Abstract
In this contribution, it is argued that the prevailing view of the sensory system as an intricate, but passive processor of external information does not capture the full complexity of brain performance. Instead, we try to reinforce a notion that sees the brain as a system embedded within the environment and actively exploring it. We will attempt to emphasize the bidirectional interaction between brain and environment at all levels of processing and at different scales of the system description. This modified approach to the understanding of the brain has profound consequences for experimental investigations, starting with the experimental design and extending into data analysis and interpretation.
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