Artifacts and levels of abstraction

The purpose of this article is to show how the comparison or analogy with artifacts (i.e., systems engineered by humans) foundational for idea that complex neuro-cognitive are amenable explanation at distinct levels, which a central simplifying strategy modeling brain. most salient source course digital computer, but I will discuss some more general comparisons processes design and engineering also play significant role. analogies, subsequent notion computational level, have engendered common ideas about safely abstract away from complexity concrete neural systems, yielding explanations give rise cognitive functions. raise worries limitations these explanations, due neglected differences between human-made devices biological organs.