Metaphysics of Science papers 27 Jul 2009 I wasn’t able to go to the Metaphysics of Science conference in Melbourne recently, because it unfortunately conflicted with the AAHPSSS conference in Brisbane (not good planning!), but some of the papers are available online. Devitt’s and Dowe’s papers in particular are very interesting. I agree with Dowe and as always have fun disagreeing with Devitt. I should add that Instructions’ paper is very boring… Metaphysics Philosophy Science
Biology What is systematics and what is taxonomy? 5 Feb 201123 Jul 2023 Over the past few years there have been increasing numbers of calls for governments to properly fund systematics and taxonomy (and a number of largely molecular-focused biologists insisting they can do the requisite tasks with magic molecule detectors, so don’t fund old-school, fund new-fangled-tech). But I think that there is… Read More
Science The science of systematics 9 May 2009 As the science of order (“taxonomy”), Systematics is a pure science of relations, unconcerned with time, space, or cause. Unconcerned with time: systematics is non-historic and essentially static; it knows only a simple juxtaposition of different conditions of form. Unconcerned with space: geographical factors are not primary criteria in the… Read More
Logic and philosophy Why do physicists hate philosophy? 15 May 201416 May 2014 Lately there has been a slew of physicists making claims like this: Traditionally, these are questions for philosophy, but philosophy is dead. Philosophy has not kept up with modern developments in science, particularly physics. [Hawking and Mlodinow, The Grand Design 2011, p5] My concern here is that the philosophers believe they… Read More