creators_name: Jarvilehto, Timo
type: preprint
datestamp: 1998-10-20
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:53:51
metadata_visibility: show
title: THE THEORY OF THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM: II. SIGNIFICANCE OF NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM
subjects: behav-anal
subjects: behav-neuro-sci
subjects: bio-theory
subjects: cog-psy
subjects: comp-sci-neural-nets
subjects: neuro-physio
subjects: neuro-psy
subjects: phil-mind
subjects: physio-psy
subjects: psy-bio
full_text_status: public
keywords: Neuron - organism-environment system - mental activity - localization - systems
abstract: The relation between mental processes and brain activity is studied from the point of view of the theory of the organism-environment system. It is argued that the systemic point of view leads to a new kind of definition of the primary tasks of neurophysiology and to a new understanding of the traditional neurophysiological concepts. Neurophysiology is restored to its place as a part of biology: its task is the study of neurons as living units, not as computer chips. Neurons are living units which are organised as metabolic systems in connection with other neurons; they are not units which would carry out some psychological functions or maintain states which are typical only of the whole organism-environment system. Psychological processes, on the other hand, are processes always comprising the whole organism-environment system.
date: 1998-03
date_type: published
refereed: TRUE
citation:   Jarvilehto, Timo  (1998) THE THEORY OF THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM: II. SIGNIFICANCE OF NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN THE ORGANISM-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM.  [Preprint]     
document_url: http://cogprints.org/365/1/nerve.htm