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Lakatos on the Metaphysics and Epistemology of Laws of Nature

Bruno Borge’s research project explores the tension between fallibilism and epistemological optimism in Lakatos' philosophy of science and proposes a solution in favour of a form of epistemic realism. He focuses on Lakatos' perspective on the metaphysics and epistemology of laws of nature,. The proposed solution, Moderate Nomological Realism (MNR), preserves the idea that the growth of knowledge aligns with a closer approximation to truth while acknowledging the incomplete and fallible nature of our understanding of natural laws. The project makes use of Hempel's theory of provisos and Yablo's notions of partial content and partial truth to clarify Lakatos' ideas and engage with contemporary theories about the metaphysics and epistemology of laws of nature.

Practical Evaluation Methods Using Efficient and Equitable Social Welfare Orderings

Norihito’s research project aims to provide reasonable and practical methods for the following three issues through axiomatic and normative analysis.

(i) Acceptable Social Welfare Orderings with Variable Populations

He characterizes a class of acceptable SWOs with variable populations and proposes some practical applications for comparing international income or wealth. Moreover, he shows some possibility/ impossibility results by revisiting classical dilemmas in population ethics.

(ii) Reexamination of Classical Normative Concepts and Ideas

He classifies and scrutinizes some classical concepts of normative ideas such as egalitarianism, sufficientarianism, responsibility, liberalism, etc. Moreover, he shows some logical relationships among these ideas.

(iii) Acceptable Social Welfare Orderings under Risky or Uncertain Situations

He characterizes a class of acceptable SWOs axiomatically under uncertain or risky situations. In addition, he compares and classifies some alternative solutions such as the precautionary principle and simple cost-effectiveness analysis.

This project forms part of a larger programme to investigate how continuous spacetime structure could arise from an underlying quantum or semi-quantum discrete structure. This summer, the project will approach this in two ways.  On the mathematical side, it will explore the properties of the Spacetime Algebra Cl(3,1), which provides an algebraic representation of Mikowski Space and its transformations. In particular, the aim is to investigate the symplectic strucure of this object, and how it relates to classical and quantum phase spaces.  On the philosophical side, the project will respond to recent debates around the Relational interpretation of Quantum Mechanics, with the goal of clarifying what a quantized spacetime might look like ontologically. 

Apart from this, Calum has a general interest in the theology of science, and also in Neoplatonism and its development in the Christian and Islamic traditions.

Practical Evaluation Methods Using Efficient and Equitable Social Welfare Orderings

Norihito’s research project aims to provide reasonable and practical methods for the following three issues through axiomatic and normative analysis.

(i) Acceptable Social Welfare Orderings with Variable Populations

He characterizes a class of acceptable SWOs with variable populations and proposes some practical applications for comparing international income or wealth. Moreover, he shows some possibility/ impossibility results by revisiting classical dilemmas in population ethics.

(ii) Reexamination of Classical Normative Concepts and Ideas

He classifies and scrutinizes some classical concepts of normative ideas such as egalitarianism, sufficientarianism, responsibility, liberalism, etc. Moreover, he shows some logical relationships among these ideas.

(iii) Acceptable Social Welfare Orderings under Risky or Uncertain Situations

He characterizes a class of acceptable SWOs axiomatically under uncertain or risky situations. In addition, he compares and classifies some alternative solutions such as the precautionary principle and simple cost-effectiveness analysis.

Effective Giving

Stefan’s key project at CPNSS is a book on effective giving that he is writing together with the psychologist Lucius Caviola. They provide a psychological explanation of why most charitable giving does not go to the most effective charities. They show that there is a range of factors that cause people to donate ineffectively, including preferences for ineffective charities, false beliefs about how to donate effectively, as well as the norms of charitable giving. They also discuss strategies to promote more effective giving. In addition, Stefan will also pursue other projects relating to effective altruism during his time at CPNSS.

Physical laws and the application of mathematics

This investigation addresses the problem of the effectiveness of mathematics in the articulation of physical laws. Since Eugene Wigner’s (1960) landmark statement of the problem, scientists, philosophers, and historians of science have reflected on whether mathematics’ effectiveness had to be deemed unreasonable after all.

One aspect of our research is this. We bring together two fields of research, namely: the history and philosophy of laws of nature, and the recent philosophy of applied mathematics, the latter including issues concerning modelling, representation, abstraction, and idealisation. From this perspective, the project has three main goals: first, to develop a philosophical framework for understanding the various contributions of mathematics to physical laws; second, to provide an analysis of nomic modality that accounts for the contribution of both physics and mathematics to the modal space of possibilities and necessities informed by physical laws; and third, to examine the distinction between mathematical and physical structures in physical laws.

Another aspect of our research advances a pluralist interpretation of scientific practices, one of whose core tenets within the framework of our project is this: physical laws need not be a central element in ontology, nor do they need to be equally present across epistemic practices. This will prove beneficial in various ways, especially since the talk of laws is not inane: it imposes a certain understanding of scientific practices (for example, some epistemic practices are successful at finding out about laws, whereas others are not), and a way to value their results (in particular, epistemic practices informing us about laws are somehow more important, and we should grant them priority because they provide what the Newtonian tradition considers genuine scientific knowledge). We cast doubt on this interpretation. We examine, indeed, whether we are currently writing the last chapter of the biography of laws, as Lorraine Daston’s framework for the biographical approach to scientific objects may suggest. Furthermore, laws may well be dispensed with in both ontology and scientific parlance, hence giving way to rather more egalitarian concepts and less demanding ontological presuppositions. For the latter points, we shall benefit from insights coming from both the history of science and the social studies of science. 

Project Title: Animal Consciousness and Animal ProtectionPeter Singer, author of Animal Liberation, is well known in the animal protection movement. It is an important premise that animals can suffer (sentient, as he said) in his theory. In a recent lecture, Singer explained why animals can suffer again:• Anatomical and physiological similarities with human.• Behavioral parallels in appropriate circumstances.• Shared evolutionary history.If someone encounter silicon lifes like ‘Horta’ (Star Trek) in future, will he/she still be able to judge whether they are conscious or not by the ways given before?This project will try to find inspirations helping solve the problems above.