Table of Contents: - Elections Results
- Giere Society Announcement
- Short Reads by Grads
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PSA UPSS Session Call for Abstracts
- PSA @ APA Call
- Call for O&E Prize
- PSA24 Sponsors
- PhilSci Archive - Top 5 Downloads
- Calendar of Events & Calls for Papers - Upcoming Dates
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The PSA 2024 Election is complete! Thanks to everyone who voted, you make the PSA better. We would also like to extend a thank you to all of the candidates that stood for election.
Congratulations to Alan Love, who will serve as President-Elect of the PSA starting on January 1, 2025 before assuming the role of President on January 1, 2027. |
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Giere Society Announcement |
PSA’s Governing Board is pleased to announce the Ron Giere Society for Legacy and Planned Gifts. Established at its April 2024 meeting, it is named in honor of Ron Giere who left a significant donation to PSA in his will in 2020. The Giere Society provides a framework for PSA members and donors to join Dr. Giere in making legacy gifts that will ensure the long-term sustainability of our organization.
Dr. Ron Giere, emeritus professor of Philosophy at the University of Minnesota, was a long-time member of the editorial board of the journal Philosophy of Science, and a past President of the PSA. In recognition of his gift to the PSA and all he did to strengthen and support PSA, the Ron Giere Society for Legacy and Planned Gifts celebrates the legacy of PSA donors whose generous contributions have played a pivotal role in sustaining the PSA’s many activities of public outreach, mentoring early career scholars, fostering an inclusive and diverse research environment, and advocating for the community of philosophers of science wherever they are.
We welcome all PSA members and donors who would like to join the Giere Society by declaring an intention to make a bequest or planned gift to the PSA. For the details, please see the PSA website. Our first Giere Society event will be a reception at the upcoming biennial meeting in November in New Orleans, November 2024. This will be an opportunity to recognize Dr. Giere’s contributions to the PSA, and to honor inaugural members who have joined the Society. |
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The PSA is pleased to share its ninth installment of Short Reads by Grads. Tori Helen Cotton is a Ph.D student and Eugene Cota-Robles Fellow in the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine. She holds a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Arkansas and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Texas. Her interests are in epistemology, philosophy of technology, and social dynamics. Tori's current research utilizes empirical data science methodologies to analyze the interplay between social media use, news consumption patterns, and public attitudes toward climate change.
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Review of Philosophy of Computing: Themes from IACAP 2019, eds. Björn Lundgren, and Nancy Abigail Nuñez Hernández (Springer, 2022) By Tori Helen Cotton
Björn Lundgren and Nancy Abigail Nuñez Hernández have compiled a diverse collection of nine essays, selected from conference submissions from the IACAP 2019 conference, and IACAP award winners. This anthology seeks to broaden the scope of the relatively new, but rapidly growing field of the philosophy of computing. As the authors note (Foreward, viii), the connection between philosophy and computing is complex and multifaceted, but the intersections between the two offer numerous opportunities to explore a wide range of unanswered questions. Consequently, the papers in this collection illustrate how computing, broadly construed, has enriched classical philosophical approaches.
Each paper included engages with an epistemic, meta-philosophical, or ethical question. While the constraints of this review limit the possible depth of discussion, my aim here is to provide a brief overview of the book’s content to showcase just how ambitious the scope of this collection is. The included papers are loosely divisible into two sections; the papers in the first half of the book offer highly formal approaches. The first chapter outlines dynamic epistemic logic with topology, presenting alternative ways to model knowledge and belief, and highlights the significance of developments in algebraic topology for facilitating big data processing. The second focuses on outlining an account of probabilistic selective abduction and the implications of such an account for epistemic logic. In chapter three, the topic shifts towards reconciling computer-assisted proofs with traditional pen-and-paper proofs in logic while chapter four discusses knowledge and understanding as they relate to ignorance in big data practices.
In the latter half of the anthology, the focus shifts to ethical and pedagogical questions, discussing the intersections between technology, ethics, and education. As such, value-theoretic and pedagogical discussions take the stage. Chapters five and six deal with fairness and punishment, respectively, the former discussing algorithmic fairness and the biases inherent in algorithmic decision-making and the latter exploring the growing roles of robots in society and the ethics surrounding robots administering punishment to support existing social norms. Chapter seven shifts the focus towards pedagogical questions, and explores how algorithmic and computational design methods might be used in philosophy instruction. Chapter eight criticizes and reflects on society’s fascination with new technology. Finally, chapter nine looks at the expressive power of computer simulation, conceived of as a distinct branch of software engineering, and the role it plays in scientific theories.
As shown, this anthology covers a diverse range of topics, and as a consequence, it provides readers with insight into the field's breadth. This is especially enlightening given the more recent trend toward fragmentation within the philosophy of computing into narrower focuses such as the philosophy of AI and the philosophy of data. This diversity of coverage renders the collection particularly valuable for understanding the overarching nature of contemporary discourse in this area. In sum, contributions like Lundragen and Hernández’s are important for the philosophy of computing specifically for their broad scope, and as such, this text serves as an excellent addition to the literature.
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PSA UPSS Session Call for Abstracts |
All UPSS scholars participating in the UPSS Mentoring Program who are current graduate students or within 3 years of receiving their PhD are eligible to submit a paper for presentation in the UPSS Session at the PSA Biennial Meeting. UPSS scholars work with their mentors to refine a paper for presentation on any topic in the philosophy of science. If you do not yet have a mentor, please click here, and indicate that you would
also like assistance developing a talk to present at the PSA Biennial Meeting. Co-authored papers are permitted only if all co-authors are participants in the UPSS Mentoring Program. Papers co-authored with an UPSS mentor are only allowed if the mentee is the first author and PSA session presenter.
Your Submissions must include a 1,000-word abstract (word count does not include references). Abstracts should be prepared for blind review. A second, short abstract of no more than 100 words should also be submitted for inclusion in the PSA program if accepted. The UPSS Session submission form also asks you to provide a brief diversity statement explaining how your participation would contribute to increasing diversity and advancing the mission of the UPSS Initiative. Please click here to submit your materials.
Abstracts will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the UPSS Committee. Deadline for submitting abstracts to be considered for UPSS PSA Session at the upcoming PSA 2024 meeting in New Orleans is August 1 st , 2024, 11:59 PM Anywhere on Earth. The top three submitted abstracts will be selected for presentation at the biennial meeting. A fourth alternate will be invited to serve as UPSS Session Chair.
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The PSA invites nominations from members for an "author meets critics" book session for a special session of the APA dedicated to work by philosophers of science. We especially encourage nominations of work by early or mid-career scholars, and books of potential wide interest to philosophers with specializations other than philosophy of science. Please submit your nominations, with no more than a brief paragraph or two explaining your nomination, and a list of willing and/or potential critics (noting who among the critics has officially agreed attend) to Anya Plutynski, aplutyns@wustl.edu by August 15. The PSA Awards committee will vote on a nominees to present at the next Eastern & Central APA.
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Call for Outreach & Engagement Prize |
Outreach and Engagement Award - Philosophy of Science Association Call for Submissions:
The Philosophy of Science Association is pleased to invite submissions for the PSA Outreach and Engagement Award. The Outreach and Engagement Award is a new, biennial award of the Philosophy of Science Association, which recognizes a scholar or team of scholars who have led outstanding efforts to engage members of the general public in philosophy of science topics. The scope of outreach and engagement that may be recognized by this award is wide, but its purpose is to highlight, promote, and elevate professional efforts to engage members of the general public about philosophy of science.
Outreach and Engagement Efforts May Include: (1) public-facing philosophy of science communication such as op-eds, videos/films, public-facing events, and public-facing writing; (2) K-12 formal educational efforts such as engaging with K-12 students and/or K-12 educators; (3) informal science education, such as philosophy of science encounters in museums, zoos, libraries, and prisons; (4) scientific work with communities with a strong philosophy of science component, such as research with public participation, citizen science, and community- based research; (5) science policy, such as working with policy makers and/or work to develop science policy informed by philosophy of science.
