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A group of bloggers discussing philosophical ideas as well as the profession of philosophy
Browsing All Posts filed under »Science«
The Technological Progress of CRISPR-Cas9
A common misconception about technological advancement is that they are ahistorical revolutions (Cook 1995). On this narrative, technological innovations emerge suddenly, without competition from other extant technologies, and are solely responsible for ushering in rapid, widespread social change. This misconception not only fails to account for the crucial social, political, and moral values that often […]
Science, Reality, and Objectivity
May 22, 2018 by oliverlean
Our research project team members here in Calgary have spent the last several months reading (and re-reading) Bas van Fraassen’s subtle and powerful work Scientific Representation (2008). As with any work of its scope and ambition, it’s open to a heavy dose of interpretation. What follows is my interpretation, and I’ll stress that it is particularly […]
Post-Truth Debate and Critical Thinking
July 4, 2017 by James DiGiovanna
“Look it up” should be a good response to a dispute about matters of fact where a correct answer already exists. This is why bars used to keep sports record books handy; bets could be solved quickly and conclusively. But “look it up” relies not only on there existing a source of (largely) correct information, […]
Cognitive Dissonance and Philosophy
April 5, 2017 by Mike Steiner
I want to first give credit to the authors of “Mistakes Were Made (but not by me)” – Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson. Their talk of cognitive dissonance and the metaphor of the ‘pyramid of choice’ has inspired my comments below. Although the ideas in this book have obvious ramifications for psychology, psychotherapy, political science, […]
On Breed Specific Legislation, Public Safety, and Why The Research Matters
July 16, 2016 by Alison K McConwell
There is recent nation-wide attention to animal control issues concerning dogs in Canada. The target is “pit bulls” or dogs with traits that resemble particular characteristics of breeds included in this generic term. One common response to serious dog bites and maulings is to lobby for a ban of particular breeds by enacting Breed Specific […]
Two Senses of Individuality
November 2, 2015 by Alison K McConwell
Recently, David Wallace-Wells published “Adventures in the Science of the Superorganism” found here. He uses impressive examples to motivate the problem of biological individuality, such as one twin ingesting the embryo of the other twin in utero, the trillions of gut bacteria that house themselves within us, viruses and diseases that colonize our DNA, and […]
The Science-Pseudoscience Demarcation Problem
October 14, 2015 by Justin Caouette
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Books by Contributors
A Philosopher's Take 
May 24, 2018 by janellabaxter
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