The advancement of computing technology makes it possible to build extremely accurate digital reconstructions of brain circuits. Are such unprecedented levels of biological accuracy essential for brain simulations to play the roles they are expected to play in neuroscientific research? The main goal of this paper is to clarify this question by distinguishing between various roles played by large-scale simulations in contemporary neuroscience, and by reflecting about what makes a simulation biologically accurate. It is argued that large-scale simulations may play model-oriented and prediction-oriented roles in brain research, and that the concept of biological accuracy can be interpreted as related to the plausibility of the theoretical model implemented in the simulation system, to the accuracy of the computer implementation, and to the level of details of the implemented model. Building on these observations and distinctions, it is argued that biological accuracy is not essential for a computer simulation to play the epistemic roles it is expected to play in brain research.

Datteri, E. (2020). Biological accuracy in large-scale brain simulations. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES, 42(1) [10.1007/s40656-020-0299-1].

Biological accuracy in large-scale brain simulations

Datteri, E
2020

Abstract

The advancement of computing technology makes it possible to build extremely accurate digital reconstructions of brain circuits. Are such unprecedented levels of biological accuracy essential for brain simulations to play the roles they are expected to play in neuroscientific research? The main goal of this paper is to clarify this question by distinguishing between various roles played by large-scale simulations in contemporary neuroscience, and by reflecting about what makes a simulation biologically accurate. It is argued that large-scale simulations may play model-oriented and prediction-oriented roles in brain research, and that the concept of biological accuracy can be interpreted as related to the plausibility of the theoretical model implemented in the simulation system, to the accuracy of the computer implementation, and to the level of details of the implemented model. Building on these observations and distinctions, it is argued that biological accuracy is not essential for a computer simulation to play the epistemic roles it is expected to play in brain research.
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Biological accuracy of a simulation; Epistemology of large-scale simulations; Simulation-based model testing; Simulations in neuroscience;
English
10-gen-2020
2020
42
1
5
reserved
Datteri, E. (2020). Biological accuracy in large-scale brain simulations. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES, 42(1) [10.1007/s40656-020-0299-1].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/257206
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