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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250806T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250806T153000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250730T202219Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250731T202033Z
UID:29253-1754488800-1754494200@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Rotman Visiting Speaker: Eric Hochstein
DESCRIPTION:“Why Pan Pancomputationalism?”Abstract: Pancomputationalism is the view that every system in nature (e.g. brains\, digestive tracts\, rocks\, buckets of water\, etc.) can be understood as computing or running a program\, effectively making everything in nature a kind of computer. In response\, an increasing number of philosophers have argued that while we can create a computation model or description of virtually any physical system in nature\, only some systems in nature metaphysically compute or run programs. In this talk I argue that such a view is false\, and not supported by computer science\, or our explanatory practices in the sciences.  In other words\, I argue that we have compelling reasons to think that everything really does compute. And that this does not result in any sort of reduction ad absurdum. \nBio: Eric Hochstein is an Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Victoria and a Western Research Chair Visiting Fellow with the Rotman Institute of Philosophy.  He specializes in Philosophy of Science\, Philosophy of Neuroscience\, Philosophy of Psychology\, and Philosophy of Mind.  Eric’s research focuses on the different ways in which we model complex systems in science\, and how these various models relate and contribute to scientific explanation. \nAttendance is free\, no RSVP is required. Light refreshments will be served.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/rotman-visiting-speaker-eric-hochstein/
LOCATION:Room 4190 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Room 4190\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250805T173000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250805T190000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250731T200927Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250731T200927Z
UID:29259-1754415000-1754420400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Rotman Visiting Speaker: Cameron Buckner
DESCRIPTION:“LLMs as Models of Reasoning”Abstract: Recent advances in large language models that use self-prompting like GPT’s o1/o3 and DeepSeek have begun to encroach on human-level performance on “higher reasoning” problems in mathematics\, planning\, and problem-solving tasks. OpenAI in particular has made ambitious claims that these models are reasoning and that by scrutinizing their chains of self-prompting\, we can “read the minds” of these models\, with obvious implications for solving problems of opacity and safety. In this talk\, I review four different methodological approaches to evaluate the success of these models as models of human reasoning (“psychometrics”\, “signature limits”\, “inner speech”\, and “textual culture”)\, focusing especially on comparisons to philosophical and psychological work on “inner speech” in human reasoning. I argue that this work suggests that while the achievements of self-prompting models are impressive and may make their behavior more human-like\, we should be skeptical that problems of transparency and safety are solved by scrutinizing chains of self-prompting\, and more philosophical and empirical work needs to be done to understand how and why self-prompting improves the performance of these models on reasoning problems. \nBio: Cameron Buckner is a Professor and the Donald F. Cronin Chair in the Humanities at the University of Florida. His research primarily concerns philosophical issues which arise in the study of non-human minds\, especially animal cognition and artificial intelligence.  He began his academic career in logic-based artificial intelligence. This research inspired an interest into the relationship between classical models of reasoning and the (usually very different) ways that humans and animals actually solve problems\, which led him to the discipline of philosophy. He received a PhD in Philosophy at Indiana University in 2011 and an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship at Ruhr-University Bochum from 2011 to 2013. Recent representative publications include “Empiricism without Magic: Transformational Abstraction in Deep Convolutional Neural Networks” (2018\, Synthese)\, and “Rational Inference: The Lowest Bounds” (2017\, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research)—the latter of which won the American Philosophical Association’s Article Prize for the period of 2016–2018.  