Logic List Mailing Archive

PhD student position in Contextual approach to scientific problem solving processes, Gent (Belgium), Deadline: 6 June 2010

PhD position in Ghent: Contextual and formal-logical approach to
scientific problem solving processes

The Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science of Ghent University
(http://logica.ugent.be/centrum/) has a vacancy for a pre-doctoral
researcher in a research project entitled Contextual and formal-
logical approach to scientific problem solving processes.
Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Erik Weber & Prof. Dr. Joke Meheus.
Period: 1 October 2010 till 30 September 2014.
Salary: approx. 1700 EUR/month (net).
Profile of the candidate:
- Master’s degree in philosophy.
- Advanced knowledge of the philosophy of science and formal logic
- Able to read, speak and write in English in a very fluent way.
Description of the project + task of the researcher:
The general aim of the project is to develop formal tools  in the
adaptive logics tradition originating in the work of D. Batens  for
the analysis of scientific reasoning processes. Other researchers
already working on this project deal with e.g. abductive and inductive
reasoning and conceptual change.
The task of the new researcher is to develop adaptive logics that are
suitable for application in one of the following domains:
(1) causal reasoning (causal discovery, evidence for causal claims and
applications of causal knowledge);
(2) counterfactual reasoning (arguing about counterfactuals and
reasoning starting from counterfactual knowledge);
(3) scientific explanations (reasoning process leading towards
explanations; formal explication of explanatory power).
References
The adaptive logics homepage (http://logica.ugent.be/adlog/al.html)
contains an introduction to adaptive logics and references to papers
on this topic.

Applications
If you are interested in this position, send an email with your CV and
to Erik.Weber@UGent.be, not later than 6 June 2010.