21-25 May 2013
Paris, France
We have roughly 20 spaces still open for the upcoming Modes of Explanation Discussion Conference to be held in Paris May 21-25. (This includes six remaining subsidized spots) To register please visit: http://modes.isce.edu For more conference information please visit: http://modesofexplanation.org Modes of Explanation Three days to discuss and learn about advances in modes of explanation. A look at how our mode of explanation affects our affordances for action. Modes of Explanation is a discussion conference, the actual presentations of attendee's work will occur on-line and only a five minute or less synopsis will precede the discussion session during which the work is discussed. Updated information is at http://modes.isce.edu/update The challenge to prospective attendees is to prepare a presentation which can evoke meaningful discussion amongst the attendees. One's presentation could, for example, focus on: 1) how we go about explaining and the limitations/strengths of our approach, 2) what kinds of explanations "work" and which kinds "fail" 3) the context dependency of explanatory form 4) the differences in use between "good enough explanation" and "truth claims" 5) the need for/use of mechanisms and "narratives" as a meaning of "explaining" (making understandable in a coherent way) some aspect of complexity or of a real in life complex system 6) how a reliance on sameness or of category as a simplifying reduction was inadequate to the situation being examined or 7) how modes of explanation vary by discipline. Keynotes: Paul Thagard, Nancy Nersessian, David Snowden, Rukmini Bhaya Nair, Sandra Mitchell, Kevin Kelly, Hugo Letiche, Timothy Allen, Zack Kopplin & more