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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20221118
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20221119
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SUMMARY:Nicole Nelson: Is animal behavior genetics reductionist?
DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\nCritics 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 to many levels of explanatory variables and not just molecular ones. This talk aims to explain why the same research may look reductionist from one vantage point and not from another by attending to how information moves through communities. I will present case studies from addiction research that I argue reveal two knowledge asymmetries which contribute to discrepant viewpoints: one between those with access to knowledge “by-products” and those with access to only the published literature\, and a second between those who are examining individual research products versus research programs. Considering these asymmetries not only helps explain the dynamics of debates about reductionism and genetics; it also provides opportunities for reflexive discussion about how philosophers’ access to scientific knowledge may shape the arguments they make about it. \nSpeaker Profile:\nNicole C. Nelson is an Associate Professor of Science and Technology Studies in the Department of Medical History and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin—Madison’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Her first book\, Model Behavior (2018)\, is an ethnographic study of how animal behavior geneticists conceptualize and enact complexity in research with mouse models. She is incoming Editor in Chief at the journal Social Studies of Science\, the founding director of the Health and the Humanities program at UW Madison\, and a former scholar in residence at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Her current research focuses on the “reproducibility crisis” in biomedicine and its relationship to histories of biomedical and open science research reform. \nImage credit: Maisie by Jlhinton (license) \nView similar events\nNicole Nelson: Is animal behavior genetics reductionist?18 November 2022Stefan Linquist: Genome-Level Ecology25 March 2022\,  3:30 pm - 5:00 pm  EDT Massimiliano Simons: Synthetic biology as a technoscience11 January 2022\,  2:00 pm - 3:30 pm  EST Eva Jablonka: Inheritance Systems and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis23 April 2021\,  11:00 am - 12:30 pm  EDT
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/nicole-nelson-is-animal-behavior-genetics-reductionist/
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20220325T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20220325T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20211201T200755Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220316T175303Z
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SUMMARY:Stefan Linquist: Genome-Level Ecology
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rotman Synthetic Biology Reading Group for a meeting with Stefan Linquist for a discussion of his research on genome-level ecology. Individuals interested in attending the talk need not participate in the reading group\, but will need to register in advance. This will be a hybrid event with in-person or virtual attendance options. \nReadings:\nThis session will focus on a draft paper: Linquist\, S. Breaking news from genome-level ecology: Not everything that is a Darwinian individual should be scientifically regarded as such. \nFor background on transposable element ecology\, this paper is also suggested for further reading: Linquist S\, Saylor B\, Cottenie K\, Elliott TA\, Kremer SC\, Gregory TR. Distinguishing ecological from evolutionary approaches to transposable elements. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2013 Aug;88(3):573-84. doi: 10.1111/brv.12017. Epub 2013 Jan 24. PMID: 23347261. \nSpeaker Profile:\nStefan Linquist is an associate professor in the department of philosophy at the University of Guelph. He is a philosopher of biology with research interests in ecology\, genomics\, evolution\, and psychology. Much of his work is at the interface between these disciplines. Despite the diversity of these pursuits some common themes unify his work. Philosophically\, he is a naturalist. He take this to mean that philosophical reasoning should be informed by the best available scientific theories and results. However\, he also considers it the job of philosophy to challenge science. For example\, his work on innateness in psychology\, on contingency in ecology\, and on function in genomics challenges the ways that some scientists employ these concepts. \nIn-Person Attendance\nWestern University’s vaccination policy and mandatory masking requirement remains in place and applies to all campus visitors\, students\, and employees. Please be prepared to provide proof of vaccination prior to entering the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building. \nVisit Western's COVID-19 Information PageRegister to Attend In-PersonVirtual Attendance\nFor those who cannot join us in-person\, this talk will be streamed live via Zoom. Virtual attendees will have an opportunity to participate in the Q&A by entering their questions into the chat. Advance registration is required in order to obtain the zoom meeting link & password. \nDownload Zoom Client for MeetingsRegister to Attend VirtuallyImage credit: Genetics Exhibit\, San Jose Tech by Thomas Hawk (license) \nView similar events\nNicole Nelson: Is animal behavior genetics reductionist?18 November 2022Stefan Linquist: Genome-Level Ecology25 March 2022\,  3:30 pm - 5:00 pm  EDT Massimiliano Simons: Synthetic biology as a technoscience11 January 2022\,  2:00 pm - 3:30 pm  EST Eva Jablonka: Inheritance Systems and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis23 April 2021\,  11:00 am - 12:30 pm  EDT
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/stefan-linquist-genome-level-ecology/
LOCATION:Room 7107 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, London\, ON\, N6A3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20220111T140000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20220111T153000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20211201T190343Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211208T160112Z
UID:25937-1641909600-1641915000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Massimiliano Simons: Synthetic biology as a technoscience