He just published a book with Oxford University Press that uses empiricist philosophy of mind (from figures such as Aristotle\, Ibn Sina\, John Locke\, David Hume\, William James\, and Sophie de Grouchy) to understand recent advances in deep-neural-network-based artificial intelligence. \nAttendance is free; for more information\, please contact Andrew Richmond at arichmo8@uwo.ca  \nLight refreshments will be served post-talk.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/rotman-visiting-speaker-cameron-buckner/
LOCATION:Room 1130 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, London\, ON\, N6A3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250722T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250722T150000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250715T201309Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T201309Z
UID:29242-1753192800-1753196400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Rotman Visiting Speaker: Lauren Olin
DESCRIPTION:“Housing Mirth”Talk Description: Like language and morality\, humor is a species universal with evolutionary origins that displays systematic cultural variation. Unlike other distinctively human evaluative capacities\, however\, humor has been neglected by philosophers and cognitive scientists. Housing Mirth diagnoses some historical reasons behind this pattern of neglect\, articulates a methodological framework for humor studies designed to address existing problems in the field\, and elaborates a new theory of humor along the way. According to the theory\, many puzzling features of humorous phenomena are readily understood as side-effects of the interaction between a cognitive system designed to generate predictions about what is likely to happen in the world\, and an emotional system designed to motivate quick action in instances where those predictions fail. \nBio: Lauren Olin’s research is located squarely in the philosophy of cognitive science\, though many of the questions she engages may readily be called ethical or epistemological. Her current interests involve both theoretical and empirical research on patterns of evaluative judgment\, psychopathology\, and epistemic dispositions. She has authored or co-authored papers for journals such as Philosophical Studies\, Synthese\, Transcultural Psychiatry\, and Philosophy Compass. Lauren earned her BA in Philosophy from McGill University in Montreal\, and her MA and PhD from the Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology program at Washington University in St. Louis \nAttendance is free\, no RSVP is required. Light refreshments will be served.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/rotman-visiting-speaker-lauren-olin/
LOCATION:Room 4190 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Room 4190\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20250525
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250529
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250320T164703Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T185806Z
UID:29031-1748131200-1748476799@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:2025 Annual Philosophy of Physics Conferences
DESCRIPTION:Empiricism and the Methodology of Modern PhysicsREGISTRATION LINKZOOM LINKMay 25-26\n\nThe structure of theories and how they represent the natural world\, through introducing basic principles and asserting the existence of unobserved entities\, have been central questions in philosophy of science over the last century. Bill Demopoulos\, George Smith\, and Howard Stein all developed sophisticated versions of empiricism to address these questions\, inspired in part by careful analysis of scientific practice.  All three acknowledged the centrality of measurement in evidential reasoning in physics\, and argued that understanding this role properly requires moving past earlier accounts of methodology — such as the method of hypotheses\, inference to the best explanation\, partial interpretation\, and structural isomorphism.  This conference will focus on work that considers the methodology of physics from a similar perspective\, with an eye towards the development of a more satisfactory account of the structure and interpretation of physical theories.\n\n\nClick here for the Philosophy of Physics Conference Poster.