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Event: Science beyond the horizon with Nancy Cartwright

=22What are the promises and pitfalls of evidence-based policy=3F Is it a=
 mistake or simply misleading to speak of laws in science=3F=22

The Institute for Advanced Study of the University of Amsterdam (IAS) is =
proud to present=C2=A0prof. Nancy Cartwright, distinguished and highly in=
fluential contemporary Philosopher of Science, as keynote speaker in its =
Science beyond the Horizon series.

Date: Thursday 9 December 2021
Time: 16:30-18:30 (CET)
Location: Online

Registration:online registration form

Programme:
16:30 - 16:32: Word of welcome by IAS Scientific Director Huub Dijstelblo=
em
16:32 - 16:40: Introducing the speaker and the topic by =46ederica Russo
16:40 - 17:25: Keynote lecture by Nancy Cartwright:=C2=A0=E2=80=9CScience=
 in the earthly plane=E2=80=9D
17:25 - 17:30: Short break
17:30 - 18:10: Panel discussion with Henk de Regt, Cees Diks, John Grin, =
Maartje Schermer, Sonja Smets,
18:10 - 18:30: General Q&A

Abstract:
=22This is a series about science and its philosophy =E2=80=98Beyond the =
Horizons=E2=80=99. I will recommend the opposite, not science beyond the =
horizons but science and philosophy well below the horizons. That is, sci=
ence and philosophy =E2=80=98in the earthly plane,=E2=80=99 as Vienna Cir=
cle philosopher and sociologist Otto Neurath urged. One dominant image of=
 science pictures it as primarily high theory and breakthrough experiment=
s done by men of genius wresting from nature her deepest secrets. But the=
ory + experiment do not a science make, nor do men of genius. To accompli=
sh anything in the world, every practice and every product of science mat=
ters.

So this talk will be in praise of big science. Not big in the sense of gr=
and projects with large teams spending vast sums of money but rather big =
in the way that a giant Meccano set is big. It consists of a very great m=
any diverse pieces that can be deployed in a great variety of different w=
ays to serve different purposes. Not just theory and experiment but equal=
ly models; measurement definitions, procedures, and instruments; concept =
development and validation; data collection, analysis, and curation; non-=
experimental studies; statistical techniques; methods of approximation; c=
ase studies; narratives; and more. Especially important is the complex wa=
ys in which these interweave.

I shall argue that it is because of this vast tangle of other products an=
d practices that we can trust any single product of science to do its job=
 =E2=80=94whether this be an abstract formula in mathematical physics or =
a poverty measure or a new piece of medical technology. This argues for a=
 far more intellectually humble attitude to the grandeur of science. All =
the products of science play a crucial role in securing reliability: ever=
y labourer is equally worthy their hire.=22

About the speaker:
Nancy Cartwright =46BA =46AcSS is Professor of Philosophy at Durham Unive=
rsity and a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, San =
Diego (UCSD). In the first half of her career at Stanford University she =
specialised in the philosophy of the natural sciences, especially physics=
; in the second half, at the London School of Economics and now Durham an=
d UCSD, she has specialised in philosophy and methodology of the social s=
ciences with special attention to economics. Her current research focusse=
s on objectivity and evidence, especially for evidence-based policy.

More information:=C2=A0online event page
Registration:=C2=A0online registration form

=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F=5F
Dr =46ederica Russo =7C=C2=A0http://russofederica.wordpress.com=C2=A0=7C=C2=
=A0=C2=A0=40federicarusso
Department of Philosophy & ILLC,=C2=A0University of Amsterdam
Mailing address: Postbus 94201, 1090=C2=A0GE Amsterdam
ORCID ID=C2=A0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1993-9697
Zoom:=C2=A0https://uva-live.zoom.us/my/federicarusso

European Philosophy of Science Association - Member of the Steering Commi=
ttee
Institute for Advanced Study- UvA =7C=C2=A0Member of the=C2=A0Management =
Team
Russo =46., Value-promoting concepts in the health sciences and public he=
alth, Philosophical News, Special issue =22Ethics, Health Data and Bio-Ci=
tizenship=E2=80=9D. Preprint here
Networks:=C2=A0EBM+=7C=C2=A0CitS CON=46ERENCE SERIES
            

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