Why philosophy of science matters to science

In an era where science is increasingly specialised, what is the value of interdisciplinary research?
In this lecture Professor Michela Massimi makes the case for research that crosses disciplinary boundaries. She argues that philosophy of science plays an integral role in scientific inquiry and a key social function.
Professor Michela Massimi was awarded the 2017 Wilkins-Bernal-Medawar Medal in recognition of her work as a leading figure in the philosophy of science.
For more Royal Society events - royalsociety.org/science-even...

[@MGromov1]

Wonderful peroration; a prize very well awarded.

[@karlpj1]

gibberish

[@jackym7734]

Great lecture, I love her accent as well

[@vincentzevecke4578]

I agree with her about interdisciplinary.

[@2smoulder]

It is more informative to start with the actual origins of the philosophy of science (Plato and Aristotle), and to track these distinct routes through Bacon (Kant used much of his work on forces of nature), Descartes, Newton, Leibniz, Einstein et al and to see the streams of mathematics and logic as both reflections of perception and reality as different methodologies.

[@michaelerdmann4447]

Considering Our mathematical perceptions and interpretations along with our objective appearances and realities going forward through ...Number, Form and Art....

[@bliss_fullness3218]

so, Royal Society will approve proposal for study on Philosophy and its relation to science ? :D

[@vincentzevecke4578]

I have read, Newton , Kant snd Paulo

[@om-ni]

Anybody else here searching for the science of philosophy?

[@mihaicolceriu-nicola7148]

me.im arguing with a believer who says science is nothing without philosophy and the bible is a philosophy part of science lmfao

[@michaelerdmann4447]

The Unfolding Technos of Science needs The Unfolding Mythos of Religion and The Unfolding Eros of Philosophy going forward for its enrichment. sincerely Integral ..Technos, Teleos, and Theos....

[@martin36369]

It seems to me, that Science is the quantitative measurement of phenomena & effects, that when translated to qualitative linguistic interpretation becomes Philosophy

[@martinwilliams9866]

"Science", as such, doesn't exist, it's not singular, but plural, it's not a thing, but an ongoing process between people, each who have "Science" represented in similar & different forms inside their heads.

[@petercarlson811]

Giving a five minute talk with this thick accent is ok, but not a long lecture. My English is pretty good and I can't follow her train of thought because I have to "translate" what I hear into English.

[@thewordshifter]

If you click on the box with "CC" in the video, you'll turn on closed captions. I've been using them for about 10 minutes and they are very accurate.

[@petercarlson811]

Good tip Alicia. I didn't think of that. Thanks!

[@deandsouza]

Much easier to follow than many British accents!

[@petercarlson811]

Agreed Dean, which is another prime example of the importance to avoid thick accents when giving lectures.

[@deandsouza]

Often easier said than done. For example, Japanese adult speakers find it difficult to distinguish between /l/ and /r/ because the brain specializes in response to hearing native-language phonemes between 6 and 12 months of age. We are constrained by our past experiences; not everyone can easily change how they pronounce words.

[@sirmeowthelibrarycat]

😢 Unfortunately, this was difficult to listen to because Professor Massimi’s accent and mode of speech. Perhaps had the presentation taken place in a more suitable location from a recording perspective such concerns might have been alleviated. However, the issue of ‘Why?’ underpinning a subject is one of great significance. It appears very early in the learning process with young children who seemingly have an insatiable need to ask ‘Why?’and who are not so easily placated with answers from mere authority. Later, senior students query in the same manner the syllabus being taught to them. Providing an acceptable defence of the teaching being presented is quite a challenge!

[@ClickBeetleTV]

Science is an international enterprise, and it is incumbent upon us to learn to understand the speech of the fine minds around us, wherever they might have learned English, rather than make them feel diminished despite their contributions and accomplishments due to our own shortcomings in understanding them.

[@RPDBY]

why is it so hard to remember and pay attention to pronunciation?

[@NeoRipshaft]

I found this deeply frustrating, in the sense that much of philosophy of science literature is deeply frustrating - in that there are generally well meaning and brilliant people who are heavily engaged in a subject that they appear completely unconcerned with aside from their pre-existing framing of it. Philosophy of science at its worst is harmful. It is painful to see how disconnected from reality the community here is. Science is something with real world impact - when you speak frivolously of science and people take it seriously - it has a very real impact on the world. It the fault (in the literal sense) of philosophy of science that psychology is fraught in speculative nonsense, that quantum mechanics has a thriving speculative nonsense community of its own, that a substantial portion of scientists do not understand what it means when you fail to replicate an experiment... you have a voice and your words have impact - think before speaking. Ask yourself if you will take responsibility for the consequences of someone taking your words seriously.

[@karlpj1]

They are simply ignored by science. The use of quantum mechanics for crazy explanations would happen with and without philosophy of science thanks to internet.

[@danielsteel5251]

_... you have a voice and your words have impact - think before speaking. Ask yourself if you will take responsibility for the consequences of someone taking your words seriously._ --Anonymous voice in the Internet aether (I don't highlight this to mock or to criticize; I simply find it amusing.)

[@goyonman9655]

But if science I so part of our being, it's worth speculating over

[@excitingworld364]

Philosophy represents the class struggle in theory - Althusser. And if it does not, then it is empty

[@excitingworld364]

It is not insignificant that J.D. Bernal was not only philosopher but a communist too! As was Albert Einstein. I think a philosophy of science (!) can't ignore such significant dimensions of how and by whom theories are created.

[@karlpj1]

Please, stop talking gibberish... As a example of your exposition: "It is our job as philosophers to reflect on the explanatory power, on the consistency across scales and on the predictive novelty of different theoretical proposals in cosmology vis-à-vis these different pieces of evidence across different scales." Please read "The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century" from Pinker. You exposition is a example of entitlement over substance.