Annual Lecture Series (in-person)
Lunchtime Talks (in-person)
Conferences (in-person)
Online-Only Events
Severe Testing Samuel Fletcher, Ctr. Visiting Fellow U. of Minnesota Abstract: The methods of classical statistics have tilled the experimental soil from which twentieth-century science has grown. Philosophers of science, meanwhile, […]
A Generalized Patchwork Approach to Scientific Concepts Philipp Haueis Bielefeld University, Dept. of Philosophy Abstract: Patchwork approaches hold that scientists implicitly subdivide their concepts into several, partially overlapping segments or […]
Progress and its Problems: Coming to Terms with Theory Change in the Metaphysics of Science Kerry McKenzie, University of California, San Diego Abstract: Progress is often cited as definitive of […]
A Kantian Approach to Climate Justice and the Reasons Why We do not Act Christine Heybl Leuphana University of Lüneburg Abstract: In this lunchtime talk, I invite you to […]
Evolution, Reasoning and Causal Nihilism Alex Broadbent University of Johannesburg Abstract: Causal reasoning is widely thought to be a cognitive trait that is a distinguishing feature of humanity, accountable for […]
Did Humans, Neanderthals, and Denisovans interbreed? Facts versus Received Wisdom in Molecular Systematics Jeffrey H. Schwartz Emeritus Professor of Anthropology University of Pittsburgh Abstract: Belief in the infallibility of molecular […]
Cognitive Novelties, Informational Form, and Structural-Causal Explanations Andrew Buskell, Center Visiting Fellow Abstract: Recent work has established a framework for explaining the origin of cognitive novelties—qualitatively distinct cognitive traits—in human […]
Explosive Proofs of Mathematical Truths Simon DeDeo, CMU & the Santa Fe Institute Abstract: Justifications for believing a mathematical proof are traditionally based in the validity of its underlying deductive […]
THIS TALK HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS Science Policies and the Unpredictability of Scientific Inquiry Stephanie Ruphy, University Jean Moulin Abstract: What is the appropriate mode of setting the […]
Healing or Hacking the Earth?: Lessons from the Metaphors of Climate Intervention Gillian Barker, University of Western Ontario Abstract: Thinking about interventions in the climate system designed to have effects […]
A Less Myopic View of the Virtues of Blinding and of Tests for Blinding in Clinical Trials John Worrall, London School of Economics Abstract: Performing a clinical trial double-blind controls for […]
4th Annual Pittsburgh Summer Program in Philosophy of Science for Underrepresented Groups This program is not open to the public. Learn more here.
Liam Bright, London School of Economics Scientific Conclusions Need Not Be Accurate, Justified, or Believed by their Authors (This talk is being given by Liam Bright and was coauthored by […]
Michael Dietrich, Univ. of Pittsburgh, Dept. of HPS The Politics of Embryology: Johannes Holtfreter’s Flight from Nazi Germany ABSTRACT: Johannes Holtfreter was forced to leave Nazi Germany. Unlike other exiled […]
Mark Wilson, Department of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh How “Wavelength” Found its Truth-Values ABSTRACT: Philosophers of science and metaphysicians frequently declare that they are only interested in the “fundamental part” […]
Russ Poldrack, (Stanford University), Cognitive Ontologies, from Top to Bottom Part of our ongoing online seminar series. See the full list of talks here. Register […]
CANCELLED Subrena Smith, Univ. of New Hampshire, Dept. of Philosophy Constructing Human Behavior ABSTRACT: Behavioral sciences purport to give descriptive accounts of human beings as behavioral systems. Those accounts have […]
Elizabeth Schechter Indiana University, Department of Philosophy and the Cognitive Science Program Self-Consciousness After Split-Brain Surgery ABSTRACT: In this talk, I first argue that the two hemispheres of a split-brain […]
Yolonda Wilson, National Humanities Center Fellow & Encore Public Voices Fellow Empathy and Structural Injustice in the Assessment of Patient Noncompliance ABSTRACT: It is well established that health status is […]
James Woodward, Univ. of Pittsburgh Dept. of HPS Flagpoles, Anyone? Independence, Invariance and the Direction of Causation This talk will be a Zoom webinar and registration is required. Registration link: […]
Part of our ongoing online seminar series. See the full list of talks here. Register using this link: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KMNKu4fmQ9Wh5ZjvXJ3qQA Please note, registration will be for […]
“The Center Debates” is a new initiative of the Center for Philosophy of Science. Our goal is to promote serious, but respectful and constructive exchanges about controversial topics of […]
Stéphanie Ruphy Ecole Normale Supérieure - Université PSL Science Policies and the Unpredictability of Scientific Inquiry This talk will be online via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Register here: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HfaWE2RyQieV1M7pvqg0Gw […]
Mike Anderson (Western University) & Paul Cisek (University of Montréal), Two Approaches to Reforming the Taxonomy of Cognitive Neuroscience Part of our ongoing online seminar […]
Mak Pedroso, Center Visiting Fellow Wicked Nature: Coping with Uncertainty through Redundancy This talk will be held via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Registration link: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_T-Z7lis2QqSLhbvhVRQnrg ABSTRACT: In their struggle […]
Diane O'Leary, Center Visiting Fellow Making Philosophical Sense of Medicine’s Position on Mind and Body This talk will be held via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Registration link: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_DdjHmqsNQ5mpAlcoWamrQg ABSTRACT: […]
Part of our ongoing online seminar series. See the full list of talks here. Register using this link: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KMNKu4fmQ9Wh5ZjvXJ3qQA Please note, registration will be for the […]
Ed Slowik, Center Visiting Fellow A Note on Kant as Precursor of Mach: Reconsidering Kant’s "Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science" from a Huygensian Frame This talk will be held via […]
Matt Haber University of Utah, Department of Philosophy The Species Problem Problem and the No Solution Solution This talk will be online via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Register here: […]
Nic Fillion, Center Visiting Fellow The Cogency of Arguments Involving Approximations This talk will take place via Zoom and pre-registration is required. Register here: https://pitt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KHPk9mCNRGOESTGHeskKdg ABSTRACT: In philosophy, we spend […]