Nicole Nelson: Is animal behavior genetics reductionist?
Abstract: Critics of behavior genetics have often argued that it is an inappropriately reductionist research agenda, operating at a level of analysis that is too far removed from the organismal, social, and cultural settings that produce behaviors. These critiques are at odds with behavior geneticists’ self-descriptions of their approach, which they contend is sensitive [...]
Liz Schechter: Conscious Agency After Split-Brain Surgery
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: In recent empirical work, Pinto and colleagues found that two split-brain subjects were able to respond to stimuli, verbally or unimanually, equally well regardless of where those stimuli appeared in their visual fields. On the basis of this preserved capacity for crossed responses, Pinto and colleagues argue that a split-brain subject has a [...]
Paul Bloom: Perverse Actions
Wolf Performance Hall - Central Library 251 Dundas St, London, Ontario, CanadaThe 2023 Rotman Lecture will be delivered by Dr. Paul Bloom, Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto and author of the 2021 book, The Sweet Spot: The Pleasures of Suffering and the Search for Meaning. ABSTRACT: We occasionally act in ways that are wrong—morally or otherwise—at least partially because of the [...]
Shobita Parthasarathy: Can a Toilet Save the World?
Wolf Performance Hall - Central Library 251 Dundas St, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: These is growing concern that innovation may be perpetuating inequality. In response, governments, philanthropic foundations, universities, NGOs and startup companies are sponsoring a variety of “tech for good” initiatives, designed to turn the lens of technologists and entrepreneurs to improving the lives of low-income and marginalized communities. How do these initiatives work? What [...]
Patrick Fafard: Is Science Enough? Science Advice, Health Essentialism, and Pandemic Decision-Making
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: Policy decisions made during the COVID-19 pandemic were commonly defended by decision-makers on the grounds they were 'following the science'. This suggested decision-makers were relying heavily on the advice of experts in public health, notably infectious disease physicians, to inform policy decisions. This raises important questions about the exact nature and role of [...]
Foundations of Quantum Field Theory: 2023 Annual Philosophy of Physics Conference
Room 1170 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, London, Ontario, CanadaThis year's workshop will explore four broad philosophical issues that are specific to QFT. QFT is the theory that combines the special theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. There is consensus that the unification of these two theories necessitates the use of a mathematical framework based on fields. One issue that this raises is [...]
Hasok Chang: Realism for Realistic People
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: In his innovative book, "Realism for Realistic People," Hasok Chang constructs a philosophy of science for 'realistic people' interested in understanding and promoting the actual practices of inquiry in science and other knowledge-focused areas of life. Inspired by pragmatist philosophy, he reconceives the very notions of reality and truth on the basis of [...]
John Bickle: Unnoticed Features of Exploratory Experiments from the 60-Year History of the N-methyl – D-aspartate (NMDA) Receptor
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: The structure, function and activities of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) now stand among neurobiology’s greatest discoveries. This history is fascinating in and of itself. It spanned more than sixty years, from initial investigations in the late-1950s into glutamate as a purported neurotransmitter, to successes less than a decade ago in finally getting X-ray-crystallographic [...]
Ethical Issues in Artificial Intelligence: 2023 Annual Library Lecture Series
Lawson Room - Central Library 251 Dundas Street - London Public Library Wolf Performance Hall, London, Ontario, CanadaEVENT DESCRIPTION Each year, the Rotman Institute of Philosophy organizes a public lecture series co-sponsored with the London Public Library and the Department of Philosophy. The theme for this year's lecture series is Ethical Issues in Artificial Intelligence. Abstract Questions about Artificial Intelligence and its appropriate use overwhelm recent discourse about technology. What is [...]
(Dis)Trust and AI: Perspectives from Across Disciplines and Sectors
Ivey Spencer Leadership Centre 551 Windermere Road, London, Ontario, CanadaConcerns about trust, distrust, and artificial intelligence (AI) are on the rise as our societies become more and more exposed to these technologies. This event will focus on pressing questions under the general theme of (dis)trust and AI and bring together people working in different academic disciplines and sectors of society to collaborate in [...]
