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.
Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific commun ....Biohumanities: Philosophical, Historical, and Socio-Cultural Studies of Contemporary Bioscience. Improving understanding of the meaning and implications of contemporary bioscience, especially genetics and molecular biology, through bioliterate research in the humanities and social sciences, and conversely through better assimilation of bioscience and its significance by the humanities and social sciences. The research will be conducted in close collaboration with the Australian scientific community and will be disseminated back to the scientific community, to the humanities and to the Australian public. The project will bring to Australia the strengths of the applicant's existing collaborations with leading research centres in this field in the USA, UK and Canada.Read moreRead less
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.
Making plants better, making Australia better? A history of genetic modification science, policy, and community attitudes in Australia. This project will document and analyse the history of the development of genetic modification (GM) science and policy, and the associated community attitudes and activism efforts in Australia over the last 40 years, with a focus on the development of GM for food and agricultural purposes. In addition to producing a rich historical narrative of critical scientifi ....Making plants better, making Australia better? A history of genetic modification science, policy, and community attitudes in Australia. This project will document and analyse the history of the development of genetic modification (GM) science and policy, and the associated community attitudes and activism efforts in Australia over the last 40 years, with a focus on the development of GM for food and agricultural purposes. In addition to producing a rich historical narrative of critical scientific and policy developments associated with GM in Australia. This project will explore how Australians respond to new scientific ideas and technologies, and use this evidence as the basis for a case study of prospects for future community involvement in the development of science policy particularly in association with emerging technologies.Read moreRead less
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