Project
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All Disciplines (2)
Keywords (5)
Scientific imagination; Cognitive science of science; Epistemology of science; Philosophy of science; Sociology of science
Lay Summary (French)
Lead
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Scientists imagine when inventing and exploring hypotheses, designing experiments, interpreting data, and justifying theoretical conclusions. Interview and observation-based research will be carried out in two laboratories (biology, Geneva; climate science, Bern) to identify the roles played by imagination, the attitudes scientists have to imagination, how imagination is taught, and what different kinds of imagination are used. The data gathered will be used to produce a more general account of how imagination contributes to new scientific understanding.
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Lay summary
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Personne n'a jamais étudié comment les scientifiques utilisent leur faculté d'imagination dans leur travail quotidien. Mon projet cherche à répondre aux questions suivantes : quels rôles l'imagination joue-t-elle dans la science, qu'est-ce que les scientifiques pensent au sujet de l'imagination, comment est-elle enseignée, quand peut-on lui faire confiance et comment les scientifiques en tirent-ils de nouvelles connaissances ? En général, l’objectif est de parvenir à une compréhension de l’imagination scientifique comparable au niveau de compréhension dont nous disposons déjà pour l’expérience, la représentation et la mesure scientifiques.
Le projet a des aspects à la fois empiriques et théoriques. Du côté empirique, une étude ethnographique des scientifiques travaillant dans des institutions suisses sera réalisée pour répondre aux questions susmentionnées. L'aspect théorique créera le cadre conceptuel de l'étude empirique et applique ensuite ce que cette étude découvrira aux problèmes épistémologiques normatifs.
Le travail comblera de grandes lacunes dans notre compréhension actuelle du fonctionnement de la science, de l’apprentissage des méthodes scientifiques, et du fonctionnement de l’imagination en science. Ces questions ont une importance générale dans les domaines de l'histoire, de la philosophie et de la sociologie des sciences, ainsi que dans l'épistémologie et des sciences cognitives. En outre, elle renforcera l'imagination en tant que sujet légitime pour la recherche scientifique et philosophique et introduira de nouvelles possibilités méthodologiques et collaboratives en montrant comment la recherche empirique sur les routines quotidiennes des scientifiques peut jouer un rôle dans les arguments philosophiques.
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Responsible applicant and co-applicants
Employees
Publications
Stuart Michael T. (2022), Scientists are Epistemic Consequentialists about Imagination, in
Philosophy of Science, 1-22.
Buzzoni Marco, Tesio Luigi, Stuart Michael T. (2022), Holism and Reductionism in the Illness/Disease Debate, Springer International Publishing, Cham.
Stuart Michael T., Kneer Markus (2021), Guilty Artificial Minds: Folk Attributions of Mens Rea and Culpability to Artificially Intelligent Agents, in
Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, 5(CSCW2), 1-27.
Kneer Markus, Stuart Michael T. (2021), Playing the Blame Game with Robots, in
HRI '21: ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction, Boulder CO USAAssociation for Computing Machinery, New York.
Stuart Michael (2021), Telling Stories in Science: Feyerabend and Thought Experiments, in
HOPOS: The Journal of the International Society for the History of Philosophy of Science, 10(2), 262-281.
Stuart Michael T. (2020), The material theory of induction and the epistemology of thought experiments, in
Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A.
Stuart Michael T. (2020),
The Palgrave Encyclopedia of the Possible, Springer International Publishing, Cham.
Stuart Michael (2020), The Productive Anarchy of Scientific Imagination, in
Philosophy of Science, 87, 968-978.
Stuart Michael T, Colaço David, Machery Edouard (2019), P-curving x-phi: Does experimental philosophy have evidential value?, in
Analysis, 79(4), 669-684.
Stuart Michael T. (2019), Everyday Scientific ImaginationA Qualitative Study of the Uses, Norms, and Pedagogy of Imagination in Science, in
Science & Education, 28(6-7), 711-730.
Stuart Michael T., Nersessian Nancy J. (2019), Peeking Inside the Black Box: A New Kind of Scientific Visualization, in
Minds and Machines, 29(1), 87-107.
Stuart Michael T. (2019), Towards a dual process epistemology of imagination, in
Synthese.
StuartMichael T., WilkenfeldDaniel A., Understanding Metaphorical Understanding (Literally), in
European Journal for Philosophy of Science.
