Archives 2014-2015

55th Annual Program
2014–2015

Download the BCPS 2014-15 Program

BCPS poster 2014-15 - single page -page-001

Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences

Friday, October 10th, 2014
The Castle
225 Bay State Rd.
3pm – 6pm

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  • Professor Nersessian gives her talk on using a multi-model approach in neuro-science. BU CPHS Colloquium event "Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences" on Oct 10th, 2014.

  • Professor Bokulich introduces the 1st speaker, Nancy Nersessian. BU CPHS Colloquium event "Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences" on Oct 10th, 2014.

  • Professor Hanage continues his talk. BU CPHS Colloquium event "Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences" on Oct 10th, 2014.

  • Professor Frigg gives his talk on the problems with using a multi-model approach in climate science. BU CPHS Colloquium event "Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences" on Oct 10th, 2014.

  • Our speakers for the Center for Philosophy and History of Science Colloquium event "Multi-Model Approaches in the Sciences" on Oct 10th, 2014. Left to right: William Hanage, Nancy Nersessian, Alisa Bokulich, and Roman Frigg

Pathways to Conceptual Innovation: Multi-Model Approaches in Neuro-Engineering Sciences

Nancy J. Nersessian Psychology, Harvard University

Currents in the Gene Pool: What Multi-Model Approaches Can Tell Us About Bacterial ‘Species’

William Hanage Epidemiology, Harvard University

Local High-Resolution Climate Projections: Why a Multi-Model Approach Doesn’t Help

Roman Frigg Philosophy, Logic & Scientific Method, LSE

  mp3 | Lecture Slides

The Robert S. Cohen Forum

Galileo 450th Anniversary

Friday, October 17th, 2014
Photonics Colloquium Room (906)
9th Floor, Photonics Center
8 St. Mary’s Street
1pm – 4pm

Gallileo 450th- version 2

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  • Our speakers with our Center Director at the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University. Left to Right: Zvi Biener, Paula Findlen, Alisa Bokulich, and Dan Garber pose in front of the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments after the CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" held on Oct 17th 2014.

  • Left to Right: Janet Browne (Harvard History of Science) Sara Schechner, and Alisa Bokulich pose in front of the Harvard Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments after the CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" held on Oct 17th 2014.

  • Zvi Biener gives his talk at CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

  • Paula Findlen gives her talk at CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

  • Dan Garber gives his talk at CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

  • The audience listens to a talk during CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

  • CPHS Visiting Researcher Gennady Gorelik asks a question while Holly Vandewall and Marius Stan (Boston College) look on in the audience at the CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

  • john Stachel and Pnina Abir-Am pose together at the CPHS event "Galileo 450th Anniversary" on Oct 17th, 2014.

Galileo and the Laws of Nature

Dan Garber Philosophy, Princeton University

 mp3 |Lecture Slides

The Galilean Tradition and Newtonian Mechanics

Zvi Biener Philosophy, University of Cincinnati

mp3 |

Galileo’s Laughter: Knowledge, Play and Consequences

Paula Findlen History, Stanford University

mp3 |

The festivities continue at 5pm with a reception and tour of the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments at Harvard University starting in Science Center Room 252, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA. The highlight will be a presentation on “Galileo’s Geometrical and Military Compass: Job Hunting Like an Engineer,” by the Curator, Dr. Sara Schechner. Sponsored by the Harvard Department of the History of Science. Directions at chsi.harvard.edu

Philosophy of Paleontology

Friday, November 21st, 2014
The Castle
225 Bay State Rd.

Paleontology- BCPS-poster2

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  • Our Colloquium speakers for CPHS event "Philosophy of Paleontology" held in The Castle on Nov 21st, 2014 Left to Right: Caitlin Wylie, Adrian Currie, Patrick Forber, Derek Turner, and Alisa Bokulich

  • Derek Turner gives his talk at CPHS event "Philosophy of Paleontology" held in the castle on Nov 21st, 2014.

  • Caitlin Wylie gives her talk at CPHS event "Philosophy of Paleontology" held in the castle on Nov 21st, 2014.

  • Patrick Forber gives his talk at CPHS event "Philosophy of Paleontology" held in the castle on Nov 21st, 2014.

  • Adrian Currie gives his talk at CPHS event "Philosophy of Paleontology" held in the castle on Nov 21st, 2014.

2:00pm – 6:00pm

What is a Fossil?

Derek Turner Philosophy, Connecticut College

mp3 |Lecture Slides

Fossil Preparators and the Construction of Paleontological Specimens and Knowledge

Caitlin Wylie STS, New Jersey Institute of Technology

Exploring the Complicated Role of Evolutionary Modeling in Paleobiological Research

Patrick Forber Philosophy, Tufts University

mp3 |Lecture Slides

What Use Are Species Concepts in Paleobiology? The Mystery of the Triceratops’s Mother

Adrian Currie Philosophy, University of Calgary

mp3 |Lecture Slides

 

100th Anniversary of General Relativity

Cosponsored by the Center for Einstein Studies at Boston University
Friday, March 27th, 2015
The Castle
225 Bay State Rd.

