Mental representation
According to this version of the theory, the mental representations were images (often called "ideas") of the objects or states of affairs represented.
For modern adherents, such as Jerry Fodor and Steven Pinker, the representational system consists rather of an internal language of thought (i.e., mentalese).
For the Portuguese logician and cognitive scientist Luis M. Augusto, at this abstract, formal level, the syntax of thought is the set of symbol rules (i.e., operations, processes, etc.
Strong representationalism aims to provide a theory about the nature of phenomenal character, and offers a solution to the hard problem of consciousness.
Only this unrestricted version of representationalism is able to provide a general theory about the nature of phenomenal character, as well as offer a potential solution to the hard problem of consciousness.
When arguing against the unrestricted version of representationalism people will often bring up phenomenal mental states that appear to lack intentional content.
[8] In response to this objection, a proponent of representationalism might reject the undirected non-intentionality of moods, and attempt to identify some intentional content they might plausibly be thought to possess.
[1] These types of representations are basically mental maps that we have in our minds that correspond exactly to those objects in the world (the intentional content).
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a powerful tool in cognitive science for exploring the neural correlates of mental representations.
“A powerful feature of event-related fMRI is that the experimenter can choose to combine the data from completed scans in many different ways.” [12] Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is a powerful tool in cognitive science for exploring the neural correlates of mental representations.
By recording patterns of brain activity, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) can be used to quantify and decode different kinds of mental representations.
For example, one study tested if fMRI could accurately measure the mental representations that are triggered when viewing a simple image.
Participants' were shown 1,200 images of natural objects and printed letters while brain activity was recorded from multiple regions of visual cortex (V1-4), lateral occipital complex).
Using deep neural networks (DNNs), the authors were then able to “recreate” the original images, based only on the brain data.
These reconstructed images were remarkably similar to the original, preserving important elements like texture, shape, and color.
Advocates for cognitive science consider fMRI research critical to exposing how mental representations are spread and overlapped.
This illustrates how mental models combine semantic and perceptual aspects to provide a more complex and dynamic view of cognition.
Furthermore, by showing how experiences gradually alter mental representations, fMRI research has advanced our understanding of brain plasticity.
After thorough research, studies have shown that patterns of imagery and perception are more seen in the ventral temporal cortex, than they are in the retinotopic region of the brain.
Here’s how they differ: Restricted decoding is when scientists focus on brain activity tied to a specific task or stimulus.
Basically, it’s when you do something like recognize an object, solve a problem, or look at a picture and scientists track the brain activity related to that task.
The goal is to figure out how the brain represents specific things (like seeing a face or recognizing a word) when you're actively engaging with something.
This approach is more about understanding general mental states or abstract thoughts that aren't linked to a specific task or stimulus.
Since the brain is in a more free-flowing state, the patterns are a lot less predictable, and scientists often use fancy tools like machine learning to help interpret the data.
In other words, unrestricted decoding is about trying to figure out what's happening in the brain when it's not responding to a clear task, this includes what kinds of emotions, memories, or random thoughts are popping up.