Collaboration
University of Zurich |
Switzerland (Europe) |
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- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results |
Harvard University |
United States of America (North America) |
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- in-depth/constructive exchanges on approaches, methods or results |
Scientific events
Active participation
Title |
Type of contribution |
Title of article or contribution |
Date |
Place |
Persons involved |
Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science
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Talk given at a conference
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Internalism about Imagination and Space Science
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16.05.2022
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Online, Canada
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Stuart Michael;
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The Science and Philosophy of Imagination
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Talk given at a conference
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How to do Epistemology of (Scientific) Imagination
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16.09.2021
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Bristol, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Congress of the Society for the Philosophy of Science
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Talk given at a conference
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Scientific Articles are Modernist Stories
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08.09.2021
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Mons, Belgium
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Stuart Michael;
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HOPOS Biennial Conference, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
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Talk given at a conference
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Telling Stories in Science: Feyerabend and Thought Experiments
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23.06.2021
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Singapore, Singapore
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Stuart Michael;
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1st European Experimental Philosophy Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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Guilty Artificial Minds
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17.06.2021
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Prague, Czech Republic
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Stuart Michael;
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Surrogative Reasoning in Science Workshop
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Talk given at a conference
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Tools of Imagination: Some Metaepistemology
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10.06.2021
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Salzburg, Austria
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Stuart Michael;
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British Society for the Philosophy of Science
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Talk given at a conference
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Pragmatic Understanding Can Do on Its Own
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07.06.2021
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Kent, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Modal Modelling in Science: Modal Epistemology Meets Philosophy of Science
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Talk given at a conference
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Counterpossible Reasoning in Biology: An Empirical Study
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29.05.2021
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Stockholm, Sweden
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Stuart Michael;
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The Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Science
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Talk given at a conference
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Metaepistemology of Tools that Extend the Power of the Scientific Imagination
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29.05.2021
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Online, Canada
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Stuart Michael;
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HPS Matters
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Individual talk
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NASA's Minipublics: How NASA Uses Imagination to Shape the American Space Imaginary
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12.05.2021
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Leeds, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Building Inclusive Ethical Cultures in STEM
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Talk given at a conference
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Inclusivity in the Education of Scientific Imagination
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23.04.2021
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Online, United States of America
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Stuart Michael;
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3rd Scientific Understanding and Representation (SURe) annual workshop
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Talk given at a conference
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What is Pragmatic Understanding, and how does it relate to Explanatory and Objectual Understanding?
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15.04.2021
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Radboud, Netherlands
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Stuart Michael;
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ACM/IEEE International Conference on Human-Robot Interaction
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Talk given at a conference
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Playing the Blame Game with Robots
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09.03.2021
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Online, United States of America
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Stuart Michael;
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Science Tools Project
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Talk given at a conference
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Imagination and Thought Experiments
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09.11.2020
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Salzburg, Austria
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Stuart Michael;
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Understanding Progress, in Science & Beyond
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Talk given at a conference
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On Pragmatic Understanding: Its Nature and Relation to Explanatory and Objectual Understanding
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20.10.2020
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Online, Iceland
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Stuart Michael;
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Artificial Intelligence in Industry and Finance (5th European Conference on Mathematics for Industry in Switzerland)
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Talk given at a conference
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Artificial Responsibility
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03.09.2020
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Online, Switzerland
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Stuart Michael;
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Interdisciplinary Workshop on Surprise
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Talk given at a conference
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The function of Surprise in Science
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10.06.2020
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Online, Israel
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Stuart Michael;
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Quadrennial HPS Fellows Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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Could a Robot Do Value-Free Science?
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18.05.2020
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Shanghai , China
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Stuart Michael;
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Higher Seminar Series Talk
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Individual talk
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A Practice-Based Study of Scientific Understanding
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06.05.2020
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Linköping University, Sweden
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Stuart Michael;
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Conference on Thought Experiments
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Talk given at a conference
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The Role of Imagination in Scientific Thought Experiments
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29.04.2020
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Archives Henri-Poincaré, France
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Stuart Michael;
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Philosophy of Science Annual Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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Is the Turn toward Understanding a Feminist Turn?
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20.04.2020
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Inter-University Centre, Dubrovnik, Croatia
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Stuart Michael;
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Scientific and Epistemic Tools: Models, Thought Experiments and Analogical Reasoning
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Talk given at a conference
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Meta-Epistemology of Cognitive Tools
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06.03.2020
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University of Salzburg, Austria
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Stuart Michael;
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MetaMetaPhysical Club Workshop on Thought Experiments
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Talk given at a conference
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The Rise of Chemical Thought Experiments
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13.12.2019
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Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Stuart Michael;
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Faculty Colloquium of the Erasmus School of Philosophy
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Individual talk
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Metaphor and Understanding
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11.12.2019
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Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands
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Stuart Michael;
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Quodlibeta Faculty Colloquium of the Philosophy Department
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Individual talk
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Competing Epistemologies of Scientific Imagination
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23.10.2019
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University of Geneva, Switzerland
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Stuart Michael;
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Open Epistemologies: Mach, Bachelard, Feyerabend
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Talk given at a conference
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Telling Stories in Science: Feyerabend and Thought Experiments
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21.09.2019
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University of Lisbon, Portugal
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Stuart Michael;
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British Society for the Philosophy of Science Annual Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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In Favour of a Joint Epistemology of Philosophical and Scientific Thought Experiments
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17.07.2019
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Durham University, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Workshop on Imagination in Scientific Modelling
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Talk given at a conference
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The Role of Imagination in the DEKI Account of Modelling
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03.06.2019
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University of York, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Creativity Across the Arts and Sciences
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Talk given at a conference
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What Can the Study of Imagination Tell Us about Creativity?
