The relationship between cognitive penetration and predictive coding

Macpherson, F. (2017) The relationship between cognitive penetration and predictive coding. Consciousness and Cognition, 47, pp. 6-16. (doi: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.04.001) (PMID:27114093)

Abstract

If beliefs and desires affect perception—at least in certain specified ways—then cognitive penetration occurs. Whether it occurs is a matter of controversy. Recently, some proponents of the predictive coding account of perception have claimed that the account entails that cognitive penetrations occurs. I argue that the relationship between the predictive coding account and cognitive penetration is dependent on both the specific form of the predictive coding account and the specific form of cognitive penetration. In so doing, I spell out different forms of each and the relationship that holds between them. Thus, mere acceptance of the predictive coding approach to perception does not determine whether one should think that cognitive penetration exists. Moreover, given that there are such different conceptions of both predictive coding and cognitive penetration, researchers should cease talking of either without making clear which form they refer to, if they aspire to make true generalisations.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Macpherson, Professor Fiona
• Authors: Macpherson, F.
• College/School: College of Arts > School of Humanities > Philosophy
• Journal Name: Consciousness and Cognition
• Publisher: Elsevier
• ISSN: 1053-8100
• ISSN (Online): 1090-2376
• Published Online: 22 April 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Elsevier
• First Published: First published in Consciousness and Cognition 47:6-16
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
62911	1	"Rethinking the Senses"?	Fiona Macpherson	Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC)	AH/L007053/1	HU - PHILOSOPHY