\n\n\n\nConfirmed SpeakersConference Schedule: May 25Conference Schedule: May 26Information for AttendeesConfirmed Speakers\n\n\nMike Cuffaro (MCMP)\n\n\nMolly Kao (U de Montreal)\n\n\nJames Mattingly (Georgetown)\n\n\nMichael Miller (Toronto)\n\n\nMiguel Ohnesorge (Cambridge / Boston University)\n\n\nLydia Patton (Virginia Tech)\n\n\nChris Pincock (Ohio State)\n\n\nSimon Saunders (Oxford)\n\n\nJim Weatherall (UC Irvine)\n\n\nConference Schedule: May 25\nConference Schedule: Sunday\, May 25 – WIRB Room #3000\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9:15\n\n\nIntroductory remarks\n\n\n\n\n9:30\n\n\nSimon Saunders – Principle and constructive theories of physical probability\, and Bell inequalities\n\n\n\n\n10:45\n\n\nCoffee break\n\n\n\n\n11:00\n\n\nMichael Cuffaro – Methodological Realism and Quantum Mechanics\n\n\n\n\n12:15\n\n\nLunch\n\n\n\n\n14:00\n\n\nMolly Kao – Blind analysis as coherence testing\n\n\n\n\n15:15\n\n\nCoffee break\n\n\n\n\n15:45\n\n\nJames Mattingly – Ideal Empiricism\n\n\n\n\n17:00\n\n\nEnd of conference\n\n\n\n\n\nConference Schedule: May 26\nConference Schedule: Monday\, May 26 – WIRB Room #7110\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n9:00\n\n\nLydia Patton – Beyond the Background: Gravitational Waves and the Field Equations\n\n\n\n\n10:15\n\n\nCoffee Break\n\n\n\n\n10:30\n\n\nMiguel Ohnesorge – Newton’s Open Problem: The Troubled Microphysics of Gravitation \n\n\n\n\n11:45\n\n\nChristopher Pincock – Demopoulos on theories\n\n\n\n\n13:00\n\n\nLunch\n\n\n\n\n14:30\n\n\nMichael Miller – Epistemic and Semantic Effective Realism \n\n\n\n\n15:45\n\n\nCoffee Break\n\n\n\n\n16:00\n\n\nJames Weatherall – TBD\n\n\n\n\n17:15\n\n\nEnd of conference\n\n\n\n\nInformation for Attendees\nFor individuals traveling to London for the conference\, we offer the following suggestions & general information: \nAccommodations \nHotels close to campus include: \n\nStationPark All Suite Hotel\nHilton London Ontario\nResidence Inn London Downtown\nIvey Spencer Leadership Centre\n\nTransportation \nOur local airport code is YXU (London\, Ontario\, Canada). It can sometimes be less expensive to fly into either Toronto or Detroit\, then take an airport shuttle van (Robert Q) or bus (Flixbus) into London. \nThe London Transit Commission has several bus routes (2\, 6\, 9C\, 10\, 13\, 31\, 32\, 33 and 34) that drop off somewhere on or near the university. Buses tend to run every 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the line\, and day of the week). Visit the London Transit Commission website for bus routes and estimated bus arrival times. \nConference Location & Parking \nThe event will be held in the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building (WIRB)\, in Room 3000 on Day 1 and Room 7110 on Day 2. The Visual Arts parking lot (permit-only) is located between WIRB and the Labatt Visual Arts Building. Complimentary parking is available on campus on Sunday\, May 25. However\, on Monday\, May 26\, attendees are kindly asked to use one of the HONK Mobile or Pay & Display parking meters to park their vehicles. \nPlease refer to the campus parking map for the locations of available lots and meters. \nLogic\, Mathematics\, and Physics Graduate ConferenceREGISTRATION LINKMay 27-28\nThe Logic\, Mathematics\, and Physics (LMP) Graduate Conference at Western University is an annual event that aims to foster collaboration and critical engagement among graduate students researching the philosophies of physics\, mathematics\, and logic. The conference includes presentations from graduate students who have not yet defended their PhD theses\, providing them with an opportunity to share their research and engage in discussions with peers and experts in the field and to obtain feedback. This year\, the conference welcomes keynote speaker Steven Weinstein\, Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo and Affiliate of the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. His research focuses on the foundations of physics\, the nature of time\, and interpretations of quantum mechanics. \nClick here for the LMP Conference Poster \n2025 LMP Graduate Student Conference Schedule\nMay 27th\n09:00am – Arrival\, light breakfast\, coffee \n09:30am – Javier Medina Barrientos (UCSD)\, “Philosophical Puzzles of Warp Drive Spacetimes” \n10:45am – Shelly Shi (UCSD)\, “Why Not a Gravitational Perpetual Motion Machine?” \n11:45am – Lunch \n01:00pm – Michael Huber\, “An Attempt to Showcase Conceptual Incoherence of Anti-Realist Interpretations of Quantum Mechanics” \n02:15pm – Dominic Ryder (LSE)\, “Is Black Hole Evaporation Prediction Friendly?” \n03:45pm – Steven Weinstein (University of Waterloo)\, Keynote Address \n07:00pm – Conference Supper \nMay 28th\n09:00am – Arrival\, light breakfast\, coffee \n09:30am – Patrick Fraser (University of Toronto)\, “Quantity Valuation in Algebraic Quantum Theory” \n10:45am – Ellen Shi (UC Irvine)\, “Algebraic Formalisms and Relationalism” \n11:45am – Lunch \n01:00pm – Paola Fontana (University of Genoa)\, “Abductive Arguments for Paraconsistency” \n02:15pm – Bosco Garcia (UCSD)\, “Neural Entropy: Between Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics” \n03:15pm – Awarding of the Robert K. Clifton Memorial Book Prize