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16.04.2019
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University of Bristol, Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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Stuart Michael;
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Philosophy of Science Annual Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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Philosophy of Imagination: Anarchy Style
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15.04.2019
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Inter-University Centre, Dubrovnik, Croatia
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Stuart Michael;
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Digital Society Initiative Fellows Exchange
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Individual talk
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The Epistemic States Required for AI Responsibility
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10.04.2019
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Digital Society Initiative, Switzerland
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Stuart Michael;
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Lake Geneva Biological Interest Group Meeting
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Individual talk
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Epistemic Pluralism about Thought Experiments
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04.04.2019
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University of Geneva, Switzerland
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Stuart Michael;
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Workshop on Fiction, Understanding, and Thought Experiments
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Talk given at a conference
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Scientific Understanding through Chaos: Imagination as a Productive Source of Randomness
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22.02.2019
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École Normale Supérieure, France
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Stuart Michael;
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National Research University Higher School of Economics Faculty Colloquium
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Individual talk
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What is Epistemology of Imagination?
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15.02.2019
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National Research University Higher School of Economics, Russia
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Stuart Michael;
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Philosophy of Science Association Biennial Conference
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Talk given at a conference
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Mental Models, Scientific Imagination and Epistemological Anarchy
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01.11.2018
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Seattle, United States of America
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Stuart Michael;
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Communication with the public
Communication |
Title |
Media |
Place |
Year |
New media (web, blogs, podcasts, news feeds etc.)
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Responsible Life Science Policy: Between Private and Public Funding
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The Reasoner
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International
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2020
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New media (web, blogs, podcasts, news feeds etc.)
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Is X-Phi P-Hacked?
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Blogpost: Dailynous.com
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International
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2019
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Awards
Abilitazione Scientifica Nazionale (Italian National Scientific Qualification) in Logic, History and Philosophy of Science (Professore Associato level)
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2020
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Abstract
No one is now, or has ever, studied how scientists imagine in their daily work. Perhaps this is because imagination does not play a large role in science. After all, science is supposed to “stick to the facts.” But a moment’s reflection reveals how important imagination is for the scientific enterprise. To obtain a hypothesis we must imagine that there are several different ways the world might be. We evaluate these by imagining what else would be true if they were. To test the hypothesis, we take the real world system we are interested in and recreate it inside our minds, laboratories, or computers by imagining analogous systems that can be investigated practically. Finally, even though our idealized experiment removes confounding real world factors, we imagine that the natural world also instantiates the regularities observed in the model in order to develop or refine our theory. Each of these uses of the imagination demands a mental departure from reality, and each appears necessary for scientific progress.I want to answer at least some of the following questions: what roles does imagination play in science, how do scientists think of imagination, how is it taught, when is it trusted, and how do we learn from it? The proposed project has two overlapping aspects: one empirical and theoretical. Empirically, an ethnographic study of scientists working in Swiss institutions will be carried out to address the above-mentioned questions. The results will be both "semantic" and "latent," that is, they will reflect what the scientists themselves say they do, and also what they actually do. The theoretical aspect first creates the conceptual framework for empirical study, and then applies what that study finds to epistemological, normative, and pedagogical issues. The empirical part of the study will employ the methods of qualitative social science, the theoretical part will employ methods of epistemology and philosophy of science. For the empirical part, we begin with participant observations and interviews. Two research laboratories will be studied for at least three terms - roughly one year and a half each. From each lab, several members will be selected to maximize the breadth of our sample size (so we have researchers of different genders, career stages, etc.). Each participant will be interviewed at least 9 times, or three times per term. In addition, lab meetings, conferences, colloquia and other meetings will be attended and observed. These data will be analyzed using both theory-driven thematic analysis and inductive thematic analysis. That is, we derive theoretical questions from the literature on imagination and use these to shape initial interview topics. The data that come from these interviews is then used to create the codes and themes for analysis, which focus follow-up interviews. For the theoretical part of the study, the empirical results are used to draw epistemological conclusions about the aspects of science that contain imagination use. For example, we want to know how crucial imagination is to these processes: is imagination necessary, important, or incidental? We want to know how the use of imagination affects the outcome of methods that rely on imagination: do certain uses of imagination make those methods better or worse, and if so, how and why? Questions like these can only be answered by careful argument drawing on previous work in epistemology. Their answers depend on how we conceive of important notions such as knowledge, justification, understanding, reliability, and evidence.A number of papers will be written, individually and jointly with the project partners (and perhaps scientific collaborators from the studied laboratories). These will be published in the fields of philosophy of science, sociology (of science), cognitive science, epistemology, metaphilosophy, or general philosophy. In addition, the results will be useful for scientists and teachers of science.
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