WHAT DO WE MEAN BY KNOWING

Modern science acknowledges uncertainty arising in different ways, and all science and adaptation depends on an unprovable assumption that t he future will be like the past. The attempt to understand the working of the brain suffers from further difficulties of definition, since i f is not clear that brains can understand brains, and the nature of '' understanding'' is essentially subjective. An evolutionary view of the origin of intelligence is defended against the rationalist alternativ e, although if entails further uncertainty. Nevertheless, ratiocinatio n is soundly based and applicable to brain research.