************************************************************************** * _________________ ___________________ _________________ * * / / / / / / * * / ______ / / ______________/ / ______ / * * / / / / / / / / / / * * / /_____/ / / /_____________ / /_____/ / * * / / / / / / * * / ___________/ /______________ / / ______/ / * * / / / / / / / / * * / / _______________/ / / / / / * * / / / / / / / / * * /_____/ /__________________/ /_____/ /____/ * * * * * * ___ ___ ___ _____ _____ ___ ___ * * |\ | | | | | | | | | | | | * * | \ | |__ | | |___ | |__ | | |__ |___| * * | \ | | \ /\ / | | | | | | | \ * * | \| |___ \/ \/ ___| |___ |___ | | |___ | \ * * * * * * * * Volume 2 Number 1 * * * * J A N U A R Y 1 9 9 6 * * * * * * Edited for the Philosophy of Science Association by: * * * * William Bechtel * * Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Program * * Department of Philosophy * * Washington University in St. Louis * * * * Send submissions to psa@twinearth.wustl.edu * * * ************************************************************************** CONTENTS: 0. New Site for PSA-Newsletter 1. EDITOR'S NOTE 2. PSA96 Web Address: Editor's Mea Culpa 3. Fellowship Opportunity at Center for Human Genome Research 4. MiniConference: FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEMS IN RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY 5. First International Congress in Philosophy, Phenomenology and the Sciences of Life 6. Mellon Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma 7. Dibner Institute Resident and Visiting Fellows Programs 8. Conference on Information, Statistics and Induction in Science ========================================================================== Subject: 0. New Site for PSA Newsletter ---------------------------------------- The computer system on which the PSA Newsletter was housed, kasey, ceased to function late in 1995. Through the good services of George Gale and his colleagues at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, we have been moved to a new system, cctr.umkc.edu. Below are new directions for subscribing and signing off this system. I have also been able, for the first time, to make direct additions and delitions from the mailing list, so for some, this may be the first copy of the newsletter you have received. I apologize for the delay in getting this issue out. =========================================================================== Subject: 1. EDITOR'S NOTE: ------------------------- The PSA Newsletter is published electronically on an "as needed" basis by the Philosophy of Science Association to disseminate information. The newsletter is moderated and is restricted to information pertinent to members of the Association (e.g., official business of the Association, information about upcoming meetings of the Association, and information about other meetings likely to be of interest to a broad range of the membership. It is NOT intended for ungoing discussions of intellectual topics within philosophy of science. If you have information that you would like to submit for possible inclusion in a future issue of the newsletter, please send it to the editor at psa@twinearth.wustl.edu. Directions for subscribing and unsubscribing: Send an emailmessage with NO subject to psa-request@cctr.umkc.edu To subscribe, include the following as the ONLY line: SUBSCRIBE PSA To unsubscribe, include the following as the ONLY line: UNSUBSCRIBE PSA ========================================================================== Subject 2. PSA96 Web Address: Editor's Mea Culpa ------------------------------------------------- In the last issue I included an incorrect web address for the PSA96 WWW page. The correct address is: http://www.inform.umd.edu:8080/EdRes/Colleges/ARHU/Depts/chps This is the Home Page of the Committee on History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Maryland, on which you will find a link to the PSA96 Web page. This page will soon have information about the invited symposia for the PSA meetings next November in Cleveland. Further information about the meeting will be posted there as it develops ========================================================================== Subject 3: Fellowship opportunity at Center for Human Genome Research ---------------------------------------------------------------------- There is a one year fellowship for philosophers, historians and cognate others at the Center for Human Genome Research at the University of Utah. The fellowship is funded by ELSI money and is for visiting scholars who have research interests related to human genome research. There is a one course teaching requirement and the requirement to deliver a paper to the ELSI core group at Utah. All interested in more details should contact Jeff Botkin at botkin@gene1.med.utah.edu. ========================================================================== Subject 4: MiniConference: FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEMS IN RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- MiniConference: FOUNDATIONAL PROBLEMS IN RELATIVITY AND COSMOLOGY Date: March 30, 1996 Time: 9:00am - 5:30pm Venue: University College Rm. 142, The University of Western Ontario Sponsor: The Department of Philosophy Organizers: Rob DiSalle (rdisalle@julian.uwo.ca) Rob Clifton (rclifton@julian.uwo.ca) Speakers/Titles: John Norton, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh: "The Force of Newtonian Cosmology" Robert Rynasiewicz, Department of Philosophy, Johns Hopkins University: Relativity Principles and Gauge Freedom in Classical Cosmology" John Earman, Department of History and Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh: "Tolerance for Spacetime Singularities" David