To simulate or not to simulate: what are the questions?

Yadin Dudai; Kathinka Evers

doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2014.09.031

To simulate or not to simulate: what are the questions?

Neuron. 2014 Oct 22;84(2):254-61. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.09.031. Epub 2014 Oct 22.

Authors

Yadin Dudai¹, Kathinka Evers²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurobiology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. Electronic address: yadin.dudai@weizmann.ac.il.
² Centre of Research Ethics and Bioethics, University of Uppsala, Uppsala 75122, Sweden. Electronic address: kathinka.evers@crb.uu.se.

PMID: 25374353
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2014.09.031

Abstract

Simulation is a powerful method in science and engineering. However, simulation is an umbrella term, and its meaning and goals differ among disciplines. Rapid advances in neuroscience and computing draw increasing attention to large-scale brain simulations. What is the meaning of simulation, and what should the method expect to achieve? We discuss the concept of simulation from an integrated scientific and philosophical vantage point and pinpoint selected issues that are specific to brain simulation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Brain*
Computational Biology*
Computer Simulation
Data Collection
Humans