|
Structural Realism Reading Group - Timeline 2004
Communications: |
| |
| February 25th
First meeting: why structural realism?
Our first suggested reading is "What is structural realism?", an
article from James Ladyman, to set the grounds for our debate. It is
attached as a PDF file, to make it easier to keep and share. Please, let
me know if you have any problem to open it (a preventive tip: you need
to save it first, in order to open it). I am also making printed copies
for everybody, to put in your mail boxes today (friends at other
departments then philosophy, let me know where exactly to deliver).
On organization and delivery of the readings in general: the idea is for
us to decide together on the readings for the entire semester in the
first meeting, and then I would like to give you everything altogether
way in advance.
As an additional note for our first meeting, Prof. Dan Dill and I
(Luciana) are charged with the task of briefly presenting together the
first article for you all, to open the debate. Dan is a physicist, I am
a first year grad. student in philosophy. With this, we are also trying
to bring forward here a tentative format: having two people of different
backgrounds every meeting, committed to collaborate in a brief
presentation. With this format, we could maybe crack up from the start
some of the difficulties on reading in a interdisciplinary group. Let's
see how that works!
|
| March 17th
Second meeting: What is Structural Realism? Historical Origins
Presenters: Marie Murphy and Luciana Garbayo
Thanks for your lively participation on our SR reading group, we had a
nice start. Let’s move on then to the next step: as classes resume, we
will have our second meeting next Wednesday 17th, from 6:00
to 8:00 pm at Machette Library.
In our first meeting we already tackled the key question Dan suggested
as ‘why structural realism?’, and it worked quite well
as our initial thread. For the second meeting, then, the suggestion is
for us to move to ‘what is structural realism?’ to bring to the
table its actual forms. For enriching this debate, we will address both
its historical roots by reading Henri Poincare’ on his conventionalist
position in his text ‘Is science artificial?’, and will get back to Ladyman’s
review of literature on SR ‘what is structural realism?’, in brief
presentations.
|
|
| March 31st
Third Meeting: Structural Realism and Spatial Perception
Presenter: Steven Lehar
I hope this message finds you well and
replenished after spring break and snow storms. So, next Wednesday we
will have the third meeting of our reading group, and it will focus on
a lively debate on structural realism and perception in the
contemporary scenario. We are fortunate to have a presentation of Dr.
Steven Lehar, who is going to discuss with us his model for
understanding visual experience in a structural realist framework. He
is a Research Fellow in Ophthalmology at Harvard University, and did
his PhD. at the Cognitive and Neural Systems Program, at BU, under the
orientation of Enio Mingolla. We are very happy to have him with us.
:-)
So, the plan is simple: provided that Steve is sending
us our reading assignment way ahead for his presentation, he will
be going to present for 15 minutes, to give space to debate with
us his model for the rest of the session. The title of his
presentation is 'Structural realism and spatial perception'.
Here I forward his reading recommendations:
Gestalt Isomorphism and the Primacy of
the Subjective Conscious Experience: A Gestalt bubble model
with focus on Section 2, The
Epistemological Divide, section 5.0 The Gestalt
Principle of Isomorphism, and Section 8, The
Computational Mechanism of Perception, the latter only
in enough detail to understand what is being attempted
by this model of spatial experience, as opposed to whether or
not it succeeds in the attempt. You might also wish to peruse my
cartoon summary of the central epistemological problem in:
A Cartoon Epistemology
Not last, the summary from the second meeting is in the
making, for the beginning of next week.
A reminder of place: we are meeting in the Philosophy
Department (School of Theology Building, near George Sherman
Union), 5th floor, at Machette Library. The time is 6:00pm.
Last time we waited to start later, because we thought some
of you could still think our meeting was 6:30. Yet, the time
we all agreed upon on the first meeting was 6:00 pm. We may
change this again, if it is more convenient. Bring the
subject if this is the case.
Have a very nice week, see you then!
|
|
April 28th
Fourth Meeting: Quantum Physics and Structural Realism
Presenter: Prof. Stachel
next Wednesday April t28th we will meet again for our fourth meeting
of our structural realism reading group. This time, we will focus on
structural realism in the context of the quantum theory debate. With
that purpose, we will have the honor of welcoming Prof. John Stachel
presentation on "The relations between things and the things between
relations".
Prof. Stachel is a world famous Einstein's authority on the
interpretation of quantum relativity and the philosophical underpinnings
of quantum gravity. He is a Professor of Physics at BU, director of the
Einstein Studies, and editor of the Einstein's collected papers.
He recommends us the reading of his two articles for his presentation:
'Structural realism and contextual individuality' , and "The relation
between things and the things between relations": the deeper meaning of
the hole argument'. Also I would like to remind you all about his "A
Brief History of the Space-Time", which he has offered us in the last
meeting, as an auxiliary paper for the reading of the other ones.
I already distributed most of the copies. Please, let me know if you
plan to attend and you don't have your copy yet.
We are going to meet as always at Machette Library, at the School of
Theology Building, 5th floor. Take notice thou that this time we are
going to meet earlier: from 5 to 7 pm.
|
|
May 12th
Fifth Meeting - Structural Realism and Quantum Gravity
Presenter: Prof. Tian Yu Cao
last week we
started a very interesting debate around Prof. Stachel presentation on
structural realism and quantum physics "the relations between things and
the things between relations". So we decided to have a second round next
Wednesday May 12th. Within this spirit, Prof. Cao offers to present a
new paper on "Structural realism and quantum gravity" to warm up the
polemic, on top of our readings of Prof. Stachel's papers.
Prof. Cao's paper is attached in this message. Also let me know if could
not came to Prof. Stachel's presentation but want me to hand you his
papers for this meeting next Wednesday.
We will meet at Machette Library from 5-7pm.
Not least, since it is our last meeting this semester, the department
made
available some funds so that we can celebrate afterwards and have a
smaller
bill in the end :-). I hope all of you can came! |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
Quick Overview: Fall 2004
- Why Structural Realism?
- What is Structural Realism? Historical Origins
- Structural Realism and Spatial perception
- Quantum Physics and Structural Realism
- Structural Realism and Quantum Gravity
This reading group was organized by Luciana Garbayo
and Marie Murphy, graduate students of the Philosophy Department at Boston
University.
Meetings were held at Machette Library, at the
Philosophy Department, Boston University. School of Theology Building, 5th.
floor. |
