Julius E. Hitzig was born in Berlin. Together with Gustave Fritsch he discovered the diverse functions of the cerebral cortex, introducing the practice of studying the brain through electrical stimulation. Through these studies they made way for the idea that some functions traditionally associated with the human psyche have a precise physical location. This does not, however, imply a materialist philosophical understanding of the mind-brain relationship, as long as it is understood that that which is manifested through neurophysiologic processes is not necessarily identified with them. In the 20th century, John C. Eccles held this non-reductionist position.