“镜像”的内涵与外延:围绕镜像神经元的争议

Connotations and Extensions of “Mirrorness”: The Controversies on Mirror Neurons

镜像神经元被认为是改变认知神经科学的重要发现,它的发现为迄今为止许多行为实验难以检验的心智或认知现象提供了一个统一的研究视角。然而,镜像神经元在社会认知活动中的重要作用却引起了研究者的激烈争论。系统回顾镜像神经元研究中的争议,可以尝试以争论焦点出现的逻辑关系和性质为依据将其划分为两类:一类是关于镜像"内涵"的争议,主要包括镜像神经元是否存在及其起源的争议。另一类则主要围绕镜像"外延"的争议,即有关镜像神经元系统和镜像机制的争议。未来的研究必须摒弃将镜像神经元视为"认知科学圣杯"的神经还原主义倾向,将之视为一个由多个子系统组成的开放的复杂巨系统,并将焦点转向关注镜像机制。

Mirror neurons are considered to be the important findings which had been changing cognitive neuroscience. They provide a uniform perspective of study for lots of mind or cognitive phenomena which can＇t be tested by experiments yet. Their crucial role in social cognition leads to researchers＇ extensive attentions and drastic controversies. The authors review the main arguments according to the logic relations and properties, and divide them into two categories： one is about the mirror connotations, including the disputations in whether the human brain contains mirror neurons and their origin; the other one focuses mainly on the mirror extensions consisting of the contentions of mirror neuron system and mirror mechanism. The future investigations must abandon the tendency of reductionism that regards mirror neurons as ＂Holy Grail of Cognitive Science＂, but consider them as open complex giant systems which are consisted of multiple sub systems, and transfer our attentions to the mirror mechanism.