The aim of the session is to discuss nature and role of psychological processes and neural mechanisms characterizing most of the communicative interactions that are supposed to be at the basis of our social life. The central question is whether human beings have specific mechanisms enabling and facilitating the transmission of habits and preferences not only between individuals but also reliably down to generations. The relevance of these mechanisms in selecting and consolidating specific social strategies will be then investigated, especially in relation to their effects on one’s own needs and emotions as well as on one’s own sensitivity, the needs and emotions of others.

This session will also face the question as to whether needs and emotions could be considered as primary feedback sources, which have to be used to assess the main effects of social learning, at least at the basic level. Finally, the relationship between sensori-motor and affective mechanisms and higher order cognitive processes (i.e. conceptual and propositional knowledge) will be investigated. To this regard it will be crucial to take into account what is going on with social learning when the responsiveness to other’s needs and emotions is lacking as in autism.

The image of man is at the roots of western culture. The following

question will be addressed: Are the neurosciences generating a new

self-image of man ? A number of recent studies suggest that this may

be the case, but these views must be critically evaluated in their

factual and philosophical robustness, and impact on society, laws and

religion. The question will be articulated in four presentation: i)

The brain in development and evolution focusing on how brain connections differentiate in the two very different time scales. ii) Brain dynamics, brain imaging and free will with the notion of emerging properties in complex neural circuits. iii)Human and artificial intelligence focusing on the differences between human and artificial intelligence. iv) Ethical issues related to the neurosciences in particular the puzzling dilemma raised by the mental operations performed by patients in a vegetative state. The four presentations

will be delivered by i) a neuroanatomist interested in the relation

between brain structure and function (GMI), ii) a neurophysiologists interested in brain dynamics and how they relate to perception, and decision making (WS), iii) a neuroinformatician interested in the basic principles of brain operations to be understood in computational terms and to be embedded into man-made devices (RD), iv) a philosopher with a strong background in science (WV).