I work in neurotech with EEG and many other consumer neuro companies are working with fNIRS.
I completely agree with you that fMRI along with EEG and fNIRS isn't giving us true insight into how thought works.
However, it doesn't mean they are completely invaluable when brain activity and stimulation can be manipulated, and that change can be measured through measures other than just the brain activity itself.
For example, our work at https://affectablesleep.com stimulates slow-wave activity during sleep, a core component of what we refer to as sleep's restorative function.
Though we measure and see the change in brain activity, research has also measured changes in cortisol, HRV, immune function, etc etc.
A friend is working on neurostimulation in depression and their background is in fMRI, though for accessibility they are working with EEG.
The point is, you're right, our understanding of the brain is not much more than medieval, but that doesn't mean it is completely invaluable.
I believe it is not valuable when we're trying to understand the "aha" moment, simply by looking at blood-flow in the brain, as this article suggests.
I completely agree with you that fMRI along with EEG and fNIRS isn't giving us true insight into how thought works.
However, it doesn't mean they are completely invaluable when brain activity and stimulation can be manipulated, and that change can be measured through measures other than just the brain activity itself.
For example, our work at https://affectablesleep.com stimulates slow-wave activity during sleep, a core component of what we refer to as sleep's restorative function.
Though we measure and see the change in brain activity, research has also measured changes in cortisol, HRV, immune function, etc etc.
A friend is working on neurostimulation in depression and their background is in fMRI, though for accessibility they are working with EEG.
The point is, you're right, our understanding of the brain is not much more than medieval, but that doesn't mean it is completely invaluable.
I believe it is not valuable when we're trying to understand the "aha" moment, simply by looking at blood-flow in the brain, as this article suggests.