Deadline: August 15, 2024 by 11:59 pm (anywhere on Earth)
Award Details: Recipient will receive a $500 cash prize, this year sponsored by the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Public Engagement with Science. Recipient will be given the opportunity to have their work showcased by the PSA. The award recipient will be announced publicly at the biennial PSA meeting taking place November 14-17, 2024 in New Orleans, LA. Award recipient will be notified in early September so that if the award recipient would like to accept the award in person travel preparations can be made.
Eligibility: Awardees may be an individual or group and must be members of the PSA. Nominators and nominees must be members of the PSA. (If you or your group are not members, click here to join the PSA). Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged. Submission Details: Please note that a submission can highlight one specific outreach effort undertaken by one or more scholars, or it can encompass an individual scholar's public outreach portfolio as a whole. Submission will need to identify whether nomination is for (i) a group or individual, and (ii) specific project or portfolio. Nominees will be evaluated on the basis of a nomination packet.
Nomination Packet Requirements: (1) Nomination statement of no more than 3 pages, that explicitly includes: (a) description of the outreach work, (b) identification of the aims and goals as well as the need and importance of the work, (c) identification of the target public audience(s) of the work, and (d) the role of philosophy of science in the project. (2) Evidence of Impact Statement of no more than 1 page. Impact should be articulated in a way appropriate to the work. This might include quantitative evidence, survey data, or a summary of qualitative interviews. (3) Up to 3 examples of more specific work that showcases the work or project itself. Examples can be in any language (or mix of languages), but for an entry that is not in English, please submit an English translation alongside the original version.
Evaluation: Nominees will be evaluated on the basis of the nomination packet by the current members of the PSA's Outreach and Engagement Committee. Current members of the PSA Outreach and Engagement Committee are ineligible to submit nominations, both for self and for others. Submissions: Can be made here: https://forms.gle/1aLdvTwB53BAPJUx5
For questions, please contact Julia Bursten, Chair of the Outreach and Engagement Committee, jrbursten@uky.edu. |
The PSA is pleased to announce its first round of PSA24 sponsors for the upcoming biennial meeting in New Orleans:
Emerald Sponsors: University of California Irvine, Logic & Philosophy of Science Platinum Sponsors: Ann Johnson Institute Gold Sponsors:
Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Philosophy Arizona State University, Centre for Biology and Society, Minnesota Center for Philosophy of Science Silver Sponsors: The Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh The Institute for Practical Ethics, University of California San Diego Simon Fraser University, Department of Philosophy Bronze Sponsors: The Center for Public Engagement with Science, University of Cincinnati
Our sponsors help make the PSA biennial meeting possible. Thanks to them, not only are we able to have a high quality meeting but we are also able to keep conference registration more accessible for students. If you are interested in becoming a PSA24 sponsor, please reach out to director@philsci.org. |
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PhilSci Archive - Top 5 Downloads |
PhilSci-Archive is the official preprint repository for the PSA and the best place to host your philosophy of science preprints. It offers a free, stable, and openly accessible archive for scholarly articles and monographs. With PhilSci-Archive, researchers can search the open-access repository and get curated alerts about new work delivered to their inboxes. Many journals encourage authors to post preprints on archives like the PhilSci-Archive in order to increase readership, and historical data suggests that posting to the archive increases a published paper's citation rates (see https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/20778/). Visit philsci-archive.pitt.edu today to create a free account and post your preprints.
The most downloaded preprints for the last 6 months of articles deposited in the previous 2 years are:
Cobb, David (2022) Empiricism in the Philosophy of Science
Wiggleton-Little, Jada and Callender, Craig (2022) Screening Out Neurodiversity
Chen, Eddy Keming (2023) Laws of Physics
Ardourel, Vincent and Bangu, Sorin (2023) Finite-size scaling theory: Quantitative and qualitative approaches to critical phenomena
Stern, Julio Michael and Pereira, Carlos Alberto de Braganca and Lauretto, Marcelo de Souza and Esteves, Luis Gustavo and Izbicki, Rafael and Stern, Rafael Bassi and Diniz, Marcio Alves and Borges, Wagner de Souza (2023) The e-value and the Full Bayesian Significance Test: Logical Properties and Philosophical Consequences |
Calendar of Events & Calls for Papers - Upcoming Dates |
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