Insights into genetics, basic molecular and cellular mechanisms, as well as the application of information technologies have revolutionized brain research. At present, thousands of experiments boosted by new technologies such as imaging and molecular biological methods are performed. In order to integrate these different views to neurobiology, the term “systems biology of the brain” has been coined. In an international conference, philosophers, historians and scientists address the philosophical aspects of the developments in this new field.

Keywords: complexity, systems biology, high-throughput technologies, multi-level interactions, data-driven science, micro-macro scales, reductionism, models, simulations, multidimensionality, mechanistic explanation, causality, stability, emergence, genetics, proteomics, brain sciences, psychology, psychiatry, medicine, computational science.

With a public lecture by William Bechtel on “What does systems thinking add to mechanistic explanation”

With keynotes from: William Bechtel, Carl Craver, C. Kenneth Waters.

And presentations by: Mathias Gutmann, Maria Kronfeldner, Klaus Mainzer, Hans-Werner Mewes, Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, Felix Tretter, Marcel Weber, Olaf Wolkenhauer.

Information on detailed program and registration (no fee): patrick.loedige@campus.lmu.de

Sponsored by: LMU, Isar-Amper-Clinics, HelmholtzZentrum München.

Organisation: F. Tretter1), H.W. Mewes2), S. Sellmaier3), M. Zehetleitner4), M. Kronfeldner5)

----- 1) Isar Amper Clinics München-Haar; 2) Helmholtz Center München and Tech. Univ. München (TUM); 3) Münchner Kompetenzzentrum Ethik, LMU; 4) Department for Psychology, LMU; 5) Department for Philosophy, Network Philosophy of Life Sciences, Bielefeld University.