Nancy Nersessian: Interdisciplinarity in the Making: Models and Methods in Frontier Science
Room 1130 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, London, ON, CanadaThe Rotman Institute of Philosophy presents a dialogue with Nancy Nersessian, author of "Interdisciplinarity in the Making: Models and Methods in Frontier Science" Please note: Nancy Nersessian will be participating in the dialogue virtually. This is a hybrid event. If you cannot attend in person, please join us via Zoom (link to meeting). Book [...]
NEW DATE – Berna Devezer & Erkan Buzbas: Theoretical Insights on Replication: A Miracle or a Crutch?
Room 3000 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western University, London, Ontario, CanadaPlease join the Rotman Institute in welcoming Berna Devezer and Erkan Buzbas to the institute December 1st! Please note, this will be a virtual event. Devezer will present, "Theoretical Insights on Replication: A Miracle or a Crutch?" at 11:30 am Lunch will be provided at 1:00 pm Buzbas will [...]
Charles Ling: Turing Test, Chinese Room, AGI, and GPTs
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaAbstract: With the rapid development of large language models such as GPTs, many fundamental and philosophical issues of intelligence and the human mind can be re-visited. In this talk, I will explore these related topics to foster potential collaboration between different disciplines. Register to Attend Turing Test, Chinese Room, AGI, and GPTs Speaker [...]
Rotman Research Retreat: AI & Democracy
KRESGE BUILDING 1960 Middlesex Dr., London, Ontario, CanadaThis retreat will bring together researchers from across disciplines and departments at Western to look ahead to future normative, political, and technological dimensions of anticipated impacts that AI will have on democracies. There is already a substantial body of scholarship exploring the ways in which new technologies have impacted democratic practices and institutions and [...]
Philosophy of Physics Workshop: Foundations of Thermodynamics 2024
Arts & Humanities Building Room 1B04 Western University, London, ONEVENT DESCRIPTION In the past few decades there has been a transformation—some have called it a revolution—in the way that many physicists are approaching the science of thermodynamics. Philosophers of science have only recently begun to take notice of this transformation. This workshop, which brings together philosophers and physicists at is inspired by the [...]
Rotman Seminar: Pleasure Fundamentalism
Room 4190 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, Room 4190, London, Ontario, CanadaEVENT DESCRIPTION SPEAKER PROFILE: Neil Sinhababu is Associate Professor of Philosophy at the National University of Singapore. He is author of Humean Nature (2017), published by Oxford University Press; and Nietzsche on the Eternal Recurrence, forthcoming with Cambridge University Press. ABSTRACT: Pleasure fundamentalism is the view that moral value is pleasure, and this explains [...]
Rotman Graduate Student Conference 2024: Scientific Methodology
KRESGE BUILDING 1960 Middlesex Dr., London, Ontario, CanadaREGISTER NOW! Please click on the dates below to access the respective Zoom links. Sept-19 Sept-20 Overview 'The topic of this year's Rotman Graduate Student Conference is scientific methodology. The conference will host student speakers from various fields from physics and neuroscience to philosophy and cultural studies. The conference is [...]
Pragmatism and The Philosophy of Science: Fall 2024 Conference
Room 3000 - Western Interdisciplinary Research Building Western University, London, Ontario, CanadaPragmatism, with its focus on the human dimension of inquiry, offers a compelling lens through which to explore the nature, scope, and limits of scientific knowledge. This workshop will, building on recent work, explore topics at the intersection of pragmatism and philosophy of science, examining how pragmatism sheds light on scientific practice, success, and the interplay between metaphysics and epistemology.
Climate Change & Social Justice: 2024 Annual Library Lecture Series
Lawson Room - Central Library 251 Dundas Street - London Public Library Wolf Performance Hall, London, Ontario, CanadaEVENT DESCRIPTION Each year, the Rotman Institute of Philosophy organizes a public lecture series co-sponsored with the London Public Library and the Department of Philosophy. The theme for this year's lecture series is Climate Change & Social Justice. Please join us in welcoming Professor Anna Zalik (York University), Professor Bipasha Baruah (Western University), Professor [...]
RECAP: AI for Health and Social Justice
Goodwill Industries 255 Horton St E, London, ON, CanadaRECAP-Event-Rotman Story Research Engagement Collaborative Alliance with Partners (RECAP) and the Rotman Institute of Philosophy are co-hosting an event on AI for health and social justice, bringing together Western researchers and diverse individual and organization experts from across a variety of communities, industries, governments and not-for-profits to share perspectives, find common ground, build connections, and explore [...]