Normativity, Expertise and Epistemological Paternalism in the Philosophy of Science

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-241
Author(s):  
Alina O. Kostina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Experimental Philosophy ◽  
Publishing Research ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Armchair Philosophy ◽  
Methodology Of Science ◽  
Key Questions

For almost 50 years the journal Metaphilosophy has been publishing research on a wide range of philosophical issues from the fundamental questions of ontology, epistemology and the philosophy of science to applied studies on ethics, technology and STS. The following review focuses on a number of key questions that have become the stumbling block for investigations in epistemology, philosophy and methodology of science and STS. The spotlight here is on the issues of reestablishment of normativity in philosophy of science, related to the PSP turn; new perspectives on the “armchair philosophy” and the ex cathedra principle; the misuse of scientific data by the philosophers of science; experimental philosophy and the “undermined” authority of philosophical expertise; and also we’ll find out how epistemic paternalism may become a virtue of research practice.

scholarly journals How Does One “Open” Science? Questions of Value in Biological Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 280-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Levin ◽  
Sabina Leonelli
Keyword(s):  
Life Sciences ◽  
Research Process ◽  
Open Science ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Research Practice ◽  
Research Practices ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Key Questions ◽  
Science Policies

Open Science policies encourage researchers to disclose a wide range of outputs from their work, thus codifying openness as a specific set of research practices and guidelines that can be interpreted and applied consistently across disciplines and geographical settings. In this paper, we argue that this “one-size-fits-all” view of openness sidesteps key questions about the forms, implications, and goals of openness for research practice. We propose instead to interpret openness as a dynamic and highly situated mode of valuing the research process and its outputs, which encompasses economic as well as scientific, cultural, political, ethical, and social considerations. This interpretation creates a critical space for moving beyond the economic definitions of value embedded in the contemporary biosciences landscape and Open Science policies, and examining the diversity of interests and commitments that affect research practices in the life sciences. To illustrate these claims, we use three case studies that highlight the challenges surrounding decisions about how––and how best––to make things open. These cases, drawn from ethnographic engagement with Open Science debates and semistructured interviews carried out with UK-based biologists and bioinformaticians between 2013 and 2014, show how the enactment of openness reveals judgments about what constitutes a legitimate intellectual contribution, for whom, and with what implications.

Explanation Beyond Causation

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Philosophical Study ◽  
Accurate Information ◽  
Contemporary Philosophy ◽  
Causal Information ◽  
Causal Explanations ◽  
Turn On ◽  
Detailed Case ◽  
Wide Range

Explanations are very important to us in many contexts: in science, mathematics, philosophy, and also in everyday and juridical contexts. But what is an explanation? In the philosophical study of explanation, there is long-standing, influential tradition that links explanation intimately to causation: we often explain by providing accurate information about the causes of the phenomenon to be explained. Such causal accounts have been the received view of the nature of explanation, particularly in philosophy of science, since the 1980s. However, philosophers have recently begun to break with this causal tradition by shifting their focus to kinds of explanation that do not turn on causal information. The increasing recognition of the importance of such non-causal explanations in the sciences and elsewhere raises pressing questions for philosophers of explanation. What is the nature of non-causal explanations—and which theory best captures it? How do non-causal explanations relate to causal ones? How are non-causal explanations in the sciences related to those in mathematics and metaphysics? This volume of new essays explores answers to these and other questions at the heart of contemporary philosophy of explanation. The essays address these questions from a variety of perspectives, including general accounts of non-causal and causal explanations, as well as a wide range of detailed case studies of non-causal explanations from the sciences, mathematics and metaphysics.

scholarly journals A System-Agnostic, Adaptable and Extensible Animal Support Cradle System for Cardio-Respiratory-Synchronised, and Other, Multi-Modal Imaging of Small Animals

Tomography ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-54
Author(s):  
Veerle Kersemans ◽  
Stuart Gilchrist ◽  
Philip Danny Allen ◽  
Sheena Wallington ◽  
Paul Kinchesh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Data ◽  
Cardiac Monitoring ◽  
Small Animals ◽  
Maintenance System ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Animal Handling ◽  
Imaging Performance ◽  
Significant Effort

Standardisation of animal handling procedures for a wide range of preclinical imaging scanners will improve imaging performance and reproducibility of scientific data. Whilst there has been significant effort in defining how well scanners should operate and how in vivo experimentation should be practised, there is little detail on how to achieve optimal scanner performance with best practices in animal welfare. Here, we describe a system-agnostic, adaptable and extensible animal support cradle system for cardio-respiratory-synchronised, and other, multi-modal imaging of small animals. The animal support cradle can be adapted on a per application basis and features integrated tubing for anaesthetic and tracer delivery, an electrically driven rectal temperature maintenance system and respiratory and cardiac monitoring. Through a combination of careful material and device selection, we have described an approach that allows animals to be transferred whilst under general anaesthesia between any of the tomographic scanners we currently or have previously operated. The set-up is minimally invasive, cheap and easy to implement and for multi-modal, multi-vendor imaging of small animals.

