This article assesses the applicability of a number of biological and neurobiological concepts to biophilosophical concepts of life and mind. Life, as instantiated by viable cells and organisms, is considered as a prerequisite of mind. Views such as embodied cognition, external mind or scaffolding theories were ignored. The biological characteristics of life and mind that are in particular relevant in the present context are: reversibility and irreversibility of brain processes, distinction between metabolic and potential brain energy, and the continuous turnover (...) of brain constituents. The philosophical concepts multiple realizability, teleology, autopoiesis, panpsychism, supervenience and emergentism are shortly introduced and assessed in such a biological context. The assessments lead to the conclusion that the philosophical concepts are only partially compatible with the biological concepts and need to be adapted to align with current biology. The presently discussed options favor the idea that emergence fits best with the biological principles, provided that the mind is considered a neurophysiological process, thus with a time-dimension. Bridging theories to couple neural brain processes directly to mental processes have as yet to be developed. (shrink)

Qualia are defined as subjective or private feelings associated with sensory and other experiences. This article argues that private feelings might be expressed by or in a personal brain and discusses possible neurobiological implications. Four issues are considered: Functional dualism implies that mental functions are realized as emergent properties of the brain. In practice, functional dualism is compatible with both substance dualism and pan-psychism. The (adult) human brain is the product of biological and environmental processes, including cultural influences, and is (...) individually unique. Part of the cerebral neuronal processing is molded by individual memories and previous experiences. Biological processes underlying the realization of qualia, including neural activities, escape conscious control. The temporal expression of qualia is in part consciously channeled by, for instance, actual situations and cultural habits. Neuroscientific explanations refer to general principles of nature, rather than to individual phenomena. Hence, future neurobiological approaches might aim to identify which neuronal processes are involved in qualia and how. It seems illusory to explain each quale. (shrink)

The essay questions the role of neurons in the concept of mind. The mind is considered as an emerging but physical property of the brain: a mental brain configuration does exist. This configuration is relatively resistant to brain damage, coma, hypoxia and normal (electro)physiological brain states and is envisioned as a relatively stable (nearly anatomical) structure. Consistent with this idea is that, despite the lifetime turnover of their constituents (e.g. proteins and nucleotides) and morphological changes, brain neurons do not divide. (...) Brain neurons are continuously modified, for example by lifetime experiences: genetic and epigenetic support for this thesis is provided. The presumed mental brain configuration guarantees lifetime storage of information, but does not imply that this information and memories remain unmodified during aging. In principle, neurons permanently affected by mental processes can be identified in vitro or in vivo, despite anticipated practical problems. This essay may help to scientifically legitimate complementary neurobiological ad psychotherapeutic approaches in psychiatry. (shrink)