Malament, Department of Philosophy and Committee on the Conceptual Foundations of Science, University of Chicago: "A Remark about Relative Rotation in Relativity Theory" ========================================================================== 5. First International Congress in Philosophy, Phenomenology and the Sciences of Life ---------------- Organised by: The World Innstitute for Advanced Phenomenological Research and Learning In collaboration with: Department of Philosophy and Human Sciences, Univ.of Macerata, ITALY Hosted by: University of Macerata, ITALY Time: April 18 - 20, 1996 Topic: PHILOSOPHY, PHENOMENOLOGY IN THE ONTOPOIESIS OF LIFE and HUMAN CREATIVE CONDITION Around the axis of Ontological/Ontopoietic Issues: 1. Life and Non-Life 2. The One and the Many of Life 3. Ontopoiesis and the Self-Individualization of Life (the Genesis and Evolution of Forms) 4. The Human Condition: Human Creative Virtualities S. Logos and Life: the New Critique of Reason All the great philosophical questions and present-day burning controversies will find their place. Around these main questions relevant sections will be organized for scientific phenomenological dialogue with anthropology, psychology, psychiatry, sociology, biology, literature, fine arts, philosophy of religion, historiography..... Systematic as well as historical contributions are welcome. The Scientific Committee. Following scholars have already joined A.-T. Tymieniecka (USA)- chairman: A.Ales Bello (ITALY), W.Blankenburg (GERMANY), H.ten Have (NETHERLANDS), M.Kule (LATVIA), A.Dominiguez Rey (SPAIN), M.Kronegger (USA), S.Magala (NETHERLANDS), J.Garcia-Gomez(USA), D.Verducci (ITALY), H.Gabrys (POLAND), T.Walczak (POLAND),Dr.I.Fiut (POLAND), A.Rizzacasa (ITALY), C.Minguez (SPAIN), Dr.S.Spassov (BULGARIA), F. Soonntiens (NETHERLANDS), T.Sprey (NETH-ERLANDS), K.Rokstad (NORWAY)..... Abstracts and papers should be send to: Anna-Teresa Tymieniecka, World Phenomenology Institute, 348 Payson Rd.,Belmont, MA 02178- 3402 USA (all papers copyrighted for publication by A.-T. Tymieniecka) Deadlines: ABSTRACTS- January lst, 1996 ; PAPERS- March 1, 1996 Registration fee: $125 (US) before December 1, 1995, $150 thereafter, payable directly to: The World Phenomenology Institute, 348 Payson Rd., Belmont, MA 02178-3402, USA Payment may be made only by checks drawn on a bank in the US and encoded for electomagnetic reading or by international money order. ============================================================================ Subject 6. Mellon Fellowship at the University of Oklahoma ---------------------------------------------------------- The University of Oklahoma announces a junior- or senior-level Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship for research and teaching in the area of the Historical Intersections of the Biological and Social Sciences. The Fellowship is open to candidates with doctorates in history, the historx of science, or related fields. The program for the 1996-1997 academic year focuses on historical problems related to the convergence of the biological and human sciences with an orientation to rethinking the nature/culture divide. The Mellon Fellow will have residence with the University's History of Science Department and the University Libraries' History of Science Collections. The Fellow will teach one undergraduate or graduate course in the Fellow's area of interest during the academic year. The fellowship carries a stipend up to $30,000, with benefits including a budget for travel and research expenses. Applications should be postmarked by January 23, 1996. Contact: Dr. Marilyn Ogilivie; Curator, History of Science Collections; Bizzell Memorial Library, 521 Nw; The University of Oklahoma; Norman, OK 73019-0315; Tel. 405-325-2741; Fax 405-325-2363; E-mail mogilvie@uoknor.edu =========================================================================== Subject 7. Dibner Institute Resident and Visiting Fellows Programs ------------------------------------------------------------------ The Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology invites applications to its Resident and Visiting Fellows Programs for 1996-1997. Candidates for fellowships should have advanced degrees in appropriate fields and offer evidence of substantial scholarly accomplishment and professional experience. Dibner Fellows are expected to reside in the Boston area during the term of their grants, to participate in the activities of the Dibner Institute community and to present their current work at appropriate occasions during their fellowship appointments. The Dibner Institute was established in Massachusetts in 1990 as an intemational center for advanced research in the history of science and technology. It includes the Bumdy Library as its scholarly library resource and enjoys the participation in its programs of faculty members and students of consortium-member institutions including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as host institution, Boston University, Brandeis University and Harvard University. The Dibner Institute provides office space, support facilities and full privileges at the Bumdy Library and at the libraries of consortium universities. Fellows will have access to the entire spectrum of activities that take place at the Dibner Institute where they will be able to collaborate in an atmosphere of collegiality and find the resources and appropriate settings to carry on their work. Resident Fellows Program: Scholars may apply to the Resident Fellows Program for the Fall (Term 1), the Spring (Term 2) or both. Term I extends from August I through December 1 1, with full activities beginning on September 1. Term 2 extends from January I hr, February 1. At