DESCRIPTION:Join the Rotman Synthetic Biology Reading Group for a meeting with Massimiliano Simons for a discussion of his 2021 paper\, “Synthetic biology as a technoscience: The case of minimal genomes and essential genes”. Individuals interested in attending the talk need not participate in the reading group\, but will need to register to receive a link to the Zoom meeting. \nRegister to attend Synthetic biology as a technoscienceReading:\nMassimiliano Simons\, Synthetic biology as a technoscience: The case of minimal genomes and essential genes\, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A\,Volume 85\, 2021\, Pages 127-136\, ISSN 0039-3681\, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2020.09.012. \nAbstract:\nThis article examines how minimal genome research mobilizes philosophical concepts such as minimality and essentiality. Following a historical approach the article aims to uncover what function this terminology plays and which problems are raised by them. Specifically\, four historical moments are examined\, linked to the work of Harold J. Morowitz\, Mitsuhiro Itaya\, Eugene Koonin and Arcady Mushegian\, and J. Craig Venter. What this survey shows is a historical shift away from historical questions about life or descriptive questions about specific organisms towards questions that explore biological possibilities: what are possible forms of minimal genomes\, regardless of whether they exist in nature? \nMoreover\, it highlights a fundamental ambiguity at work in minimal genome research between a universality claim and a standardization claim: does a minimal genome refer to the minimal gene set for any organism whatsoever? Or does it refer rather to a gene set that will provide stable\, robust and predictable behaviour\, suited for biotechnological applications? Two diagnoses are proposed for this ambiguity: a philosophical diagnosis of how minimal genome research either misunderstands the ontology of biological entities or philosophically misarticulates scientific practice. Secondly\, a historical diagnosis that suggests that this ambiguity is part of a broader shift towards technoscience. \nSpeaker Profile:\nMassimiliano Simons is a postdoctoral researcher at the department of philosophy and moral sciences at the UGent. After a MA in Philosophy (KU Leuven\, 2014) and a MSc in Sociology (KU Leuven\, 2015) he started a PhD in philosophy (funded by FWO) at the Institute of Philosophy at the KU Leuven in 2015\, under the supervision of Prof. Paul Cortois. He defended his PhD in 2019\, entitled “The Raven and the Trojan Horse: Constructing Nature in Synthetic Biology”. It focused on the recent emerging discipline of synthetic biology\, which aims to understand life by synthesising it in the lab\, and how to understand this discipline in the light of constructivist claims in philosophy of science. \nIn 2019 he started a FWO postdoc at Ghent University\, under supervision of Prof. Maarten Van Dyck\, focusing on the concept of ‘technoscience’. The goal is to investigate how the concept is understood by numerous philosophers and sociologists and to confront these conceptions with contemporary technoscientific fields such as synthetic biology and data science. \nImage credit: Photo by CDC on Unsplash \nView similar events\nNicole Nelson: Is animal behavior genetics reductionist?18 November 2022Stefan Linquist: Genome-Level Ecology25 March 2022\,  3:30 pm - 5:00 pm  EDT Massimiliano Simons: Synthetic biology as a technoscience11 January 2022\,  2:00 pm - 3:30 pm  EST Eva Jablonka: Inheritance Systems and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis23 April 2021\,  11:00 am - 12:30 pm  EDT
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/massimiliano-simons-synthetic-biology-as-a-technoscience/
LOCATION:Virtual (register for Zoom link)
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20210423T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20210423T123000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20210118T200932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20210421T142252Z
UID:23759-1619175600-1619181000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Eva Jablonka: Inheritance Systems and the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis
DESCRIPTION:Join us for a virtual talk by geneticist Eva Jablonka (Tel Aviv University) on inheritance systems and the extended evolutionary synthesis. This event will take place via zoom. \nREGISTER TO ATTEND \nABSTRACT\n\nThere is a debate among evolutionary biologists today about the need to significantly revise the neo-Darwinian model of evolution that was dominant over the last seventy years. After presenting the views for and against the revision\, I discuss the challenges to the traditional theory that are coming from an expanded notion of heredity\, focusing on the evolutionary implications of epigenetic and cultural inheritance. I suggest that these challenges require a reformulation of basic assumptions of the dominant neo-Darwinian version of evolutionary theory and the construction of a new\, extended and revised evolutionary thought-style. \nSee also Jablonka’s book by the same title\, co-authored with Marion Lamb:\nJablonka\, E.\, & Lamb\, M. (2020). Inheritance Systems and the Extended Synthesis. Cambridge University Press.\n\nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n \nEva Jablonka has research interests that span heredity\, epigenetics\, evolutionary biology\, behavioral ecology\, developmental biology\, language and cultural evolution\, history of genetics\, and the philosophy of science. She was awarded a BSc in Biology in 1976 and an MSc in Microbiology in 1980\, both from Ben-Gurion University\, Israel\, followed by a PhD in Genetics from the Hebrew University\, Jerusalem\, Israel\, in 1988. \nJablonka is a professor at the Cohn Institute for the History of Philosophy of Science and Ideas at Tel Aviv University\, and has the following affiliations: The Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas Tel-Aviv University\, Tel-Aviv 69978\, Israel; The Sagol School for Neuroscience\, Tel-Aviv University\, Tel-Aviv 69978\, Israel; Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science\, London School of Economics and Political Science\, Houghton Street\, London\, WC2A 2AE\, UK \nRead more about Eva Jablonka. \n\nPictured above: North American Beaver by Tim Lumley (license)
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/jablonka-extended-evolutionary-synthesis/
LOCATION:Virtual (register for Zoom link)
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20201105
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20201127
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20200730T215451Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20211208T010052Z
UID:23295-1604534400-1606435199@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Responsibilities to Others: 2020 Philosophy Lecture Series
