W5 - The Logic of Neuroscientific Explanations of Emotion 1/2

Question 1

What relation should hold between A and B for them to be “necessary and sufficient”?

Answer 1

Only if A ->B AND B ->A, so equivalence

Question 2

When we say that a gene is “sufficient”, when is the strict meaning of sufficient?

Answer 2

No other genes are needed

Question 3

What biological experiments usually correspond to “necessary” and “sufficient”, respectively?

Answer 3

sufficient condition is based on experiments that manipulate gene expression to see if it correlates with a biological phenomenon

necessary condition is based on experiments where gene expression is turned off to see if it is absolutely required for the biological phenomenon

Question 4

What do necessary and sufficient not take into account that can be misleading?

Answer 4

Natural motivations (e.g., the presence of motivationally relevant stimuli such as food) and identity/function of other neurons (it is assumed that the identity of the neurons that are manipulated to demonstrate the neurons are ‘necessary & sufficient’ are the same)