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/2025-annual-philosophy-of-physics-conferences/
LOCATION:Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Perth Dr.\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Conference,Other Conferences,Past Events,Philosophy of Physics
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250508T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250508T150000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250328T150340Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250520T185445Z
UID:29087-1746693000-1746716400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Research Retreat: Human-AI Relationships
DESCRIPTION:Join The Rotman Institute of Philosophy for a Research Retreat on Human-AI Relationships. \nWho: Western University research community\nWhen: Thursday\, May 08\, 2025\nTime: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.\nWhere: WIRB 3000\, Western University \nThe Rotman Institute of Philosophy is excited to host a one-day research retreat on the topic of Human-AI Relationships. Our goal is to bring together a diverse group of experts—philosophers\, engineers\, computer scientists\, anthropologists\, historians\, psychologists\, and more—to explore the complex\, multifaceted nature of human-AI relationships. \nThis retreat will offer an opportunity for Western researchers to share their current research and explore new collaborations at a time when foundational\, transdisciplinary perspectives on the impact and opportunities of AI are urgently needed. \nThe retreat will feature short talks\, panel discussions\, and networking opportunities. Topics to be discussed will include design of AI interfaces\, impact on knowledge creation\, ethical implications\, technological applications\, effects on social trust\, and more! A detailed list of presentations and the full program will be posted on our event page closer to the date. \nFor questions or inquiries\, please contact Paul Arnold (parnold6@uwo.ca). \nDue to a high number of responses\, registration for the event is now CLOSED. \nThe Rotman Institute is establishing an Interdisciplinary Working Group (IWG) to continue to explore the topic of Human-AI Relationships. This group will provide opportunities for people to share their research and network around shared interests. \nPlease contact Paul (parnold6@uwo.ca) if you would like to be added to the contact list for that group. \nPROGRAM SCHEDULE \nFor full program details\, please CLICK HERE. \n\n\n\n8:30-8:50am\nRegistration & Light Refreshments\n\n\n8:50-9:00am\nWelcome & Introduction\n\n\n9:00-10:00am\nSESSION 1: HUMANIZING AI\n\n\n10:00-10:15am\nCoffee Break & Networking Activities\n\n\n10:15-11:15pm\nSESSION 2: TRUST IN AND DEPENDENCE ON AI\n\n\n11:15-11:55am\nPanel Discussion 1: Humanizing AI\, and Trust in and Dependence on AI\n\n\n11:55am-1:15pm\nLunch & Networking Activities\n\n\n1:15-2:15pm\nSESSION 3: INTEGRATING AI\n\n\n2:15-2:30pm\nCoffee Break & Networking Activities\n\n\n2:30-3:00pm\nPanel Discussion 2: Integrating AI\n\n\n3:00pm\nClosing Remarks
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/research-retreat-human-ai-relationships/
LOCATION:Room 3000 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western University\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Annual Rotman Conferences,Past Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250505T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250505T180000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250320T181950Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250522T135935Z
UID:29061-1746448200-1746468000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Research Retreat: Election Interference and Security In A Contested Infosphere
