The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talk. Attend in person at 1117 Cathedral of Learning or visit our live stream on YouTube at \;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
\nLTT: \; \;Jamee Elder
\nFriday\, October 16th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST
\nTitle: \; \;The Secret Lives of Mass Gap Black Holes
\nAbstract:
\nRecent LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observations indicate black holes in the &ldquo\;mass gap&rdquo\; where pair-instability supernovae prevent black hole formation. One leading explanation is hierarchical mergers: merging black holes that are themselves products of prior mergers. I examine the evidence for this proposal and draw two methodological lessons. First\, the high spins of mass-gap black holes serve as a &ldquo\;smoking gun&rdquo\; signature of merger origin. Second\, such inferences rely on narrative models which scaffold epistemic iteration as new information is incorporated. This supports an optimistic view of astrophysical methodology and its capacity to uncover even the darkest objects&rsquo\; histories.
\nThis talk will also be available live streamed on:
\nZoom at \;https://pitt.zoom.us/j/95528498086
\nYouTube at \;https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
ORGANIZER;CN=Edouard Machery: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20261013T040501Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261020T130000 SUMMARY:Caterina Sisti - Ramsey on conditionals and variable hypotheticals UID:20261025T031234Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:98c4:a3ff:fe37:1b35%3 TZID:America/New_York LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh\, 4200 Fifth Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, United States\, 15260 DESCRIPTION:The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talk. Attend in person at 1117 Cathedral of Learning or visit our live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
\n\nLTT: Caterina Sisti
\n\nTuesday\, October 20th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST
\n\nTitle: Ramsey on conditionals and variable hypotheticals
\n\nAbstract:
\nThe standard view in the contemporary literature on conditionals reads Ramsey as evaluating indicative conditionals by conditional probability\, while offering only a few remarks on counterfactuals. This interpretation is associated with the so-called &ldquo\;Ramsey Test&rdquo\;\, a procedure for evaluating conditionals developed by later authors from a short footnote in Ramsey&rsquo\;s General Propositions and Causality (1929). Drawing on his broader writings\, I argue that the picture is not quite accurate: counterfactuals occupy a much more central place in Ramsey&rsquo\;s account than is usually recognised\, and conditional probability is not meant to apply to all indicative conditionals. I present Ramsey&rsquo\;s overall view of conditionals and show how it is connected to his conception of variable hypotheticals &mdash\; a distinctive form of generalisation.
\nThis talk will also be available live streamed on:
\nZoom at https://pitt.zoom.us/j/97867934229
\nYouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
ORGANIZER;CN=Edouard Machery: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20261013T040501Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261027T130000 SUMMARY:Nick Huggett - The Highs and Lows of Particle Physics (work with Mike Schneider) UID:20261025T031235Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:98c4:a3ff:fe37:1b35%3 TZID:America/New_York LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh\, 4200 Fifth Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, United States\, 15260 DESCRIPTION:The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talk. Attend in person at 1117 Cathedral of Learning or visit our live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
\nLTT: \; \;Nick Huggett
\nTuesday\, October 27th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST
\nTitle: \; \;The Highs and Lows of Particle Physics (work with Mike Schneider)
\nAbstract:
\nRecent work on the philosophy of high-energy physics experiments has considerably advanced our understanding of their epistemology\, for instance\, concerning measurements by the ATLAS collaboration at the large hadron collider (Beauchemin 2017). In this talk I aim to highlight and analyze complementary low energy &lsquo\;tabletop&rsquo\; experiments in particle (and other kinds of fundamental) physics. In particular\, I contrast ATLAS measurements with high precision measurements of the electron magnetic moment. We find\, for instance\, that the simplicity of the latter experiment allows for uncertainties to be minimized materially\, in the very construction of the apparatus\; it promises to probe new &lsquo\;regimes&rsquo\; of physics found in &lsquo\;increased significant figures&rsquo\; rather than higher energies. We finally suggest that a better appreciation of the capacities of such comparatively &lsquo\;frugal&rsquo\; experiments broadens our conception of &lsquo\;cutting edge&rsquo\; physics\, and ultimately helps to inform value judgments about possible research programs in the field.
\nThis talk will also be available live streamed on:
\nZoom at https://pitt.zoom.us/j/94644070927
\nYouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
ORGANIZER;CN=Edouard Machery: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20261013T040501Z DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20261106T120000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20261106T130000 SUMMARY:Caterina Del Sordo - Was Early Carnap a Machian Neutral Monist? UID:20261025T031236Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:98c4:a3ff:fe37:1b35%3 TZID:America/New_York LOCATION: University of Pittsburgh\, 4200 Fifth Avenue\, Pittsburgh\, United States\, 15260 DESCRIPTION:The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talk. Attend in person at 1117 Cathedral of Learning or visit our live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
\n\nLTT: \; \;Caterina Del Sordo
\n\nFriday\, November 6th @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST
\n\nTitle: \; \;Was Early Carnap a Machian Neutral Monist?
\n\nAbstract:
\nIn this talk\, I defend the thesis that early Carnap is a Machian neutral monist. To
\nsupport this thesis\, I mediate between two opposing readings of the relation between
\nMach and early Carnap: Textor (2021)\, who advances a neutral monistic reading of
\nCarnap&rsquo\;s Aufbau\, and Banks (2003\, 2014)\, who regards Carnap&rsquo\;s Aufbau and Mach&rsquo\;s
\nneutral monism as divergent projects. I argue that the Aufbau does not satisfy the main
\nconditions of Machian neutral monism and that the comparison between Mach and
\nearly Carnap with respect to ontological neutrality remains largely underdetermined. I
\nfurther argue that Carnap&rsquo\;s pre-Aufbau works satisfy the main conditions of Machian
\nneutral monism and support a reading according to which Mach and early Carnap are
\naligned in their account of ontological neutrality.
\nThis talk will also be available live streamed on:
\nZoom at https://pitt.zoom.us/j/96691832736
\nYouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg.
ORGANIZER;CN=Edouard Machery: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR