Against (theory-neutral) method (in consciousness science).
Neurosci Conscious February 16, 2026 Majid D Beni
Scientific investigation of consciousness cannot begin from a theory-neutral foundation. Even approaches that claim to be theory-light rely on substantive background assumptions that cannot be set aside. The aspiration to minimize theory-dependence in favor of pure observation risks collapsing into naïve empiricism. There is no context-independent scientific method that can purge theoretical commitments from the neuroscience of consciousness without significant epistemic cost.