neuroenchantment · noun — the exaggeration of the possibilities of neuroimaging in terms of understanding cognition. It carries an Arena rating of 1256, earned across 6 head-to-head judged battles.
Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, neuroenchantment ranks #366 of 17,176 for Most Incisive Words, #1,353 of 17,177 for Most Whimsical Words, #1,666 of 17,165 for Most Satisfying to Say, #1,894 of 17,207 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
Why “neuroenchantment” is a great word
A tendency to overstate or be overly captivated by the explanatory power of neuroimaging and neuroscience in understanding the mind. From the combining form neuro- (relating to nerves or the nervous system) + enchantment (a feeling of great pleasure or fascination), coined in 2014 by Sabrina S. Ali et al. Unlike “neurorealism,” which specifically privileges brain scans as uniquely objective evidence, or “neurocriticism,” which actively questions neuroscience’s premises, neuroenchantment is the seduction itself—a general surrender to the explanatory glamour of the biological. It is the glittering, color-coded fMRI scan that feels more true than a patient’s testimony, the press release that mistakes correlation for a complete account of consciousness, and the sleek graphic where a glowing brain region purports to explain belief. We are enchanted by the promise that the deepest mysteries of being might be solved by watching a brain simply light up, mistaking a map for the territory it charts.
❧ Essay by Lexicurio’s AI · definition, etymology & citations from published sources
Etymology
From neuro- + enchantment, coined in a 2014 paper by Sabrina S. Ali et al.
noun
- The exaggeration of the possibilities of neuroimaging in terms of understanding cognition.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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