One of my missions at Neuroscience 2011 was finding interesting single-unit recording studies, there was no shortage of high-quality studies. One common, but not universal, phenomenon was a dearth of coherent theories for the work being done. It appeared to me history and technology were the greatest driving forces behind recording sites and task selection choices. While each individual study is well-executed, there could be much greater value with coordinated effort between theorists and empiricists. Theorists can elucidate the most important questions, in contrast to the empiricist's intuitive focus on the most convenient questions.
There is still plenty of work to do for a theoretical neuroscientist who likes to get his/her "hands dirty."
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