The indeterminacy of computation

Abstract Do the dynamics of a physical system determine what function computes? Except in special cases, answer is no: it often indeterminate given computes. Accordingly, care should be taken when question ‘What does particular neuronal do?’ answered by hypothesising that computes function. The phenomenon indeterminacy computation has important implications for development computational explanations biological systems. Additionally, lends some support to idea single structure may perform multiple cognitive functions, each subserved different computation. We provide an overarching conceptual framework order further philosophical debate on nature and explanation.