Towards a Process Neuropsychology: Microgenetic Theory and Brain Science

This article discusses the potential impact of microgenetic theory, as elaborated by Jason W. Brown, on the neurosciences. Since it is based on and incorporates methods and premises from such disparate areas as evolutionary biology, neuropsychology, neurology, the philosophy of mind, and even Whiteheadian process metaphysics, microgenetic theory is not easy to grasp, but it proves to be a theory of considerable power, perhaps especially in neuropsychology. It provides a solution to the dilemma of having to choose between a naive version of the Cartesian dualism so vigorously rejected by contemporary neuropsychological theory and an equally naive materialistic monism that cannot explain the complexities of the human mind. It also illuminates the nature of the relationship between "lower" and "higher" brain functions, thus solving (or at least re-addressing) some of the problems Freud raised without having to accept Wernicke's simplistic solutions as a starting point. Finally, it provides a field of interdisciplinary discourse between philosophy, neurology, and psychology, which has been missing since the 19th century.