Should theories of “higher-level” cognitive effects originate in “lower-level” molecular mechanisms? This paper supports reductionist explanations of sensory perception via molecular mechanisms in neurobiology. It shows that molecular and cellular mechanisms must constitute the material foundation to derive better theories and models for neuroscience. In support of “bottom-up theorizing”, I explore the recent application of a new real-time molecular imaging technique (SCAPE microscopy) to mixture coding in olfaction. Seemingly emergent “higher-level” psychological effects in odor perception, irreducible to the physical stimulus, are linked back to underlying molecular mechanisms at the receptor level. The SCAPE study has notable theoretical impact. It provides a possible answer to the neurocomputational challenge in olfaction from combinatorial coding at the periphery: how does the brain discriminate different complex mixtures from widespread and overlapping receptor activation? The failure of previous reductionist structure-odor explanations is shown to reside in misconceptualizations of the critical causal elements involved. Causally fundamental features are not of parts independently of a mechanism. Components and their relevant features are units via their causal role within a mechanism. Here, new technologies allow revisiting our understanding of the ontology and levels of organization of a system.

“较高级别”认知效应的理论是否应该起源于“较低级别”的分子机制？本文支持通过神经生物学的分子机制对感觉知觉的还原论解释。它表明分子和细胞机制必须构成物质基础，以得出更好的神经科学理论和模型。为了支持“自下而上的理论化”，我探索了一种新的实时分子成像技术（SCAPE显微镜）在嗅觉中混合编码的最新应用。似乎无法通过物理刺激产生的气味感知中出现的“高级”心理效应，与受体一级的潜在分子机制有关。SCAPE研究具有显着的理论影响。它为外围嗅觉组合带来的嗅觉神经计算挑战提供了可能的答案：大脑如何从广泛而重叠的受体激活中区分出不同的复杂混合物？先前的还原论者对结构气味的解释失败，表明存在对所涉及的关键因果元素的误解。因此，基本特征不是独立于某种机制的部分。组件及其相关特征是通过它们在机制中的因果作用而构成的单元。在这里，新技术可以使我们重新了解系统的本体和系统层次。大脑如何从广泛和重叠的受体激活中区分出不同的复杂混合物？先前的还原论者对结构气味的解释失败，表明存在对所涉及的关键因果元素的误解。因此，基本特征不是独立于某种机制的部分。组件及其相关特征是通过它们在机制中的因果作用而构成的单元。在这里，新技术可以使我们重新了解系统的本体和系统层次。大脑如何从广泛和重叠的受体激活中区分出不同的复杂混合物？先前的还原论者对结构气味的解释失败，表明存在对所涉及的关键因果元素的误解。因此，基本特征不是独立于某种机制的部分。组件及其相关特征是通过它们在机制中的因果作用而构成的单元。在这里，新技术可以使我们重新了解系统的本体和系统层次。