scholarly journals Wolbachia: endosymbiont of onchocercid nematodes and their vectors

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ranju Ravindran Santhakumari Manoj ◽  
Maria Stefania Latrofa ◽  
Sara Epis ◽  
Domenico Otranto
Keyword(s):  
Control Strategies ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Vector Borne Diseases ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Veterinary Importance ◽  
Wolbachia Endosymbiont ◽  
Vector Borne ◽  
And Control

Abstract Background Wolbachia is an obligate intracellular maternally transmitted, gram-negative bacterium which forms a spectrum of endosymbiotic relationships from parasitism to obligatory mutualism in a wide range of arthropods and onchocercid nematodes, respectively. In arthropods Wolbachia produces reproductive manipulations such as male killing, feminization, parthenogenesis and cytoplasmic incompatibility for its propagation and provides an additional fitness benefit for the host to protect against pathogens, whilst in onchocercid nematodes, apart from the mutual metabolic dependence, this bacterium is involved in moulting, embryogenesis, growth and survival of the host. Methods This review details the molecular data of Wolbachia and its effect on host biology, immunity, ecology and evolution, reproduction, endosymbiont-based treatment and control strategies exploited for filariasis. Relevant peer-reviewed scientic papers available in various authenticated scientific data bases were considered while writing the review. Conclusions The information presented provides an overview on Wolbachia biology and its use in the control and/or treatment of vectors, onchocercid nematodes and viral diseases of medical and veterinary importance. This offers the development of new approaches for the control of a variety of vector-borne diseases. Graphic Abstract

scholarly journals Social network-based ethical analysis of COVID-19 vaccine supply policy in three Central Asian countries              

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timur Aripov ◽  
Daniel Wikler ◽  
Damin Asadov ◽  
Zhangir Tulekov ◽  
Totugul Murzabekova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Vaccine Coverage ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Asian Countries ◽  
Ethical Frameworks ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Central Asian ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Central Asian Countries

Abstract Abstract Background In the pandemic time, many low- and middle-income countries are experiencing restricted access to COVID-19 vaccines. An access to imported vaccines or ways to produce them locally becomes the principal source of hope. But developing a strategy for success in obtaining and allocating vaccines is not easy task. The governments in those countries have faced difficult decision whether to accept or reject offers of vaccine diplomacy, weighing price and availability of COVID-19 vaccines against concerns over their efficacy and safety. Our aim was to analyze public opinion regarding the governmental strategies to obtain COVID-19 vaccines in three Central Asian countries, focusing particularly on possible ethical issues. Methods We searched opinions expressed either in Russian or in the respective national languages. We provided data of the debate within three countries, drawn from social media postings and other sources. The opinion data was not restricted by source and time. This allowed to collect a wide range of possible opinions that could be expressed regarding COVID-19 vaccine supply and public’s participation in vaccine trials. We recognized ethical issues and possible questions concerning different ethical frameworks. We also considered additional information or scientific data, in the process of reasoning. Results As a result, public views on their respective government policies on COVID-19 vaccine supply ranged from strongly negative to slightly positive. We extracted most important issues from public debates, for our analysis. The first issue involved trade-offs between quantity, speed, price, freedom, efficacy and safety in the vaccines. The second set of issues arouse in connection with the request to site a randomized trial in one of countries (Uzbekistan). After considering additional evidences, we weighed individual with public risks and benefits to make specific judgements concerning every issue. Conclusions We believe that our analysis would be a helpful example of solving ethical issues that can rise concerning COVID-19 vaccine supply round the world. The public view can be highly critical, helping to spot such issues. An ignoring this view can lead to major problems, which in turn, can become a serious obstacle for the vaccine coverage and epidemics’ control in the countries and regions.

scholarly journals Is Science Eliminating Ordinary Talk?

1970 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-41
Author(s):  
Louis Caruana
Keyword(s):  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Common Sense ◽  
Natural Science ◽  
Philosophy Of Mind ◽  
Science Philosophy ◽  
Actual Operation ◽  
Theories Of Meaning ◽  
Methodology Of Science ◽  
Broad Overview

Discussions dealing with natural science, philosophy and common sense are bound to draw on long-standing debates dealing with realism, methodology of science, philosophy of mind, metaphysics, epistemology, theories of meaning, and other topics. Instead of presenting a broad overview of these main trends, which will necessarily be superficial, I will do a kind of case study. The aim is to present just one particular debate which is of relevance to current research. The presentation is meant to give a taste of how these various long-standing debates are brought to bear on a specific issue. In this way, the very practice of engaging in a particular area of philosophy of science will serve as a platform from where the major areas can be seen in actual operation. The paper has four sections: the nature of ordinary talk; the ontological implications of this; the recently proposed account of the mental; an evaluation.