CPHS Poster - 100th Anniversary of General Relativity

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  • Left to right: Center Director Alisa Bokulich, Erhard Scholz, John Stachel, Don Howard, Michel Janssen, Katherine Brading. Below: Co-Founder of the Center, Robert S. Cohen.

  • Don Howard gives his talk at CPHS event "100th Anniversary of General Relativity" held in the castle on March 27th, 2015.

  • Katherine Brading gives her talk at CPHS event "100th Anniversary of General Relativity" held in the castle on March 27th, 2015.

  • John Stachel gives his talk at CPHS event "100th Anniversary of General Relativity" held in the castle on March 27th, 2015.

  • Part of our audience including Center co-founder Bob Cohen at CPHS event "100th Anniversary of General Relativity" held in the castle on March 27th, 2015.

  • Michel Janssen gives his talk at CPHS event "100th Anniversary of General Relativity" held in the castle on March 27th, 2015.

9:30am – 12:30pm

  • “No Success Like Failure…” Einstein’s Quest for General Relativity 1907-1920

    Michel Janssen History of Science, Technology, and Medicine, University of Minnesota

    mp3 |Lecture Slides

  • Background Independence: The Hole Story

    John Stachel Center for Einstein Studies, Boston University

  • Powers of One: Einstein and Unimodular Invariance

    Kaća Bradonjić Physics, Wellesley College

2pm – 6pm

  • Einstein, Hilbert, and the Search for Generally Covariant Field Equations

    Katherine Brading Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

    mp3

  • The Einstein Challenge for Differential Geometry: The Case of Weyl and Cartan

    Erhard Scholz Mathematics & Natural Sciences, University of Wuppertal

    mp3 |Lecture Slides

  • Einstein and the Development of 20th Century Philosophy of Science

    Don Howard Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

    mp3

The Alfred I. Tauber Forum

Scientific Pluralism

Friday, April 10th, 2015
The Castle
225 Bay State Rd.
3pm – 6pm

CPHS - Scientific Pluralism

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  • Our speakers for the CPHS event "Scientific Pluralism" held in The Castle on April 10th, 2015. Left to right: Subrena Smith, Hasok Chang, and Anya Plutynski

  • Anya Plutynski gives her talk at the CPHS event "Scientific Pluralism" held in The Castle on April 10th, 2015.

  • Subrena Smith gives her talk at the CPHS event "Scientific Pluralism" held in The Castle on April 10th, 2015.

  • Hasok Chang gives his talk at the CPHS event "Scientific Pluralism" held in The Castle on April 10th, 2015.

Cancer: Disunified Kind, Unified Explanation

Anya Plutynski Philosophy, Washington University in St. Louis

mp3 |Lecture Slides

Mind the Gap: Explanatory Pluralism and Evolutionary Explanations of Human Behavior

Subrena Smith Philosophy, University of New Hampshire

mp3 |

Pluralism and the Progress of Science

Hasok Chang History & Philosophy of Science, University of Cambridge

mp3 |Lecture Slides

Diversity, Plasticity, and the Science of Sexuality

Cosponsored by the Biology Department and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Friday, April 24th, 2015
Photonics Colloquium Room (906)
9th Floor, Photonics Center
8 St. Mary’s Street

CPHS Poster - Science of Sexuality

9:30am – 12:30pm

  • Development, Evolution, and the Diversity of Non-Reproductive Sexual Behavior: An Introduction

    Karen Warkentin Biology, Boston University

  • Sexuality at the Nature-Culture Divide: Historical Lessons

    Erika Milam History, Princeton University

  • The Evolution of Male Same-Sex Sexuality: Lessons from the Samoan Fa’afafine and Japanese Macaques

    Paul VaseyPsychology, University of Lethbridge – Alberta

2pm – 6pm

  • Sexual Fluidity in Women and Men: What Is the Relevant Time Scale?

    Lisa Diamond Psychology, University of Utah

  • Sexual Selection: How Do We Interpret Plasticity and Flexibility in Mate Choice and Beyond?

    Malin Ah-King History, Humboldt University of Berlin

  • Sexuality Beyond the Nature-Culture Divide: Philosophical Lessons

    Helen Longino Philosophy, Stanford

  • Round Table Discussion

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  • From Left to Right: Malin Ah-King, Lisa Diamond, Helen Longino, Karen Warkentin, Erika Milam, Paul Vasey, and Center Director Alisa Bokulich.

  • Erika Milam speaks at Diversity, Plasticity, and the Science of Sexuality on April 24th, 2015.

  • Karen Warkentin gives her talk at Diversity, Plasticity, and the Science of Sexuality on April 24th, 2015.

  • Our panelists for the roundtable discussion led by Carrie Preston.

  • Lisa Diamond speaks at at Diversity, Plasticity, and the Science of Sexuality on April 24th, 2015.