10-12 April 2008
Duesseldorf, Germany
Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Underdetermination Workshop April 10-12, University of Duesseldorf. The aim of the workshop is to explore new and fruitful avenues concerning the empirical limits of scientific knowledge. It brings together some of the world's leading experts in the scientific realism debate to discuss the latest developments in the field. Topics to be discussed include structural realism, underdetermination, empirical equivalence, the pessimistic meta-induction argument, the reference of scientific terms and inference to the best explanation. The programme will commence with a eulogy to the late Peter Lipton, who was originally scheduled to give a talk at the workshop. David Papineau who had known Peter for over twenty years will give the eulogy. Attendance is open to all but please RSVP Ioannis Votsis - votsis@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de Date: April 10-12, 2008 Place: Lecture Room 02.26, Building 23.31, University of Duesseldorf Workshop organisers: Gerhard Schurz and Ioannis Votsis Website: http://www.phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de/theoretical-frameworks-and-empirical-underdetermination/ The workshop is financed by the DFG (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft - German Research Foundation) as part of the research unit FOR600. Provisional Schedule: Thursday, April 10 09:30 - 09:40 Peter Lipton Eulogy by David Papineau 09:40 - 10:50 "Reduction or Elimination? and Why It Doesn't Matter" David Papineau (King's College London) 10:50 - 11:00 coffee break 11:00 - 12:10 "Structures, Inferences and Referents" Ioannis Votsis (Duesseldorf) 12:10 - 14:00 lunch break 14:00 - 15:10 "Structural versus Standard Realism: The Case of Phlogiston and the De-oxygenated Air" James Ladyman (Bristol) 15:10 - 15:20 coffee break 15:20 - 16:30 "When Empirical Success Implies Theoretical Reference: A Structural Correspondence Theorem" Gerhard Schurz (Duesseldorf) 16:30 - 16:40 coffee break 16:40 - 17:50 "Erecting a New Theory of Structures" F.A. Muller (Rotterdam & Utrecht) Friday, April 11 09:30 - 10:40 "Transient Underdetermination and the Miracle Argument" Paul-Hoyningen Heune (Hannover) 10:40 - 10:50 coffee break 10:50 - 12:00 "The Role of the Underdetermination Argument in the Scientific Realism Debate" Stathis Psillos (Athens) 12:00 - 14:00 lunch break 14:00 - 15:10 "Why the Structural Realist has nothing to Fear from 'Underdetermination'" John Worrall (London School of Economics) 15:10 - 15:20 coffee break 15:20 - 16:30 "Underdetermination: Epistemological Impact and Methodological Role" Martin Carrier (Bielefeld) 16:30 - 16:40 coffee break 16:40 - 17:50 "Empirical Content and its Presuppositions" Hannes Leitgeb (Bristol) 18:15 - 19:45 Plenary Talk: "Carnap on Theoretical Terms: Structuralism without Metaphysics" Michael Friedman (Stanford) Saturday, April 12 09:30 - 10:40 How the Growth of Evidence has Stopped Theory Change Ludwig Fahrbach (Duesseldorf) 10:40 - 10:50 coffee break 10:50 - 12:00 "Is Structural Underdetermination Possible?" Holger Lyre (Bonn) 12:00 - 12:10 coffee break 12:10 - 13:20 "Metaphysical Underdetermination: Why Worry?" Steven French (Leeds)