But that does not mean that we can replace descriptions of neural mechanisms with descriptions of
molecular ones, for two reasons. First, the molecular mechanisms are far too complex to permit us to
describe completely how they make even a single neuron work. The internal operations of a neuron
are controlled by thousands of genes affecting the chemical interactions of thousands of proteins and
other molecules. Much is known about these molecular workings, but the complexity of interactions is
so enormous that science may never be able to give a full mechanistic account of the firing of
individual neurons, just as explanatory and predictive models of the weather may never be complete.
Fortunately, we do not have to wait for the full story about how cells such as neurons work, but can
build an approximate account based on the crucial properties of neurons: their ability to accumulate
and pass on electric charges.
But that does not mean that we can replace descriptions of neural mechanisms with descriptions ofmolecular ones, for two reasons. First, the molecular mechanisms are far too complex to permit us todescribe completely how they make even a single neuron work. The internal operations of a neuronare controlled by thousands of genes affecting the chemical interactions of thousands of proteins andother molecules. Much is known about these molecular workings, but the complexity of interactions isso enormous that science may never be able to give a full mechanistic account of the firing ofindividual neurons, just as explanatory and predictive models of the weather may never be complete.Fortunately, we do not have to wait for the full story about how cells such as neurons work, but canbuild an approximate account based on the crucial properties of neurons: their ability to accumulateand pass on electric charges.
การแปล กรุณารอสักครู่..