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rotman Institute of Philosophy\, the Electro-Governance Group (EGG)\, the Department of Political Science and the Starling Center for Just Technologies for a research retreat bringing together scholars from across disciplines and departments at Western to share research and perspectives on the political and security challenges to democracies arising from technological and political-economic change in the media ecosystem. \nWhen: Monday\, May 5th from 12:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.\nWhere: Weldon Library Community Room \nPlease follow this link to register and participate: Registration Form \nMore info: \nElection interference is a central concern in political and security discourse\, but what exactly does it entail? What countermeasures are effective\, politically plausible\, and consistent with democratic values? What assumptions about communication\, mediation\, and representation underlie these concerns? \nWe imagine democracies as responsive to public opinion\, yet opinion formation and measurement are vulnerable to technologically aided manipulation. The ability to engage in meaningful dialogue and coordinate representative action is increasingly undermined. Sometimes deliberately\, sometimes as a byproduct of sociotechnical systems that mediate our interactions. As distinctions between foreign and domestic actors\, media and technology organizations\, and security and civic interests blur\, election interference is expanding in scope while theoretical and policy responses remain limited. \nThis research retreat will bring together scholars at Western to examine the political and security challenges arising from technological and political-economic shifts in the media ecosystem. We invite discussion on conditions that enable mis/dis/mal information\, polarizing narratives\, and media affordances that silence or amplify voices\, shape agendas\, and disrupt sensemaking. Relevant topics include platform governance\, trust and safety\, recommendation and moderation algorithms\, privacy\, political communication\, surveillance\, election law\, persuasive technology\, and propaganda. \nThe retreat will consist of a series of workshop sessions with options for 10 minute presentations or 3-5 minute lightening talks\, and panel discussions. Finally\, we aim to foster future collaboration with student\, faculty\, and community researchers through a dedicated session for those interested in joining an ongoing working group and taking part in grants and future projects.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/research-retreat-election-interference-and-security-in-a-contested-infosphere/
LOCATION:Private: Weldon Library Community Room\, Western University - 1151 Richmond Street\, London\, ON\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Other Conferences,Past Events
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250501T083000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250501T170000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20241126T160112Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250522T140008Z
UID:28942-1746088200-1746118800@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Workshop: Cognition in Social Contexts: Interdisciplinary Perspectives
DESCRIPTION:ZOOM LINK\nWorkshop Registration\nRegistration is now CLOSED. Thank you for your interest. \nSee below for updated workshop program. \nIn recent decades\, many new research fields have emerged at the intersection of the social and cognitive sciences\, such as cognitive sociology (e.g.\, Zerubavel\, 1997)\, cognitive anthropology D’Andrade\, 1992)\, cultural psychology (e.g.\, Shweder\, 1991)\, and social neuroscience (Cacioppo & Berntson\, 2002)\, to name a few. While researchers in these fields have sought to leverage insights from both branches of science to investigate human cognition in various societal contexts—social\, cultural\, political\, historical\, technological\, and economic\, they face significant conceptual\, ontological\, epistemological\, and methodological challenges when conducting their investigations (see Ignatow\, 2014; Kaidesoja et al.\, 2019; Strydom\, 2007; Turner\, 2018 for instance). \nThis one-day workshop focuses on philosophical issues that arise at the intersection of the E-cognitive sciences (E—embodied\, enactive\, extended\, embedded\, ecological\, evolutionary\, etc.)