DESCRIPTION:Our attempts to deal with the effects of COVID-19 have revived significant interest in a question of enduring philosophical interest: what do we owe to each other?  This series of public lectures will examine our responsibilities (if any) to others. It will include discussions on the evolution of altruism\, on the idea that both individuals and collectives can have moral responsibilities\, on how moral philosophy might assist us in thinking about whether we ought to mandate vaccination for Covid-19 once a vaccine is developed\, and finally\, on what it would mean to grant legal personhood status to non-human animals.  \nThe annual philosophy lecture series is prepared in partnership with the Rotman Institute of Philosophy\, the Department of Philosophy at Western University\, and the London Public Library. This year’s events will be held via Zoom webinar and will take place on Thursdays in November. Attendance is free\, but advance registration will be required in order to obtain the link to join the webinar. \n\nNov 5  at 12:00 pm | Evolution\, Selfishness & Altruism | Samir Okasha\, University of Bristol\nNov 12 at 7:00 pm | Individual and Collective Responsibility and Interests during COVID-19 | Tracy Isaacs\, Western University\nNov 19 7:00 pm | Ethics in the Time of Coronavirus | Anthony Skelton\, Western University\nNov 26 7:00 pm | Animals as Legal Beings: Contesting Anthropocentric Legal Orders | Maneesha Deckha\, University of Victoria\n\nREGISTER TO ATTENDEach event will begin with a short presentation by the speaker\, lasting approximately 30 minutes. Rotman Institute Associate Director\, Eric Desjardins\, will act as host and ask the speaker a number of follow-up discussion questions. Registered attendees will have the option to ask additional questions live via Zoom\, or to submit questions in advance via email. This will be a new format for our annual library series and we look forward to having an engaging discussion with everyone in attendance in this new online setting! \nPlease see the tabs below to view talk abstracts\, speaker profiles\, and suggested readings for each event. \nNovember 5November 12November 19November 26November 5\nEvolution\, Altruism & Selfishness\n\nThursday\, 5 November 2020\n12:00 – 1:00 pm\nIt is sometimes thought that Darwinian evolution implies that organisms will evolve to be “selfish”\, that is\, to behave in a way that furthers their own biological interests rather than those of others. However\, biologists have long recognized that “altruistic” behaviour is quite common in nature\, and have sought to reconcile this finding with evolutionary principles. This talk focuses on the philosophical implications of this classic biological issue\, and asks how biologists use of terms such as “altruism” and “selfishness” relate to their vernacular use. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n \nSamir Okasha is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow of the British Academy\, and President of the European Philosophy of Science Association. His philosophical interests fall into two main areas: (i) philosophy of biology / evolutionary theory; and (ii) epistemology /philosophy of science. \nWithin philosophy of biology\, he is especially interested in foundational and conceptual questions surrounding evolutionary theory. For many years\, his research focused on the ‘levels of selection’ question in evolutionary biology\, and the related issue of individual versus group conflicts of interest. This culminated in his book Evolution and the Levels of Selection (OUP 2006)\, which was awarded the 2009 Lakatos Prize for an outstanding contribution to philosophy of science. He continues to work on these topics. \nWithin epistemology / philosophy of science\, he is interested in topics including probability and induction\, evidence and confirmation\, causality\, theory choice\, scepticism and knowledge\, and epistemological holism. \nRead more about Samir Okasha. \nSUGGESTED READINGS\nWant to learn more? Our speaker & librarians from the London Public Library have a list of suggested readings & a film that complement this talk. You can find all of these at the London Public Library! \nOkasha\, Samir\, Philosophy of Biology: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press\, 2018). \nMurthy\, Vivek Hallegere\, Together: the healing power of human connection in a sometimes lonely world (Harper Wave\, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers\, 2020) \nAckerman\, Jennifer\, The bird way : a new look at how birds talk\, work\, play\, parent\, and think (Penguin Press\, 2020) \nHare\, Brian\, Survival of the friendliest: understanding our origins and rediscovering our common humanity (Random House\, 2020) \nPfaff\, Donald W.\, The altruistic brain : how we are naturally good (Oxford University Press\, 2015) \nSchwartz\, Peter\, In defense of selfishness: why the code of self-sacrifice is unjust and destructive  (Palgrave Macmillan Trade\, 2015) \nWhy Help? The Story of the Babbler Birds – Kanopy film \nNovember 12\nIndividual and Collective Responsibility and Interests during COVID-19\n\nThursday\, 12 November 2020\n7:00 – 8:00 pm\nLots of large global issues require collective\, coordinated responses.  For example\, if only a handful of individuals make choices that might reduce climate change if large numbers of people made the same choices (many of which involve sacrifice)\, that’s not enough to make a difference.  But if enough people are contributing to make a difference\, then (sadly) it can be tempting for others to embrace “exceptionalism\,” wherein they experience the benefits of the collective effort without making the sacrifices. The response to the global pandemic is similar\, where the collective public health effort requires that individuals work together with the common goal of curbing the spread of COVID-19. This raises ethical questions about how to balance individual and collective interests. My talk will focus on these questions\, offering an argument for why\, when we face these sorts of global issues\, individuals ought to feel an ethical investment in and be guided by the collective goal. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\nTracy Isaacs is an Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and a Professor in the Departments of Philosophy and of Women’s Studies and Feminist Research (WSFR) at Western University in London\, Ontario\, Canada. \nHer research focuses on issues of responsibility in collective action contexts\, collective obligation\, ethics\, and feminist ethics. She also works on feminist issues in sport and fitness\, food\, dieting\, and body image. \nShe blogs with her colleague\, Samantha Brennan\, and a great group of guest bloggers\, at Fit Is a Feminist Issue. \n\nRead more about Tracy Isaacs. \n\nNovember 19\nEthics in the Time of Coronavirus\n\nThursday\, 19 November 2020\n7:00 – 8:00 pm\n\n\n\nWe face and will continue to face numerous ethical challenges as we attempt to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Moral philosophy seems poised to help with some of these challenges. This presentation focuses on what may emerge as a pressing ethical question once we discover a safe and effective vaccine for Covid-19\, namely\, ought the state to mandate vaccination for Covid-19? This presentation examines several philosophical arguments in favour of an affirmative answer