional’ cases. What has not received due attention in the literature so far is that Lewis’ theory fails to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for causation in ‘ordinary’ cases, too. In particular, the theory suffers from the ‘problem of large causes’. It is argued that this problem may be fixed by imposing a minimization const…
The methodological role of mechanistic-computational models in cognitive science
This paper discusses the relevance of models for cognitive science that integrate mechanistic and computational aspects. Its main hypothesis is that a model of a cognitive system is satisfactory and explanatory to the extent that it bridges phenomena at multiple mechanistic levels, such that at least several of these mechanistic levels are shown to implement computational processes. The relevant parts of the computation must be mapped onto distin…
Mental Causation
The regularity theory of mechanistic constitution and a methodology for constitutive inference
The role of supervenience and constitution in neuroscientific research
Mental Causation
The regularity theory of mechanistic constitution and a methodology for constitutive inference
The methodological role of mechanistic-computational models in cognitive science
This paper discusses the relevance of models for cognitive science that integrate mechanistic and computational aspects. Its main hypothesis is that a model of a cognitive system is satisfactory and explanatory to the extent that it bridges phenomena at multiple mechanistic levels, such that at least several of these mechanistic levels are shown to implement computational processes. The relevant parts of the computation must be mapped onto distin…
The role of supervenience and constitution in neuroscientific research
Mental Causation
The role of supervenience and constitution in neuroscientific research
Mental Causation
The regularity theory of mechanistic constitution and a methodology for constitutive inference
Counterfactual theories of causation and the problem of large causes
As is well-known, David Lewis’ counterfactual theory of causation is subject to serious counterexamples in ‘exceptional’ cases. What has not received due attention in the literature so far is that Lewis’ theory fails to provide necessary and sufficient conditions for causation in ‘ordinary’ cases, too. In particular, the theory suffers from the ‘problem of large causes’. It is argued that this problem may be fixed by imposing a minimization const…
The methodological role of mechanistic-computational models in cognitive science
This paper discusses the relevance of models for cognitive science that integrate mechanistic and computational aspects. Its main hypothesis is that a model of a cognitive system is satisfactory and explanatory to the extent that it bridges phenomena at multiple mechanistic levels, such that at least several of these mechanistic levels are shown to implement computational processes. The relevant parts of the computation must be mapped onto distin…
Causal Proportionality as an Ontic and Epistemic Concept
This paper is concerned with the content of the causal proportionality constraint. It investigates two general versions of the constraint, namely “horizontal” and “vertical” proportionality. Moreover, it discusses whether proportionality is considered an ontic or an epistemic, i.e. explanatory, constraint on causation in the context of some of the most prominent theories of causation. The following main claims are defended: (1) The horizontal (HP…
Counter-Terrorism
Starting in 2015, the terrorist organization known as the "Islamic State" (IS) experienced a gradual decline in territorial control within Syria and Iraq due to military success on the part of various armies and militias, and it was finally defeated as a political entity in February 2019. As predicted by terrorism experts and announced by the leaders of IS, the gradual fall of the IS led to an increase in terrorist attacks in Europe and the US. T…
Mechanistic Constitution as a Natural Law in Better Best Systems
Building on the existing body of research pertaining to mechanistic constitution, the aim of this paper is two-fold. First, it examines the epistemic lawlikeness of constitutive mechanistic propositions. Second, it explores whether constitution can, in a metaphysical sense, qualify as a natural law. The main hypotheses defended are: (A) Constitutive statements as they are found in contemporary research in cognitive science sometimes satisfy the e…
From Computational Indeterminacy to the Causal Relevance of Mental Content
A central claim in contemporary cognitive science is that the neural mechanisms that bring about cognitive capacities and behavior are computations. It is also widely assumed that computations are not sensitive to the content, or the semantic properties of representations. From this insensitivity premise, some infer that mental content is causally irrelevant—a position we term the sensitivity argument against the causal relevance of content. This…
Epistemology (7 works) · Philosophy (7 works) · Philosophy and History of Science (6 works) · Law (5 works) · Political science (5 works) · Causation (4 works) · Computer Science (4 works) · Mathematics (4 works) · Philosophy and Theoretical Science (4 works) · Philosophy of mind (4 works)