\, and the social sciences. For instance\, how do researchers at this intersection conceptualize and model the relationship between mind\, brain\, body\, and society? What approaches do they adopt to reconcile and/or use dissimilar theories\, concepts\, and explanations from different research programs? How do researchers identify scientific objects\, levels of analysis\, and research methods for investigating the phenomena of their interest? In what ways does their interdisciplinary work contribute to the scientific understanding of human cognition and behavior? What are the implications of their work for traditional philosophical questions about the mind\, self\, agency\, and society? \nThis workshop aims to (1) explore interdisciplinary approaches to studying human cognition in society and identify points of convergence and divergence\, (2) gauge the contribution of these approaches to the advancement of scientific understanding of the mind\, (3) foster interdisciplinary conversations between E-cognitive scientists\, social scientists\, and philosophers\, (4) explore opportunities for potential collaboration between different research groups\, and (5) explore the role that institutions play in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific progress. \n\nWorkshop Themes and Questions\nWe invite submissions that address\, but are not limited to\, the following themes and questions: \n\nnE approaches to social cognition\nCognitive social science\nSocial ontology\nSocial agency and collective action\nScientific practices\n\nHow do researchers from the E-cognitive sciences (ECS)\, such as those working in the traditions of ecological psychology\, enactivism\, and phenomenology\, conceptualize the relationship between mind and society? \nWhat role does the environment—ecological\, social\, cultural\, political\, historical\, technological\, economic—play in shaping human social interactions and cognition? \nWhat constraints\, if any\, enable and limit interdisciplinary work\, conversations\, and collaborations? \n\nKeynote Speaker\nOur keynote speaker for the event is Stephen Turner\, Distinguished University Professor\, USF. Prof. Turner has numerous publications on the topic of the workshop\, including Cognitive Science and the Social: A Primer and Understanding the Tacit. \n\nWorkshop Program\n\n\n\n8:30-8:50\nCoffee and light refreshments\n\n\nMorning Session (Chair: Michael L. Anderson)\n\n\n8:50-9:20\nJay McKinney (Carleton College)\nInteractionist Cognitive Science\n\n\n9:20-9:50\nJustin Daduya (University of the Philippines Diliman)\nWhat Even Is Ideology?: A Cognitive Science-Driven Research Agenda\n\n\n9:50-10:00\nCoffee Break\n\n\n10:00-11:00\nStephen Turner (University of South Florida)\nKeynote address: Where are we now\, and where we might retrace steps\n\n\n11:00-12:00\nInvited lightning talks (Priscila Barros\, Manpreet Rai\, Jonathan De Souza)\n\n\n12:00-13:30\nLunch Break\n\n\nAfternoon Session (Chair: Priscila Ribeiro Prado Barros)\n\n\n13:30-14:00\nShayan Morshedi (Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador)\nBridging Meta-Memory to Collective Memory: Meta-Collective Memory\n\n\n14:00-14:30\nFrederic Mirindi (University of Manitoba) and Derrick Mirindi (Morgan State University)\nThe Economic Implications of Cognitive AI: A Social-Computational Framework for Understanding Machine Intelligence\n\n\n14:30-15:00\nKonrad Werner (University of Warsaw\nThe Enactment of Problems and Institutions to Solve Them\n\n\n15:00-15:10\nCoffee Break\n\n\n15:10-15:40\nEmma Otterski\nUnderstanding Others’ Emotions: Social Status and Attention to Context\n\n\n15:40-16:10\nVarun Ravikumar (Western University)\nHabitus and Affordance: Towards a Radical Embodied Cognitive Social Science\n\n\n16:10-17:00\nPanel Discussion\n\n\nClosing remarks\n\n\n\n \n\nFinancial and Travel Information\nThere are no registration fees for the workshop. Unfortunately\, we are unable to provide funding for transportation or accommodation for selected workshop participants. We encourage participants to explore financial support options through their home institutions. For applicants from countries requiring a Canadian travel visa\, please review the visa appointment and processing times at your local Canadian embassy before you apply. Successful applicants will receive an invitation letter to support their visa application. \n\nContact Information\nFor any inquiries\, please contact: Prof. Michael L. Anderson [mande54@uwo.ca]\, Varun Ravikumar [vraviku@uwo.ca]. \n\nAcknowledgements\nThis workshop is organized by Michael L. Anderson\, Scott Schaffer\, Varun Ravikumar\, Priscila Ribeiro Prado Barros\, and Eysan Demirkaya as part of the Rotman Interdisciplinary Think Tank Award Project “Ecological Psychology in Society.”
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/workshop-cognition-in-social-contexts/
LOCATION:Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Perth Dr.\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Conference,Past Events,Philosophy of Mind & Neuroscience
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250403T193000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250403T210000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250320T173243Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T190929Z
UID:29056-1743708600-1743714000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Nerenberg Lecture Series: Francesca Vidotto
DESCRIPTION:The lecture is open to all members of the public and it is free. To guarantee a place\, please register for the 2025 Nerenberg Lecture HERE.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/nerenberg-lecture-series-francesca-vidotto/
LOCATION:Conron Hall\, Unversity College\, Western University\, Western University - 1151 Richmond Street\, London\, ON\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250327T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250327T133000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250306T165105Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T191003Z
UID:29017-1743078600-1743082200@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Generative Artificial Intelligence & Historiography
DESCRIPTION:EVENT DESCRIPTION\n\nBIO:\n \nWilliam J. Turkel is Professor of History at the University of Western Ontario and internationally recognized for his innovative work in digital history. He uses machine learning\, text mining\, and computational techniques in his study of the histories of science\, technology and environment\, drawing on many decades of programming experience. He is the author of Spark from the Deep (Johns Hopkins\, 2013)\, The Archive of Place (UBC\, 2007) and the open access textbook Digital Research Methods with Mathematica (2nd ed 2019). His current research focuses on the use of generative AI in historiography\, history and theory\, and historical methods. Dr. Turkel is a member of the Rotman Institute of Philosophy and the College of New Scholars\, Artists and Scientists of the Royal Society of Canada (2018-25). \nABSTRACT: \nCollaboration with Generative Artificial Intelligence will rapidly reshape the nature of historical thinking in the 21st century. Because GenAI is capable of performing complex\, nonroutine\, and cognitive tasks through natural language prompting\, it drastically reduces barriers for developing hybrid human-AI systems that can read and understand vast numbers of sources (albeit in a distinctly non-human way). At the same time\, GenAI systems operate so that they always have some possibility of so-called hallucination. Hallucinations can be mitigated by the use of more structured techniques for representing\, analyzing\, and reasoning about sources. Here\, I make three arguments. First\, contemporary information environments\, including our collective record of the past\, require sophisticated computational systems to make sense of. Second\, we will need to understand this as an adversarial process. Historians have long practiced source criticism to evaluate reliability and authenticity\, and assessed the biases\, gaps\, and silences in their archives. But GenAI supports new forms of ambiguity\, influence\, denial\, deception\, and disinformation and all of these techniques have a historical dimension. Third\, the traditional slow scholarship of individuals writing monographs at the time scale of decades has to be supplemented by larger teams of humans and AIs\, collaborating to create an evidence-based usable past in real time. \nAttendance will be free\, but advance registration is requested. Please RSVP at historyrsvp@uwo.ca or scan the QR code on the poster.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/rotman-seminar-generative-ai-historiography/
LOCATION:Room 3000 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western University\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Artificial Intelligence,Past Events,Rotman Dialogues,Rotman Lectures
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250326T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250326T170000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250320T134139Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T191150Z
UID:29042-1743003000-1743008400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Rotman Visiting Speaker: Chris Letheby
DESCRIPTION:“Merely Believing and Really Believing: Mental Imagery in Personal Transformation”Talk Description: As a teacher of mine once remarked\, when we say that teenagers think they are immortal\, we don’t mean that they would fail a biology test. Teenagers believe\, truly and justifiably\, that they will die\, but there is also a sense in which they – and perhaps most of us – don’t really believe it. The topic of this talk is exactly this difference between merely believing and really believing a proposition – between knowing it only in our head\, as we might say\, and knowing it in our heart\, or feeling it in our bones. The shift from ‘head’ knowledge to ‘heart’ knowledge has been much discussed but is still not fully understood. A fuller understanding of it could shed light on interesting theoretical questions and be of significant practical benefit\, given the apparent therapeutic and transformative relevance of such shifts. In the talk I explore a simple proposal about the cognitive nature of such shifts: that they consist primarily in the activation of mental imagery. My ultimate conclusion is that this proposal gets at part of the truth\, but may not be the whole story. Exploring its limits promises to shed further light on the nature of the shifts themselves\, and perhaps even on broader questions about cognitive architecture. \nBio: Dr Chris Letheby is a Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at The University of Western Australia (UWA). His areas of specialization are philosophy of mind\, philosophy of cognitive science\, and philosophy of neuroscience. His research interests include the causal mechanisms and epistemic status of transformative spiritual practices\, the possibility of a “naturalistic spirituality”\, and the nature of self-awareness. At UWA he teaches topics including intro to philosophy\, formal logic\, epistemology\, philosophy of mind\, philosophy of science\, philosophy of artificial intelligence\, and philosophy of psychology and psychiatry. \nLetheby’s research to date has focused mainly on the use of classic psychedelic drugs in neuroscience and psychiatry. In several articles and a book\, he has argued that a traditional conception of psychedelics as agents of insight and spirituality can be reconciled with naturalism\, the philosophical position that the natural world is all there is. He takes a neurophilosophical approach\, grounding his philosophical analyses in scientific findings\, and he has engaged in several interdisciplinary collaborations with neuroscientists and psychologists. \nAttendance is free\, no RSVP is required. Light refreshments will be served.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/rotman-visiting-speaker-chris-letheby/
LOCATION:Room 3000 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western University\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20250130T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20250130T190000
DTSTAMP:20260407T134219
CREATED:20250121T184519Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250610T190753Z
UID:28977-1738256400-1738263600@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Duncanson Lecture: Come with Me Inside a Black Hole
DESCRIPTION:The Faculty of Arts & Humanities is honoured to host Carlo Rovelli for the 2025 Robert and Patricia Duncanson Lecture\, held on January 30\, 2025. This hybrid event can be attended in person at Conron Hall or online via Zoom. Each registrant will receive the Zoom link as part of the registration email. REGISTER HERE! \n\nIn “Come with Me Inside a Black Hole\,” Rovelli explores white holes\, black holes\, and what we do when we do science. A New York Times bestselling author\, Carlo Rovelli will guide attendees on a trip towards and into a black hole\, illustrating what we know and what we do not know about these strange objects.  He will show how we might then get out of a black hole\, via a white hole\, assuming the theory on which he works\, Loop Quantum Gravity\, is correct. This trip will illustrate what it is to do science\, using imagination\, visualization\, and creativity\, besides ‘cold’ math and logic. \n  \nAbout the Speaker: \nCarlo Rovelli is a theoretical physicist\, known for his work on quantum gravity and the nature of time.  Among his recognitions are the 1996 Xanthopoulos Award and the 2024 Lewis Thomas Prize. He is affiliated to the University of Aix-Marseille\, the philosophy department and the Rotman Institute of the Western University\, the Perimeter Institute and the Santa Fe Institute for Complexity.  He is member of the Institute Universitaire de France\, honorary professor of the Beijing Normal University\, Honoris Causa Laureate of the Universidad de San Martin\, Buenos Aires\, member of the Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences. He promoted the Peace Dividend Initiative\, involving 60 Nobel Laureates in asking for a worldwide collaborative military expenses reduction. He has written global best sellers translated in more than 40 languages.  He has been included in the 2019 list of the 100 most influential “Global Thinkers” by Foreign Policy magazine and in the 2021 list of The World’s 50 Top Thinkers by Prospect magazine. \n  \n\nFollowing Carlo Rovelli’s lecture\, a reception will be held in the rooms adjoining Conron Hall. \nProgram\n4:30 p.m. – Guests arrive for in person lecture\n5:00 to 6:00 p.m. – Lecture and live stream\n6:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Reception \nAll registrants will receive the Zoom link; during the registration process you will be asked if you are attending in person (which includes the reception) or online. Should your plans to attend in person change due to illness or weather\, the Zoom option will be available. \nAdvance registration is appreciated by January 27\, 2025. The lecture will begin promptly at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Toronto\, Ontario\, Canada). \nGetting to Campus \nPlease allow sufficient time to navigate campus. The campus is well-served by numerous bus routes\, bike parking\, and well-maintained paths and sidewalks. Learn more about Sustainable Transportation – Parking & Visitor Services – Western University (uwo.ca). The South Valley Lot\, Middlesex Lot and The Springett Lots become complimentary with their gates raised at 4:00pm. Paid parking is available at the Talbot Lot as well. \nPlease contact Western Alumni if you require information in an alternate format or have other accessibility needs.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/carlo-rovelli-duncanson-lecture/
LOCATION:Zoom webinar or Conron Hall\, University College\, Western University\, Western University - 1151 Richmond Street\, London\, ON\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Past Events,Public Events,Public Lectures
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