Dr James Alexander, PhD- Psychologist

While I am quite OK with presenting research results from neuroscience which support my pet theories and arguments, it is apparent that there are very real limitations to the current state of technology in neuroscience- despite the advances in knowledge in the last 10-15 years with functional MRIs. Some neuroscientists and science journalists are over-reaching in their enthusiam for what neuroscience can actually tell us about our experience as human beings.

Some physical scientists suffer from what can be referred to as 'social science envy', in that they want to engage in discussions (with the credibility of a physical scientist) about psychology, morality, society, culture, etc. They are as welcome to join the discussion as anyone else, but some of them expect to have their status as physical scientists confer on their opinion a higher status of 'truth value'. If one were to uncritically accept all that popular neuroscience has revealed in the last 15 years, one could assume that the state of brain-knowledge is so extensive that we can do away with psychology, sociology, criminology, politics, pedagogy, economics, etc- as it is all reducable to known brain behaviour.

Read the attached article, and you may conclude, like me, that the social sciences are safe for the time being.

http://jonlieffmd.com/blog/the-limits-of-current-neuroscience