to this question. It concludes that there are good reasons for the state to mandate vaccination. \n\n\n\nSPEAKER PROFILE\n \n\n\n\nAnthony Skelton is Associate Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the Uni- versity of Western Ontario. He specializes in normative ethics and the history of ethics. He has published articles in Ethics\, Canadian Journal of Philosophy\, Jour- nal of the History of Philosophy\, and Utilitas\, among others. He is the co-editor of Bioethics in Canada\, second edition published by Oxford University Press and the author of Sidgwick’s Ethics forthcoming on Cambridge University Press. He is an associate editor of the Journal for the History of Analytical Philosophy. In 2015\, he received the Faculty of Arts and Humanities Teaching Excellence Award and in 2019-20 he was the Graham and Gail Wright Distinguished Scholar in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Western Ontario. \n\n\n\nRead more about Anthony Skelton. \nSUGGESTED READINGS:\nWant to learn more? Our speaker & librarians from the London Public Library have a list of suggested readings that complement this talk. You can find all of these at the London Public Library! \n\n\n\nGiubilini\, Alberto\, The Ethics of Vaccination (London: Palgrave Macmillan\, 2019). \nSchwartz\, Meredith Celene\, ed.\, The Ethics of Pandemics (Peterborough\, ON: Broadview Press\, 2020). \nReich\, Robert B.\, The common good (Alfred A. Knopf\,  2018) \nMarshall\, Richard\, ed.\, Ethics at 3:am : questions and answers on how to live well (Oxford University Press\, 2017) \n\n\n\nNovember 26\nAnimals as Legal Beings: Contesting Anthropocentric Legal Orders\n\nThursday\, 26 November 2020\n7:00 – 8:00 pm\nIn this talk\, Maneesha Deckha presents the argument in her forthcoming book from University of Toronto Press of the same title. She calls for a non-anthropocentric reorientation for Canadian law\, by criticizing the colonial legal treatment of animals as property under the common law\, but also finding fault with personhood as an appropriate animal-friendly replacement. Instead\, marshalling feminist and postcolonial insights\, as well as critical animal studies\, the book theorizes a new legal category altogether\, namely beingness\, as better able to protect animals from exploitation and value animals for who they are. Professor Deckha’s talk will delineate this new concept as well as outline how the foundations of Canadian law must otherwise change to move toward justice for animals. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\nManeesha Deckha is Professor and Lansdowne Chair in Law at the University of Victoria. Her research interests include animal law\, feminist theory\, critical animal studies\, vulnerability studies\, health law\, bioethics\, and reproductive policy. Her interdisciplinary scholarship has been funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. She also held the Fulbright Visiting Chair in Law and Society at New York University. Professor Deckha currently serves as Director of the Animals & Society Research Initiative at the University of Victoria as well as on the Editorial Boards of Politics and Animals and Hypatia. She is an inaugural fellow of the Brooks Animal Studies Academic Network at the Brooks Institute for Animal Rights Law & Policy\, and is a graduate of McGill University (BA)\, the University of Toronto (LLB) \, and Columbia University (LLM). She is widely published and a recipient of several teaching-related awards. \nRead more about Maneesha Deckha. \nSUGGESTED READINGS:\nWant to learn more? Our speaker & librarians from the London Public Library have a list of suggested readings & a film that complement this talk. You can find all of these at the London Public Library! \nM Deckha\, “The Save Movement and Farmed Animal Suffering: The Advocacy Benefits of Bearing Witness as a Template for Law” (2019) Canadian Journal of Comparative and Contemporary Law 77-110 (open access). \nM Deckha\, “The “Pig Trial” Decision: The Save Movement\, Legal Mischief\, and the Legal Invisibilization of Farmed Animal Suffering” (2018) 50:1 Ottawa Law Review 65-98 (open access). \nM Deckha\, “Humanizing the Nonhuman: A Legitimate Way for Animals to Escape Juridical Property Status?” in John Sorenson and Atsuko Matsuoka\, eds\, Critical Animal Studies: Towards a Trans-Species Social Justice (London: Rowman & Littlefield\, 2018)\, 209-233. \nMatthieu\, Ricard\, A plea for the animals : the moral\, philosophical\, and evolutionary imperative to treat all beings with compassion (Shambhala\, 2016)\n\nCorbey\, Raymond ed.\, The politics of species : reshaping our relationships with other animals (Cambridge University Press\,  2014) \nGrimm\, David\, Citizen canine : our evolving relationship with cats and dogs (PublicAffairs\, 2014) \nBoyd\, David R.\, The rights of nature : a legal revolution that could save the world (ECW Press\, 2017) \nJane Goodall: The Animals We Are – Kanopy film \n\n\n\nView a copy of the event poster.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhoto credit: Mother and daughter on grass by Daria Obymaha from Pexels.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/responsibilities-to-others/
LOCATION:Virtual (register for Zoom link)
CATEGORIES:Ethics,Library Lectures,Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200327
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200328
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20200210T140832Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200313T124014Z
UID:22825-1585267200-1585353599@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:CANCELLED: Samir Okasha -- The Metaphor of Agency in Biology
DESCRIPTION:EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO THE EVOLVING COVID-19 SITUATION. PLEASE VISIT COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY FOR MORE INFORMATION.\n\n  \nIt is striking that evolutionary biology often uses the language of intentional psychology to describe the behaviour of evolved organisms\, their genes\, and the process of natural selection that led to their evolution. Thus a cuckoo chick ‘deceives’ its host; a worker ant ‘prefers’ to tend the queen’s eggs to those of other workers; a swallow ‘realises’ that winter is approaching and ‘wants’ to escape it; an imprinted gene ‘knows’ whether it was inherited paternally or maternally; and natural selection ‘chooses’ some phenotypes over others. This intentional idiom is a symptom of a broader way of thinking about and modelling evolution\, which I call ‘agential’. This involves treating evolved entities\, paradigmatically individual organisms\, as if they were agents trying to achieve a goal\, namely maximisation of reproductive fitness (or some proxy). The use of rational choice models\, originally intended to apply to deliberate human action\, in an evolutionary context\, is one symptom of agential thinking. I offer a cautious defence of agential thinking in evolutionary biology. I argue that this mode of thinking does genuine intellectual work\, and is not ‘idle metaphor’; however it must be used with care\, for it rests on an implicit empirical assumption that is not always satisfied. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\nSamir Okasha is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow of the British Academy\, and President of the European Philosophy of Science Association. His philosophical interests fall into two main areas: (i) philosophy of biology / evolutionary theory; and (ii) epistemology /philosophy of science. \nWithin philosophy of biology\, he is especially interested in foundational and conceptual questions surrounding evolutionary theory. For many years\, his research focused on the ‘levels of selection’ question in evolutionary biology\, and the related issue of individual versus group conflicts of interest. This culminated in his book Evolution and the Levels of Selection (OUP 2006)\, which was awarded the 2009 Lakatos Prize for an outstanding contribution to philosophy of science. He continues to work on these topics. \nWithin epistemology / philosophy of science\, he is interested in topics including probability and induction\, evidence and confirmation\, causality\, theory choice\, scepticism and knowledge\, and epistemological holism. \nRead more about Samir Okasha. \n  \n  \n\nPhoto credit: Ant – Caramosca (license)
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/samir-okasha-the-metaphor-of-agency-in-biology/
LOCATION:Room 1130 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, London\, ON\, N6A3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20200326
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20200327
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20190829T145735Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200313T123710Z
UID:22053-1585180800-1585267199@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:CANCELLED: Samir Okasha -- Evolution\, Altruism and Selfishness
DESCRIPTION:EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO THE EVOLVING COVID-19 SITUATION. PLEASE VISIT COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY FOR MORE INFORMATION.\n\n \nAre animals altruistic? From eusocial animals like ants & bees\, to well-documented cases of humpback whales rescuing seals from orcas\, there are numerous examples of what looks like altruism in nature. Among many bird and mammal species individuals give warning calls when a predator is nearby–an act that may save others\, but temporarily puts the individual at greater risk of predation. In vampire bats\, individuals routinely regurgitate blood to members of their colony who’ve had an unsuccessful night of feeding. From an evolutionary perspective\, these behaviours are puzzling. Why would an animal regularly engage in activities that benefit others\, at a cost to itself? Given that not all organisms act selfishly\, is there a biological advantage to altruistic behaviour? How and why might it evolve? \nJoin us for an exploration of this fascinating topic at the 2020 Rotman Lecture by Samir Okasha at Wolf Performance Hall. This event is prepared in partnership with the London Public Library and is open to the public. Attendance will be free\, but for planning purposes advance registration is requested. \n  \nSPEAKER ABSTRACT\n\nIt is sometimes thought that Darwinian evolution implies that organisms will evolve to be “selfish”\, that is\, to behave in a way that furthers their own biological interests rather than those of others. However\, biologists have long recognized that “altruistic” behaviour is quite common in nature\, and have sought to reconcile this finding with evolutionary principles. This talk focuses on the philosophical implications of this classic biological issue\, and asks how biologists use of terms such as “altruism” and “selfishness” relate to their vernacular use. \n  \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\nSamir Okasha is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bristol. He is a Fellow of the British Academy\, and President of the European Philosophy of Science Association. His philosophical interests fall into two main areas: (i) philosophy of biology / evolutionary theory; and (ii) epistemology /philosophy of science. \nWithin philosophy of biology\, he is especially interested in foundational and conceptual questions surrounding evolutionary theory. For many years\, his research focused on the ‘levels of selection’ question in evolutionary biology\, and the related issue of individual versus group conflicts of interest. This culminated in his book Evolution and the Levels of Selection (OUP 2006)\, which was awarded the 2009 Lakatos Prize for an outstanding contribution to philosophy of science. He continues to work on these topics. \nWithin epistemology / philosophy of science\, he is interested in topics including probability and induction\, evidence and confirmation\, causality\, theory choice\, scepticism and knowledge\, and epistemological holism. \nRead more about Samir Okasha. \n  \n\nPhoto credit: Smiling Macaca fascicularis\, Crab-eating macaque – Tarutao National Marine Park – Rushen (license)
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/samir-okasha-evolution-altruism-and-selfishness/
LOCATION:Wolf Performance Hall – Central Library\, 251 Dundas St\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 6H9\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology,Public Lectures
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20191108T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20191108T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20190923T151850Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20191106T165622Z
UID:22244-1573210800-1573218000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Work in Progress Seminar with Cailin O'Connor
DESCRIPTION:Join Cailin O’Connor for a work in progress seminar focused on her paper\, Measuring Conventionality.  \nABSTRACT\n\nConventions are usually treated as univocal\, but I argue here that they are better thought of as coming in degrees of arbitrariness.  In doing so\, I use information theory to measure the degree to which a convention could have been otherwise.  This kind of understanding can\, hopefully\, improve evolutionary explanation of cultural traits. \n\nAUTHOR PROFILE\n\n\nCailin O’Connor is a philosopher of biology and behavioral sciences\, philosopher of science\, and evolutionary game theorist.  She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science\, and a member of the Institute for Mathematical Behavioral Science at UC Irvine. She is currently co- administering the NSF grant “Consensus\, Democracy\, and the Public Understanding of Science” with philosopher of physics James Owen Weatherall (previous NSF grant Social Dynamics and Diversity in Epistemic Communities).  Their co-authored trade book The Misinformation Age was published with Yale University Press.
