Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE120102308
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
The physical and metaphysical foundations of structural realism. The aim of this project is to develop a general conception of nature that accounts for the central features of contemporary fundamental physics. It will provide a comprehensive conceptual framework for understanding the fundamental physical features of the world.
Experimental philosophy on probabilistic actual causation. This project will provide better philosophical theories of probabilistic causation, including ways to measure degrees of influence, make comparisons to appropriate norms, and identify underlying physical processes. This is vital to properly interpreting scientific models of many causal systems, yielding practical benefits for science and industry.
The scientific revolution: mechanisation of the world picture or the emergence of science as opposed to a world picture? This project will enhance Australia's already strong international reputation in History and Philosophy of Science by offering an account of the Scientific Revolution that meets the highest standards of both philosophical and historical scholarship. It will portray science as emerging as an autonomous discipline distinct from natural philosophy.
The nature and status of principles in early modern philosophy. One of the most contested issues in early modern thought was the nature of principles: what are the principles of reason, of nature, of morality, and why do we need them? This project will provide a comprehensive study of the nature and status of such principles in the 17th and 18th centuries charting the story of how their fortunes waxed and waned.
Laws, models and analogies in ecology. This project aims to explore whether there are laws in ecology and, if so, what role they play in ecological theory. If there were no ecological laws, ecologists would merely supply suites of models which would be assessed for their empirical adequacy but not for their ability to capture truths. If ecology does have laws, what are these laws and why do the best candidates for ecological laws not have exceptions? This project could influence understanding of ....Laws, models and analogies in ecology. This project aims to explore whether there are laws in ecology and, if so, what role they play in ecological theory. If there were no ecological laws, ecologists would merely supply suites of models which would be assessed for their empirical adequacy but not for their ability to capture truths. If ecology does have laws, what are these laws and why do the best candidates for ecological laws not have exceptions? This project could influence understanding of ecological theory from a philosophical and an ecological perspective. This may have implications for the methodology of ecology and ecological modelling.Read moreRead less
The place of history in science: reassessing the Darwinian revolution. This project aims to examine how historical representations of Darwin and his revolutionary theory have influenced the shape and direction of modern evolutionary science itself. The project expects to show how certain historical assumptions about Darwin and natural selection have constrained evolutionary thinking in particular ways. Conversely, it will demonstrate how contemporary developments in evolutionary science have cha ....The place of history in science: reassessing the Darwinian revolution. This project aims to examine how historical representations of Darwin and his revolutionary theory have influenced the shape and direction of modern evolutionary science itself. The project expects to show how certain historical assumptions about Darwin and natural selection have constrained evolutionary thinking in particular ways. Conversely, it will demonstrate how contemporary developments in evolutionary science have changed historians’ understanding of the history of evolution. The expected outcomes include a new understanding of the mutual interactions between history and science, capacity building in the field of the history of science, and interdisciplinary collaborations across the biological sciences and humanities.Read moreRead less
Explorations in the Foundations of Quantum Gravity. Despite almost a century of struggle, gravitation (as described by Einstein's general theory of relativity) remains divided from the principles of quantum theory (the framework in which our best theories of particle physics are couched). Bringing them together constitutes one of the most urgent problems of physics. By exploring the foundations of the problem, and the various proposed resolutions, from both historical and philosophical perspecti ....Explorations in the Foundations of Quantum Gravity. Despite almost a century of struggle, gravitation (as described by Einstein's general theory of relativity) remains divided from the principles of quantum theory (the framework in which our best theories of particle physics are couched). Bringing them together constitutes one of the most urgent problems of physics. By exploring the foundations of the problem, and the various proposed resolutions, from both historical and philosophical perspectives, this project aims both to shed new light on why it so stubbornly resists a solution and to assist in its solution. It will map out the specific features of the various approaches to quantum gravity with a view to offering researchers a helpful tool to navigate and compare their virtues and vices.Read moreRead less
The Development of Quantum Gravity (1957-1988): The Great Divide. The problem of quantum gravity, involving the bringing together of the two pillars of modern physics (general relativity, describing spacetime and gravity, and quantum theory, describing matter and the strong, weak and electromagnetic forces), remains unresolved despite over a century of searching. Following on from a productive pair of earlier ARC fellowship projects, this project aims to continue the historical investigation of ....The Development of Quantum Gravity (1957-1988): The Great Divide. The problem of quantum gravity, involving the bringing together of the two pillars of modern physics (general relativity, describing spacetime and gravity, and quantum theory, describing matter and the strong, weak and electromagnetic forces), remains unresolved despite over a century of searching. Following on from a productive pair of earlier ARC fellowship projects, this project aims to continue the historical investigation of the quest for quantum gravity, from 1957 to 1988, with a view to opening up avenues for new solutions and new ways to crack longstanding roadblocks through a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary approach.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100303
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$441,200.00
Summary
Inheritance and the Emergence of Individuals: From concepts to practice . This project aims to solve a fundamental problem in biology, namely, how entities at one level biological organisation (e.g. single cells) transition or evolve into entities at a higher level (e.g. multicellular organisms). Although several attempts to solve this problem have been made, they are unsatisfactory because they neglect the role of inheritance during the transitions. The project will employ philosophical analysi ....Inheritance and the Emergence of Individuals: From concepts to practice . This project aims to solve a fundamental problem in biology, namely, how entities at one level biological organisation (e.g. single cells) transition or evolve into entities at a higher level (e.g. multicellular organisms). Although several attempts to solve this problem have been made, they are unsatisfactory because they neglect the role of inheritance during the transitions. The project will employ philosophical analysis, formal models, and ultimately experiments with bacteria to understand the role of inheritance during these evolutionary transitions. In doing so, the project will demonstrate that conceptual research by philosophers of biology can make an impactful contribution in biology and answer fundamental questions in this field.Read moreRead less
Passionate Knowledge: The Ethics and Politics of the Scientific Revoution. Modern science and the modern state came to the world together. They emerged from the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century, which changed not only the way people understood the world, but how they understood themselves as individuals and communities. By analysing scientific, philosophical and political documents, some canonical and some rarely read, this project aims to reveal the ethical and political implications o ....Passionate Knowledge: The Ethics and Politics of the Scientific Revoution. Modern science and the modern state came to the world together. They emerged from the Scientific Revolution of the 17th century, which changed not only the way people understood the world, but how they understood themselves as individuals and communities. By analysing scientific, philosophical and political documents, some canonical and some rarely read, this project aims to reveal the ethical and political implications of the rise of modern science. It is expected to be the first comprehensive study of the co-formation of science and the state in their era of origin, shedding crucial and surprising light on the place of science in culture and politics ever since.Read moreRead less