What implications does the theory of determinism have for neuroscience?

Question

I am referring to the philosophical question of determinism

Answer 1

Most neurologists I know are determinists. It's easy to see how they get to be this way - one can monkey around with the brain and produce changes in behaviour. In theory, if you knew exactly what change to make, one might produce any desired change in behaviour. Which suggests that no behaviour is itself a matter of choice... just a matter of what hardware you happen to have in your head.

Psychologists, on the other hand, tend to be of almost the opposite view. Psychologists deal with the vaguarities of human behaviour instead of the external manipulations of neurologists. They know that it's not enough to provide external influences, even on brain chemistry and makeup - even if most people respond to such things, some do not... and some will perversely do the exact opposite of what you want.

Since neurologists can't yet produce any desired behaviour by directly altering the brain, they are not currently winning the argument as far as I can tell. Still, they keep trying. Take a look at transcranial magnetic stimulation for a recent example.

Answer 2

people were born with depression and can not cure themselves of depression until neuroscience steps in. I say when you put yourself into that route, you are determined to have a bad day.