the time of application, term 1 candidates may request an arrival date in July; term 2 candidates may request an extension into June. Visiting Fellows Program: Scholars may apply to the Visiting Fellows Program for less than a full term but in any case, for at least two consecutive months. The Dibner Institute expects to have fifteen Fellows each term. Funds are available for housing accommodations, living expenses and return travel costs. Estimates of costs, as well as the average stipend awarded in 1995-1996, are provided with the application forms. The deadline for receipt of applications for 1996-1997 is January 1, 1996. Fellowship recipients will be announced in March 1996. Please send requests for further information and for applications forms directly to: Trudy Kontoff, Program Coordinator, Dibner Institute for the History of Science and Technology, Dibner Building, MIT E56-100 38 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139 Tel. 617 253-6989; Fax. 617 253-9858; E-mail: DIBNER@MIT.EDU ========================================================================== Subject 8. Conference on Information, Statistics and Induction in Science ------------------------------------------------------------------------- *** CALL FOR PAPERS *** ISIS: Information, Statistics and Induction in Science Melbourne, Australia, 20-23 August 1996 Conference Chair: David Dowe Co-chairs: Kevin Korb and Jonathan Oliver INVITED SPEAKERS: Henry Kyburg, Jr. (University of Rochester, NY) J. Ross Quinlan (Sydney University) Jorma J. Rissanen (IBM Almaden Research, San Jose, California) Ray Solomonoff (U.S.A.) PROGRAM COMMITTEE: Lloyd Allison, Mark Bedau, Hamparsum Bozdogan, Wray Buntine, Peter Cheeseman, Honghua Dai, David Dowe, Doug Fisher, Alex Gammerman, Clark Glymour, Randy Goebel, David Hand, Bill Harper, David Heckerman, Colin Howson, Lawrence Hunter, Frank Jackson, Max King, Kevin Korb, Henry Kyburg, Ming Li, Nozomu Matsubara, Aleksandar Milosavljevic, Richard Neapolitan, Jonathan Oliver, Michael Pazzani, J. Ross Quinlan, Glenn Shafer, Peter Slezak, Ray Solomonoff, Paul Thagard, Neil Thomason, Raul Valdes-Perez, Tim van Gelder, Paul Vitanyi, Chris Wallace, Geoff Webb, Xindong Wu, Jan Zytkow. Inquiries to: isis96@cs.monash.edu.au David Dowe: dld@cs.monash.edu.au Kevin Korb: korb@cs.monash.edu.au or Jonathan Oliver: jono@cs.monash.edu.au Information is available on the WWW at: http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/~jono/ISIS/ISIS.shtml This conference will explore the use of computational modelling to understand and emulate inductive processes in science. The problems involved in building and using such computer models reflect methodological and foundational concerns common to a variety of academic disciplines, especially statistics, artificial intelligence (AI) and the philosophy of science. This conference aims to bring together researchers from these and related fields to present new computational technologies for supporting or analysing scientific inference and to engage in collegial debate over the merits and difficulties underlying the various approaches to automating inductive and statistical inference. AREAS OF INTEREST. The following streams/subject areas are of particular interest to the organisers: Concept Formation and Classification. Minimum Encoding Length Inference Methods. Scientific Discovery. Theory Revision. Bayesian Methodology. Foundations of Statistics. Foundations of Social Science. Foundations of AI. CALL FOR PAPERS. Prospective authors should mail five copies of their papers to Dr. David Dowe, ISIS chair. Alternatively, authors may submit by email to isis96@cs.monash.edu.au. Email submissions must be in LaTex (using the ISIS style guide [will be available at the ISIS WWW page]). Submitted papers should be in double-column format in 10 point font and not exceeding 10 pages. An additional page should display the title, author(s) and affiliation(s), abstract, keywords and identification of which of the eight areas of interest (see http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/~jono/ISIS/ISIS.Area.Interest.html) are most relevant to the paper. Refereeing will be blind; that is, this additional page will not be passed along to referees. The proceedings will be published; details have not yet been settled with the prospective publisher. Accepted papers will have to be represented by at least one author in attendance to be published. Papers should be sent to: Dr David Dowe ISIS chair Department of Computer Science Monash University Clayton Victoria 3168 Australia Phone: +61-3-9 905 5226 FAX: +61-3-9 905 5146 Email: isis96@cs.monash.edu.au Submission (receipt) deadline: 11 March, 1996 Notification of acceptance: 10 June, 1996 Camera-ready copy (receipt) deadline: 15 July, 1996 CONFERENCE VENUE ISIS will be held at the Old Melbourne Hotel, 5-17 Flemington Rd. North Melbourne. The Old Melbourne Hotel is within easy walking distance of downtown Melborne, Melbourne University, many restaurants (on Lygon Street) and the Melbourne Zoo. It is about fifteen to twenty minutes drive from the airport. REGISTRATION A registration form will be available at the WWW site http://www.cs.monash.edu.au/~jono/ISIS/ISIS.shtml, or by mail from the conference chair. Dates for registration will be considered to be met assuming that legible postmarks are on or before the dates and airmail is used. Student registrations will be available at a discount (but prices have not yet been fixed). Relevant dates are: Early registration (at a discount): 3 June, 1996 Final registration: 1 July, 1996 ========================= END OF PSA NEWSLETTER ========================== ==========================================================================