EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences

Transcription

1 EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences

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3 Mauricio Suárez Mauro Dorato Miklós Rédei Editors EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences Launch of the European Philosophy of Science Association 123

4 Editors Prof. Mauricio Suárez Universidad Complutense de Madrid Fac. Filosofía Depto. Lógica y Filosofía de la Ciencia Madrid Planta Sótano, Edificio B Spain msuarez@filos.ucm.es Mauro Dorato Via Ostiense Rome Italy dorato@uniroma3.it Miklós Rédei Houghton Street WC2 2AE London United Kingdom ISBN e-isbn DOI / Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg London New York Library of Congress Control Number: c Springer Science+Business Media B.V No part of this work may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher, with the exception of any material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Cover design: Boekhorst Design b.v. Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer Science+Business Media (

5 Contents Introduction... Mauricio Suárez, Mauro Dorato, and Miklós Rédei ix 1 Contingency and Inherency in Evolutionary Developmental Biology... 1 Werner Callebaut 2 Dualities and Intertheoretic Relations... 9 Elena Castellani 3 Are Identical Quantum Particles Weakly Discernible Objects? Dennis Dieks 4 Wave Particle Duality in Quantum Optics Brigitte Falkenburg 5 Remarks on a Structural Account of Scientific Explanation Laura Felline 6 Mathematical Knowledge and the Interplay of Practices José Ferreirós 7 Einstein, Kant, and the A Priori Michael Friedman 8 Causal Models and the Asymmetry of State Preparation Mathias Frisch 9 Bell-Type Inequalities from Separate Common Causes Gerd Graßhoff and Adrian Wüthrich v

6 vi Contents 10 Entanglement, Upper Probabilities and Decoherence in Quantum Mechanics Stephan Hartmann and Patrick Suppes 11 Gauge Symmetry and the Theta-Vacuum Richard Healey 12 The Chemical Bond: Structure, Energy and Explanation Robin Findlay Hendry 13 Randomness, Financial Markets and the Brownian Motion: A Reflection on the Role of Mathematics in Their Interaction with Financial Theory After Ghislaine Idabouk 14 Causation Across Levels, Constitution, and Constraint Max Kistler 15 Epistemic Consequences of Two Different Strategies for Decomposing Biological Networks Ulrich Krohs 16 Matter(s) in Relativity Theory Dennis Lehmkuhl 17 Individual Particles, Properties and Quantum Statistics Matteo Morganti 18 Evolution and Directionality: Lessons from Fisher s Fundamental Theorem Samir Okasha 19 Substantive General Covariance: Another Decade of Dispute Oliver Pooley 20 Relativity, Locality and Tense Steven Savitt 21 A Weylian Approach Towards Theories of Matter: Dynamic Agents and Geometrisation Norman Sieroka 22 Mirroring and Understanding Action Corrado Sinigaglia

7 Contents vii 23 Absolute Objects and General Relativity: Dynamical Considerations Adán Sus 24 Empirical Foundation of Space and Time László E. Szabó 25 Making Contact with Observations Ioannis Votsis 26 The Formulation and Justification of Mathematical Definitions Illustrated By Deterministic Chaos Charlotte Werndl 27 Do We Need Some Large, Simple Randomized Trials in Medicine? John Worrall 28 Incontinence, Honouring Sunk Costs and Rationality António Zilhão 29 Causal Fundamentalism in Physics Henrik Zinkernagel Index...323

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9 Introduction Mauricio Suárez, Mauro Dorato, and Miklós Rédei These two volumes contain a selection of the papers delivered at the first conference of the European Philosophy of Science Association (EPSA) which took place in Madrid, at Complutense University, from 14 to 17 November The first volume is entitled Epistemology and Methodology, and includes papers mainly concerned with general philosophy of science, rationality, and method. The second volume, devoted to Philosophical Issues in the Sciences, includes papers concerned with the philosophy of the sciences, particularly physics, economics, chemistry and biology. Overall the selection has been very severe and took place in two stages. The 30-strong conference programme committee chaired by Mauro Dorato and Miklós Rédei first selected 160 papers for presentation out of 410 abstracts submitted. After the conference the three of us went on to further select 60 papers among those delivered. The selection was made on the recommendation of the members of the programme committee and the chairs of the conference sessions, who were invited to nominate their favourite papers and provide reasons for their choices. Every paper included in these volumes has been independently nominated by at least two referees. There are thus good grounds to the claim that these essays constitute some of most significant and important research presently carried out in the philosophy of science throughout Europe. The two volumes also represent the first tangible outcome of the newly born EPSA. Together with the conference they in effect constitute the launching of the Association. The resounding success of the conference and its call for papers bears testimony to the strong demand for an Association of this nature. EPSA was established in anticipation of such demand and it intends to be an institution that helps cultivate philosophy of science across Europe, where modern philosophy of science was born in the first half of the twentieth century. While based in Europe, EPSA is an association that welcomes members of any nationality just like its more established, successful older sister, the Philosophy of Science Association. The varied M. Suárez, M. Dorato, and M. Rédei Madrid, Rome and London ix

10 x M. Suárez et al. range and outstanding quality of the papers in the present two volumes constitute a powerful signal of the healthy state and bright future of philosophy of science across Europe. EPSA07, the Founding conference of EPSA, was organised by Mauricio Suárez and the members of his research group at Complutense. Mauricio Suárez would like to personally thank them for their help and work during the long and unnerving months before and after the conference. Thanks also to Julian Reiss for his support during the first few months of planning. Financial help is acknowledged from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Education (grant HUM E), and the Vice-Rectorate of Research at Complutense University (programme OC36/07). Some of the funds allocated by the Government of Madrid s Autonomous Community (grant ) were diverted to cover some unexpected last minute conference expenses too. Thanks are also due the Faculty of Philosophy at Complutense for its unconditional support. In particular the Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, Juan Manuel Navarro Cordón, lent us the Faculty building and all its audiovisual facilities free of charge. This greatly reduced the cost of the conference, which a newly born association like EPSA would not have been able to cover. In compiling these volumes we were fortunate to be able to rely on Iñaki San Pedro, who has been an efficient and responsible editorial assistant. In the last few months he has almost become a fourth editor in the background we are very grateful to him. Springer backed us from the beginning, and provided the indexes. Lucy Fleet was the always friendly and supportive first port of call at Springer.Ties Niejssen was a supportive editor in the last few stages. But our greatest debt is to Charles Erkelens, the lead Humanities editor at Springer. The level of support we have found in Charles is difficult to overemphasise. He contacted the conference organiser well ahead of the event, and made sure that there would be a strong Springer presence at EPSA07. He himself attended the conference in its entirety and continued to support us throughout the editorial work. Afterwards he responded with invariable efficiency to all kinds of requests, related not only to these volumes, but also the planned-for journal, the European Journal of Philosophy of Science, where these papers were originally intended to appear. It was the good fortune of EPSA to come across such a devoted Editor at just the right time, and just the right place. Madrid, Rome and London Mauricio Suárez 25 May 2009 Mauro Dorato Miklós Rédei