UNFOLDING PARALLEL REASONING IN ISLAMIC JURISPRUDENCE

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahid Rahman ◽  
Muhammad Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Problem Solving ◽  
Philosophy Of Science ◽  
Legal Reasoning ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Contemporary Philosophy ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Islamic Jurisprudence ◽  
Parallel Reasoning

AbstractOne of the epistemological results emerging from this initial study is that the different forms of co-relational inference, known in the Islamic jurisprudence as qiyās, represent an innovative and sophisticated form of reasoning that not only provides new epistemological insights into legal reasoning in general but also furnishes a fine-grained pattern for parallel reasoning which can be deployed in a wide range of problem-solving contexts and does not seem to reduce to the standard forms of analogical argumentation studied in contemporary philosophy of science. However, in the present paper we will only discuss the case of so-called co-relational inferences of the occasioning factor and only in the context of Islamic jurisprudence.

Key questions in zoo and aquarium studies: a study and revision guide

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Choice ◽  
Animal Behaviour ◽  
Multiple Choice Questions ◽  
Environmentally Conscious ◽  
Conservation Medicine ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Conservation Breeding ◽  
Key Questions

Abstract This 229-paged book discussed the role of zoos in a modern, environmentally conscious society. It does this by offering the reader the opportunity to answer 600 multiple-choice questions on a wide range of topics including zoo history, enclosure design, aquarium management, animal behaviour and welfare, zoo research, conservation breeding, zoo visitor behaviour, conservation medicine, zoo legislation and many more.

Cognitive Aspects on the Representation of Dynamic Environmental Phenomena Using Animations

2001 ◽  
pp. 13-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Ogao ◽  
Connie A. Blok
Keyword(s):  
Data Mining ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Data Exploration ◽  
Spatial Data Analysis ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Interdisciplinary Nature

Measurements from dynamic environmental phenomena have resulted in the acquisition and generation of an enormous amount of data. This upsurge in data availability can be attributed to the interdisciplinary nature of environmental problem solving and the wide range of acquisition technology involved. In essence, users are dealing with data that is complex in nature, multidimensional and probably of a temporal nature. Also, the frequency by which this data is acquired far exceeds the rate at which it is being explored, a factor that has accelerated the search for innovative approaches and tools in spatial data analysis. These attempts have seen both analytical and visual techniques being used as aids in presentation and scientific data exploration. Examples are seen in techniques as in: data mining, data exploration and visualization.

scholarly journals Mapping intrinsic electromechanical responses at the nanoscale via sequential excitation scanning probe microscopy empowered by deep data

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boyuan Huang ◽  
Ehsan Nasr Esfahani ◽  
Jiangyu Li
Keyword(s):  
Scanning Probe Microscopy ◽  
Data Analytics ◽  
Electromechanical Coupling ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Scanning Probe ◽  
Physical Analysis ◽  
Brute Force ◽  
Probe Microscopy ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Ever-increasing hardware capabilities and computation powers have enabled acquisition and analysis of big scientific data at the nanoscale routine, though much of the data acquired often turn out to be redundant, noisy and/or irrelevant to the problems of interest, and it remains nontrivial to draw clear mechanistic insights from pure data analytics. In this work, we use scanning probe microscopy (SPM) as an example to demonstrate deep data methodology for nanosciences, transitioning from brute-force analytics such as data mining, correlation analysis and unsupervised classification to informed and/or targeted causative data analytics built on sound physical understanding. Three key ingredients of such deep data analytics are presented. A sequential excitation scanning probe microscopy (SE-SPM) technique is first developed to acquire high-quality, efficient and physically relevant data, which can be easily implemented on any standard atomic force microscope (AFM). Brute-force physical analysis is then carried out using a simple harmonic oscillator (SHO) model, enabling us to derive intrinsic electromechanical coupling of interest. Finally, principal component analysis (PCA) is carried out, which not only speeds up the analysis by four orders of magnitude, but also allows a clear physical interpretation of its modes in combination with SHO analysis. A rough piezoelectric material has been probed using such a strategy, enabling us to map its intrinsic electromechanical properties at the nanoscale with high fidelity, where conventional methods fail. The SE in combination with deep data methodology can be easily adapted for other SPM techniques to probe a wide range of functional phenomena at the nanoscale.

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