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/work-in-progress-seminar-with-cailin-oconnor/
LOCATION:Room 7107 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, London\, ON\, N6A3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20180323T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20180323T170000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20180220T165024Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241009T185150Z
UID:19850-1521819000-1521824400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Laura Franklin-Hall: The Animal Sexes as Queer Kinds
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nThough biologists identify organisms as ‘male’ and ‘female’ across a broad range of animal species—in the pipefish\, orb spider\, quokka\, and king quail—the particular traits enjoyed by males and females can vary tremendously. This diversity has led some to conclude that the trans-animal sexes—males\, of whatever animal species\, and females likewise—have “little or no explanatory power”(Dupré 1986: 447) and\, as such\, are not (in any substantive sense) natural kinds. This essay will explore considerations for and against this conclusion\, ultimately arguing that the trans-animal sexes are instances of type-level historical kinds\, groupings that\, rather uniquely\, are able to serve important explanatory ends even while their members differ in both their current properties and their particular histories. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\nI am an associate professor of philosophy at New York University. I received my PhD in Philosophy (Columbia 2008) and BS in Biological Sciences (Stanford 2000). I am interested in problems in the philosophy of biology\, the general philosophy of science\, and metaphysics. \nMy work has focused on three families of questions: \n1) why we ‘carve up’ or classify the world into the kinds and individuals that we do\, and whether it is possible to maintain that some carvings are objectively correct\, and others not; if so\, on what basis? \n2) the nature of scientific explanation and understanding\, and particularly how explanations in biology are similar to or different from those in circulation in other sciences; \n3) how it is that\, given that our universe is ultimately a physical one\, we are able to get such an effective grip on its workings–for instance\, formulating predictively successful theories about it–even when we are describing and conceptualizing it in non-physical terms\, in doing so omitting many details that may appear crucial from a physical point-of-view. \nRead more about Laura Franklin-Hall. \nEVENT POSTER\n\nDownload a copy of the event poster. \nPhoto credit: Golden Orb Spider by Jean and Fred (License)
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/laura-franklin-hall-animal-sexes-queer-kinds/
LOCATION:Room 4190 – Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Western Interdisciplinary Research Building\, Room 4190\, London\, Ontario\, N6A 3K7\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20170413T110000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20170413T123000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170816T191436Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170816T191436Z
UID:17985-1492081200-1492086600@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:James G. Lennox: Aristotle and Darwin: Antagonists or Kindred Spirits?
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nIn the decades following the forging of the so-called Neo-Darwinian Synthesis in the 1940s\, a number of its philosophical defenders created a myth about what Charles Darwin was up against\, a viewpoint called “typological essentialism” often attributed to Aristotle. In this paper I first sketch the history of how this myth was created. I then establish that it is a myth by providing an account of Aristotle’s essentialism as it is actually displayed in his philosophy of biology and in his biological practice. It has nothing to do with the ‘mythic’ version. We then turn to what Darwin was really up against–a common\, anti-evolutionary way of defining the species concept in Darwin’s time (that owes nothing to Aristotle)\, and to his attempts to re-orient thinking about it. I will close by reconsidering Aristotle and Charles Darwin: Does it make any sense to think about the relationship between two thinkers separated by more than two millennia living in such vastly different cultures? What did Charles Darwin himself think about Aristotle? \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n James G. Lennox is a professor in the department of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. His research specialties include Ancient Greek philosophy and science\, William Harvey\, Darwin\, and Darwinism. He has published widely on history and philosophy of biology focused on scientific inquiry and explanation in historical context. \nRead more about James G. Lennox. \n  \nPhoto credit: Ammonite by Scott Billings (License)
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/james-g-lennox-aristotle-darwin-antagonists-kindred-spirits/
LOCATION:Room 1145 – Stevenson Hall\, Stevenson Hall\, Room 1145\, London\, Ontario\, N6G 2V4\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20150417T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20150417T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170818T180940Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T160728Z
UID:18134-1429270200-1429275600@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Helen Longino: Individuals or Populations: How Scale Matters
DESCRIPTION:This lecture will explore the difference between studying human behavior as an individual characteristic versus studying it as a group property. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nHelen Longino’s teaching and research interests are in philosophy of science\, social epistemology\, and feminist philosophy. She is the author of The Fate of Knowledge (Princeton University Press\, 2002)\, and many articles in the philosophy of science\, feminist philosophy and epistemology. Among her many co-edited volumes is the Scientific Pluralism\, Vol. XIX of the Minnesota Studies in Philosophy of Science. Her most recent book is Studying Human Behavior (The University of Chicago Press\, 2013)\, which regards comparative analysis of five approaches in the sciences of human behavior\, focusing on research on both sexual behavior and aggression. This analysis includes both an examination of the logical structures and interrelations of these approaches and study of their social and cultural reception and uptake. \nRead more about Helen Longino. \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/helen-longino-individuals-populations-scale-matters/
LOCATION:Dr. David S.H. Chu International Student Centre\, International and Graduate Affairs Building\, Western University\, London\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology,Science and Values
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20150306T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20150306T120000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170818T181402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220816T170806Z
UID:18138-1425637800-1425643200@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Elisabeth Lloyd: The Orgasm Wars
