Please register by 8.12.2024
Background
In recent decades, philosophy of science has diversified considerably. This applies not only to the different ways in which philosophy of science is practiced, but also to its subject area. While the beginning of philosophy of science was characterised by a strong focus on physics, and later also on biology, there are now a large number of different philosophies of the special sciences, including the social and human sciences.
As a consequence, we are increasingly dealing with a fragmented field of different philosophies of the special sciences instead of a singular philosophy of science. Of course, there are still contributions in general philosophy of science, but a large part of current debate takes place within the various sub-disciplines. This diversity offers a rich reservoir of opportunities for the analysis of (dis-)similarities between the different philosophies of the sciences and may even allow for the development of a systematic comparison of scientific fields and practices from a philosophical perspective, in short: a comparative philosophy of science.
Goals
Against this backdrop, our workshop aims to explore potential connections and hidden overlaps between research activities and interests at the Centre for Philosophy and the Sciences. The key idea is to use a comparative approach to philosophy of science to unearth potential for (more) collaborative work – perhaps even to stimulate the development of novel research projects at the Centre that explore links between previously unrelated domains of research. We will do this through group work and presentations, as well as open plenary discussions.
Programme
09:00 - 09.30 Coffee & welcome
09.30 - 10.30 Introduction by Karim Bschir & Simon Lohse:
“From Fragmentation to Comparative Philosophy of Science”
10.30 - 10.50 Coffee break
10.50 - 11.50 1st Breakout groups: Exploring potential for comparison
11.50 - 12.30 Group presentations & Q/A
12.30 - 13.30 Lunch Break
13.30 - 14.00 Intermezzo: The ABT model of storytelling in research
14.00 - 15.00 2nd breakout groups with alternative tasks: Moving forward
15.00 - 15.20 Coffee break
15.20 - 16.10 Group presentations & Q/A
16.10 - 17.00 Concluding discussion
19:00 Dinner at Kafe Oslo
*Please bring your laptops with you!*
Simon Lohse is Assistant Professor of Philosophy of Science at Radboud University in the Netherlands.
He has an academic background in philosophy, social and educational science and obtained his PhD in philosophy of science from Leibniz University Hannover, Germany.
Simon was a visiting PhD researcher at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK (2013) and held postdoc positions in Hannover (2018-2020) and Lübeck, Germany (2021).
Karim Bschir is a Lecturer and Managing Director of the Ethics
Committee at the University of St.Gallen, Switzerland.
His research and teaching focus on topics in the general philosophy of science, the history of philosophy of science, and themes related to the interplay between science and society. Integrating perspectives from the humanities and the natural sciences as well as discussing the interplay between science, technology and society is an important part of his teaching and research efforts.
He is a co-editor of Interpreting Feyerabend: Critical Essays (Cambridge UP 2021) and author of a paper on Feyerabend’s pluralism (HOPOS 2015). He also co-edited a special issue for Synthese (2019) on Paul-Hoyningen-Huene’s book Systematicity: The Nature of Science (OUP 2013). His research was supported by a Branco Weiss Postdoctoral Fellowship (2012-2017).