The Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science (CLPS) of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) will host a workshop on explanation and understanding within mathematics on December 5-6 2019.
\nInvited speakers
\nCatarina Dutilh Novaes (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
\nVictor Gijsbers (Universiteit Leiden)
\nMatthew Inglis (Loughborough University)
\nTheme of the workshop
\nDuring this workshop speakers will present various philosophical perspectives on explanation and understanding within mathematics. By doing so we aim to further unravel these important notions in the philosophy of mathematics.
\nExplanation and understanding are central topics in the philosophy of science. This discipline has made important developments to account for the role explanations play in scientific activities. A current trend is that philosophers emphasize the relation between explanation and understanding\, and stress the need for theories of scientific understanding.
\nInitially\, explanation in the field of mathematics received less attention and remained a puzzling notion. The view that mathematicians can be interested in more than the mere justification of mathematical results led to a small yet growing line of research on mathematical explanation. \;In recent decades philosophers of mathematics mainly looked into what it means that a proof provides an explanation. Besides explanatory proofs\, however\, there might be other types of explanation within mathematics. Additionally\, still too little attention goes to the notion of mathematical understanding.
\nFor this workshop we invite submissions that address questions concerning explanation and understanding within mathematics. Topics include\, but are not limited to\, philosophical perspectives on:
\nExplanatory proofs
\nMathematical explanation beyond proof
\nMathematical understanding
\nThe relation between mathematical explanation and understanding
\nCase studies from the practice or history of mathematics
\nFruitfulness of accounts of scientific explanation/understanding in philosophy of mathematics
\nCall for Abstracts
\nWe invite researchers who would be interested to present their work to send us an abstract of 300 to 500 word by July\, 1st. Please submit your abstract\, including your affiliation information\, by sending it to the following email address: jfrans@vub.be. The talks will be of a duration of 45 minutes (including discussion).
\nOrganisation
\nLocal organizer: Joachim Frans
\nScientific Committee: Patrick Allo\, Jeremy Avigad\, Alan Baker\, Joachim Frans\, \;Karen Franç\;ois\, Bert Leuridan\, Jean Paul Van Bendegem\, Bart Van Kerkhove\, Erik Weber
\nAttendance Fees and Registration
\nWe ask people to register by November\, 1st. The registration cost is 50 euro\, to be paid upon arrival. If you are planning to attend the workshop\, please register by sending an email to: jfrans@vub.be.
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