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nThere has been a fierce battle occurring among people who explain the evolution of human female orgasm\, about its evolutionary origins and nature. The core issue is that the female orgasm presents an evolutionary puzzle. Unlike the male orgasm\, female orgasm is not associated with any increase in fertility or reproductive success. Several types of theories have been offered for the evolution of the trait\, but I shall show that only one of them has very much evidence supporting it\, while the others are flawed by conflicts with the evidence. Oddly\, these conflicts went unnoticed for many years by the scientists themselves\, through the operation of both sex bias and a bias of preferring adaptive explanations over other types of evolutionary explanations. I shall review the familiar theory that orgasm evolved to support the bond between the man and the woman\, as well as the theory that the sperm is sucked into the womb during orgasm with a high-quality male. The best-supported theory is the account stating that female orgasm is a bonus of direct selection on the male orgasm\, and is not a direct adaptation in the female that we can detect. I shall discuss the biases that led the biologists and the rest of the public astray\, that is\, that led to the widely-held but seemingly premature dismissal of the bonus account\, and the wide-spread acceptance of the unsupported accounts. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nElisabeth Lloyd received her B.A. from the University of Colorado in 1980\, and her Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1984\, where she worked with Bas van Fraassen. She has received numerous awards and grants\, including several from the National Science Foundation. Her research interests are primarily in the philosophy of biology\, general philosophy of science\, the role of models in science\, and gender issues in science. She has recently taught courses in these areas as well as a graduate seminar on the American pragmatists\, and one of the philosophy surveys in our department. Her publications include The Structure and Confirmation of Evolutionary Theory (Greenwood Press\, 1988; Princeton University Press\, 1994) and “Feyerabend\, Mill\, and Pluralism” (Philosophy of Science\, 1997). \nProfessor Lloyd holds the Arnold and Maxine Tanis Chair of History and Philosophy of Science. She is also Professor of Biology\, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy\, Affiliated Faculty Scholar at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex\, Gender and Reproduction\, and Adjunct Faculty at the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior. \nRead more about Elizabeth Lloyd. \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/elisabeth-lloyd-orgasm-wars/
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology,Public Lectures,Rotman Lectures
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20150305T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20150305T120000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170818T181624Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170818T181624Z
UID:18140-1425551400-1425556800@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Elisabeth Lloyd: Robustness as a Confirmatory Virtue
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nBoth climate scientists and philosophers have been working hard to understand how the huge multidimensional global climate models can be tested and confirmed.  The convergence of multiple climate models on a single outcome or result has provided a key feature in these discussions.  Philosophers of science tend to think that such convergence\, or “robustness\,” is not confirmatory\, because the models could converge and still all be wrong.  Climate scientists\, on the other hand\, do tend to see the convergence of climate models on a result as confirmatory.  I will offer a defense and generalization of the climate scientists’ position\, while differentiating their style of robustness from others considered by philosophers. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nElisabeth Lloyd received her B.A. from the University of Colorado in 1980\, and her Ph.D. from Princeton University in 1984\, where she worked with Bas van Fraassen. She has received numerous awards and grants\, including several from the National Science Foundation. Her research interests are primarily in the philosophy of biology\, general philosophy of science\, the role of models in science\, and gender issues in science. She has recently taught courses in these areas as well as a graduate seminar on the American pragmatists\, and one of the philosophy surveys in our department. Her publications include The Structure and Confirmation of Evolutionary Theory (Greenwood Press\, 1988; Princeton University Press\, 1994) and “Feyerabend\, Mill\, and Pluralism” (Philosophy of Science\, 1997). \nProfessor Lloyd holds the Arnold and Maxine Tanis Chair of History and Philosophy of Science. She is also Professor of Biology\, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy\, Affiliated Faculty Scholar at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex\, Gender and Reproduction\, and Adjunct Faculty at the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior. \nRead more about Elizabeth Lloyd. \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/elisabeth-lloyd-robustness-confirmatory-virtue/
CATEGORIES:Ecological Philosophy,Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20121119T103000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20121119T120000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170819T180731Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170819T180731Z
UID:18341-1353321000-1353326400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Patricia Churchland: Braintrust: What Neuroscience Tells Us About Morality
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nIn her talk\, renowned philosopher Churchland speaks about how the evolution of the mammalian brain led to the expansion from ‘me’ to ‘me-and-mine’ – the very heart of morality. Learn about ‘caring circuitry’ in the brain\, and how the brain molecule oxytocin is at the hub of the intricate neural adaptations sustaining our society. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nPatricia Churchland is a Canadian-American philosopher noted for her contributions to neurophilosophy and the philosophy of mind. She is UC President’s Professor of Philosophy Emerita at the University of California San Diego\, where she has taught since 1984. She has also held an adjunct professorship at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies since 1989. The impact of her book Neurophilosophy: Toward a Unified Science of the Mind-Brain (1986) created a new area of research that straddled the disciplines of Neuroscience and Philosophy. Her most recent book is Braintrust: What Neurosciecne Tells Us about Morality (2011)\, upon which her talk is based. \nRead more about Patricia Churchland. \n \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/patricia-churchland-braintrust-neuroscience-tells-us-morality/
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology,Philosophy of Mind & Neuroscience
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20120403T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20120403T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170819T181547Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20200608T165407Z
UID:18349-1333452600-1333458000@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Moira Howes: Agency and the Evolution of Human Reproductive Immune Functions
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nDr. Howes’ talk is on how a variety of problematic assumptions about human biology in the environment of evolutionary adaptation are made in evolutionary and immunological accounts of reproductive immunology. Drawing on evidence from numerous scientific fields\, Howes will argue that these assumptions are scientifically flawed and that they involve substantial oversights. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nMoira Howes is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy at Trent University. After her BSc (Guelph) in biology and eight months in an immunology Master’s program (Guelph)\, she transferred to the arts for her PhD (The University of Western Ontario) to study the conceptual foundations of science and problems in scientific reasoning. \nHowes’ areas of specialization include philosophy of science (especially biology)\, epistemology\, and metaphysics. Her research addresses biological self identity\, the role of values and philosophical concepts in the field of immunology\, and conceptual issues related to gender in evolutionary biology and immunology. \nCurrently \, she is writing about intellectual virtues and intellectual emotions in scientific reasoning\, using work in immunology\, evolutionary biology\, and environmental science as case examples. The goal of this research is to improve the quality of debate concerning science and science policy in the public domain. \nHer most recent publications include “Menstrual Function\, Menstrual Suppression and the Immunology of the Human Female Reproductive Tract” in Perspectives (2010) and “Conceptualizing the Maternal-Fetal Relationship” in Reproductive Immunology (2008). \nRead more about Moira Howes. \n  \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/moira-howes-agency-evolution-human-reproductive-immune-functions/
LOCATION:Dr. David S.H. Chu International Student Centre\, International and Graduate Affairs Building\, Western University\, London\, Ontario\, Canada
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20120330T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20120330T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170819T181815Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170819T181815Z
UID:18351-1333107000-1333112400@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Michael Parker: Moral Craft in the Genetics Clinic and Laboratory
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nDr. Parker’s talk will explore the moral world of the contemporary genetics profession at a key moment in its development. In particular\, the talk will focus on the relationships between the well-established and reasonably stable moral commitments underpinning ideas of ‘good practice’ in contemporary clinical genetics –- such as those to the care of both the patient and the family -– and the ways in which these commitments and the practices which support them\, can emerge as ethically problematic for genetics professionals on account of the complexities of family life\, technological innovation\, and shifting institutional boundaries. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nMichael Parker is a Professor of Bioethics and Director of the Ethox Centre at the University of Oxford. His main research interest is in the ethical and social dimensions of collaborative global health research. He leads the ethics programmes of the Malaria Genomic Epidemiology Network (MalariaGEN) which carries out genomic research into severe malaria in childhood at 24 sites in 21 countries (funded by the Welcome trust and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health as part of the Grand Challenges in Global Health initiative). He also leads the ethics programme of the MRC Centre for Genomics and Global Health and is the Principal Investigator of the Collaborative Global Health Research Ethics Network (funded by a Welcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Enhancement Award). \nSince 2001\, Parker has coordinated the Genetics Club\, a national ethics forum for health professionals and genetics laboratory staff in the United Kingdom to discuss the ethical issues arising in their day-to-day practice and to share good practice. This provides the background to Parker’s other main research interest\, which is in the ethical aspects of the clinical use of genetics. \nTwo of Parker’s most recent publications are “Ethical Issues in Human Genomics Research in Developing Countries” (with Janita de Vries\, Susan Bull\, Ogobara Doumbo\, Muntaser Ibrahim\, Odile Mercarau-Puijalon) (2011)\, and “Working with Concepts: The Role of Community in International Collaborative Biomedical Research” (with Vicki Marsh\, DM Kamuya\, and Sassy Molyneux) (2011). \nRead more about Michael Parker. \n \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/michael-parker-moral-craft-genetics-clinic-laboratory/
CATEGORIES:Ethics,Philosophy of Biology
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END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Toronto:20110930T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Toronto:20110930T130000
DTSTAMP:20260408T015234
CREATED:20170822T182015Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20170822T182015Z
UID:18365-1317382200-1317387600@www.rotman.uwo.ca
SUMMARY:Sandra Mitchell: GMOs and Policy in a Complex\, Diverse World
DESCRIPTION:ABSTRACT\n\nDr. Mitchell’s lecture considers how both biological diversity and value pluralism thwart simple regulatory models for genetically modified organisms. For example\, we talk about policy for BT modified plants\, yet there are about 600 known strains of Bacillus thuringiensis and the effect of different strains on different host plants as well as the consequences for pesticide reduction vary. Reasonable policy needs to take account of these complexities. \nSPEAKER PROFILE\n\n\nSandra D. Mitchell is a philosopher and historian of ideas and a professor of the History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on the philosophies of biology and the social sciences\, and the connection between them. \nShe worked at the Ohio State University (1985-1989) and University of California\, San Diego (1989-1999)\, before joining the Department of History and Philosophy of Science in 2000. She has been a fellow at the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies\, at the University of Bielefeld (1991-1992)\, the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne (2004-2005)\, the Institute for Advanced Study\, Berlin (1993-1994)\, and the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science (2010). \nMitchell received her BA in philosophy from Pitzer College (1973)\, her MSc in Logic\, Philosophy and Scientific Method from the London School of Economics (1975)\, and a PhD in History and Philosophy of Science from the University of Pittsburgh (1987). Her most recent books are Unsimple Truths: Science\, Complexity and Policy(2008) and Biological Complexity and Integrative Pluralism (2003).  \nRead more about Sandra Mitchell. \nVIDEO
URL:https://www.rotman.uwo.ca/event/sandra-mitchell-gmos-policy-complex-diverse-world/
CATEGORIES:Philosophy of Biology,Science and Values
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END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR