First Sight

Stephan Hartmann (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of his course "Einführung in die Wissenschaftstheorie" (summer 2015) on "MCMP at First Sight": Diese Vorlesung gibt eine systematische Einführung in die analytische Wissenschaftstheorie. Dabei werden weder vertiefte Kenntnisse einer bestimmten Wissenschaft noch Mathematik jenseits der Schulalgebra vorausgesetzt. Im Einzelnen beschäftigt sich die Vorlesung mit dem Induktionsproblem, der Bestätigungstheorie, Naturgesetzen, wissenschaftlichen Erklärungen, dem Verhältnis von Theorien und Modellen, der Frage nach der Rationalität des Theorienwandels, Reduktion und Emergenz, Kausalität, sozialen Aspekten der Wissenschaft und der Realismus-Debatte. Course details: http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/students [First Sight ID: nLE2BjMFW3]

Stephan Hartmann (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of his course "Einführung in die politische Philosophie" (summer 2015) on "MCMP at First Sight": Dieses Seminar gibt eine systematische Einführung in die politische Philosophie. Im Einzelnen beschäftigen wir uns mit philosophischen Gerechtigkeitstheorien (wie dem Egalitarismus, dem Liberalismus und dem Kommunitarismus), Theorien der globalen Gerechtigkeit, Freiheitstheorien, kollektiver Rationalität, Theorien deliberativer und epistemischer Demokratie, dem Kontraktualismus, und dem Verhältnis von politischer Philosophie und politische Praxis. Viele der angesprochenen Fragen werden auch in der Politischen Theorie oder in der sozialen Erkenntnistheorie diskutiert, auf die wir uns zum Teil beziehen werden. Course details: http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/students [First Sight ID: 0hNWPAad50]

Michael Cuffaro (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of his course "Philosophy of Computing and Computer Science" (summer 2015) on "MCMP at First Sight": The aim of this course is to survey some of the more important metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, and legal questions arising from the science of computers and from their ubiquitousness in the modern world. Some of the topics we will discuss are: the nature of the concept of computation, and its relation to and origins within logic and mathematics; the philosophical significance of the complexity-theoretic distinction between tractable and intractable computational problems; whether the human mind can be described as a computer in any meaningful sense, and the possibility of and our attitudes towards artificial intelligence; the methodology of programming and the ontological status of software; the ethics of software patents and copyrights. Course details: http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/students [First Sight ID: fMQupBWGea]

Richard Dawid (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of his course "Realism" (summer 2015) on "MCMP at First Sight": The realism debate constitutes a core debate of contemporary philosophy. The lecture course aims at providing an overview of the scientific realism debate and discuss the connections and differences between the former and what Hilary Putnam calls the metaphysical realism debate. While the metaphysical realism debate addresses the question whether it makes sense to posit a world independent from the human perspective, the scientific realism debate asks whether scientific objects refer in a similar way as the objects encountered in everyday life. The course will focus on the developments since the middle of the 20th century but will also provide a wider historical perspective. Course details: http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/students [First Sight ID: Kz2XAdnnsA]

Cedric Paternotte (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of his course "Social Epistemology" (summer 2015) on "MCMP at First Sight": This course focuses on the social aspects of knowledge and belief, which have become a major topic in epistemology but also in philosophy of science the last decade. It covers the various ways in which social aspects may affect the definition and acquisition of knowledge and beliefs. Relevant topics concern the knowledge and beliefs of individual agents in social contexts, as well as the question of whether groups themselves may have epistemic characteristics and constitute agents. The course also covers issues pertaining to epistemic systems and the structures that allow communities to gather knowledge efficiently: this includes scientific communities, but also legal systems and novel systems such as Wikipedia. Course details: http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/students [First Sight ID: zVsZVcfWor]

We take a look back at the MCMP Summer School on Mathematical Philosophy for Female Students 2014! Since women are significantly underrepresented in philosophy generally and in formal philosophy in particular, this summer school was aimed at encouraging women to engage with mathematical methods and apply them to philosophical problems. The summer school providede an infrastructure for developing expertise in some of the main formal approaches used in mathematical philosophy, including theories of individual and collective decision-making, agent-based modeling, and epistemic logic. Furthermore, it offered study in an informal setting, lively debate, and a chance to strengthen mathematical self-confidence and independence for female students. Finally, having been located at the MCMP, the summer school also provided a stimulating and interdisciplinary environment for meeting like-minded philosophers. Find more info on the summer school's website at http://www.lmu.de/mathsummer2014. [First Sight ID: 0mI1WyNcOL]

Conor Mayo-Wilson (MCMP/LMU) presents a video abstract of "Agent-Based Modeling in Philosophy" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the lecture at the MCMP Summer School on Mathematical Philosophy for Female Students (27 July to 2 August, 2014): Computer simulations have become an important tool in philosophy of science, epistemology, philosophy of language, and value theory. In particular, in value theory, simulations of “agent-based models” (ABMs) have been used to investigate the emergence of norms and/or morality. The series of lectures is “practice-based” in the following sense: In addition to discussing contemporary philosophical papers, participants will construct and analyze the types of models that are employed regularly in philosophical debates. To this end, participants will learn how to program in NetLogo, a programming language designed for the construction of ABMs. No previous programming experience is required. Find more information online: http://www.lmu.de/mathsummer2014 [First Sight ID: yBErgklazR]

Catrin Campbell-Moore & Sebastian Lutz (MCMP/LMU) present a video abstract of their "Introduction to Probability Theory, Algebra, and Set Theory" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the lecture at the MCMP Summer School on Mathematical Philosophy for Female Students (27 July to 2 August, 2014): This introductory lecture provides an overview of basic algebra and set theory that will serve as the basis for the main lecture streams on individual and collective decision theory, agent-based modeling, and epistemic logic. We will introduce the idea of a variable, algebraic operations on variables, and some basic set theory, e.g. union, complementation, domains, ranges, and functions. We will also give an introduction into basic probability theory, such as the characteristics of stochastic variables and independence of stochastic variables, among other issues. Find more information online: http://www.lmu.de/mathsummer2014 [First Sight ID: riycc2esEw]

Rachael Briggs (ANU) presents a video abstract of "Theories of Individual and Collective Decision-Making" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the lecture at the MCMP Summer School on Mathematical Philosophy for Female Students (27 July to 2 August, 2014): This tutorial provides an introduction into individual and collective decision-making. After introducing probabilities and utilities, these lectures will discuss the idea and significance of representation theorems (e.g. John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern as well as give a bird's eye view of Leonard Savage and Richard Jeffrey), the issue of causal and evidential decision theory (i.e. Newcomb's Problem, the dominance principle, and other examples that puzzle philosophers). Furthermore, it will provide an introduction to causal modeling and, in particular, Bayesian networks, Causal Markov, and Faithfulness conditions. Bayesianism and frequentism as epistemological approaches will be introduced and various problems surrounding those approaches discussed. Finally, these lectures introduce theory of decision-making under risk and explore the various paradoxes that emerge (e.g. Allais and Ellsberg paradoxes), as well as discuss the Sure Thing Principle and Reduction of Compound Lotteries, present risk-weighted expected utility theory, and money pump arguments for risk-averse agents. Find more information online: http://www.lmu.de/mathsummer2014 [First Sight ID: vEW1betoGN]

Julian Barbour (Oxford) talks to Roland Poellinger (MCMP/LMU) about "The Mystery of Time and Size in Einstein's Theory of Gravity" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the lecture at the 17th UK and European Meeting on "The Foundations of Physics" (29-31 July, 2013): A century ago Einstein and Minkowski changed the world view of physics with the notion of spacetime, according to which there is no universal Now. Forty years later the great British quantum physicist Paul Dirac found evidence within the very structure of Einstein's wonderful theory which suggests that the notion of Now should be restored to the universe. Dirac's proposal is intimately related to the puzzle of the expanding universe: with respect to what is its size increasing? My talk will cover aspects of this fascinating story. In the words of Winston Churchill "It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest." Find more about the event on the conference website: http://www.uni-muenchen.de/foundationsofphysics2013 [First Sight ID: nCdAF2lqGR]

The workshop seminar "L'Homme Machine" at Venice International University (16-20 September, 2013) will investigate topics at the overlap of Philosophy, Robotics, and Cognitive Neuroscience. But isn't Philosophy about humans and their behavior? So what's the connection to robots? As a motivational kick-off we had 3 questions for Ronald Leenes, Professor in Regulation by Technology at the Tilburg Institute for Law, Technology, and Society. Leenes is principal investigator and TILT project coordinator in the EU FP7 project "Robolaw" which looks at the ethical and legal issues of robotics, human enhancement, and neurosciences. Find more about "L'Homme Machine" online: http://logic.rforge.com/LHommeMachine [First Sight ID: aZoaQ75RFQ]

The workshop seminar "L'Homme Machine" at Venice International University (16-20 September, 2013) will investigate topics at the overlap of Philosophy, Robotics, and Cognitive Neuroscience. But isn't Philosophy about humans and their behavior? So what's the connection to robots? As a motivational kick-off we had 3 questions for Kevin Warwick, Professor of Cybernetics at the University of Reading, where he carries out research in artificial intelligence, control, robotics and biomedical engineering. Probably the most famous piece of research undertaken by Warwick is known as "Project Cyborg", in which he had a chip implanted into his arm and connected to his nervous system. Find more about "L'Homme Machine" online: http://logic.rforge.com/LHommeMachine [First Sight ID: UyseMyBfyL]

The MCMP is proud to present over 250 videos on iTunes U! Thanks for all your contributions in the last two years! In 2013 we are introducting 4 new channels: "Logic", "Epistemology", "Philosophy of Science", "Metaphysics and Philosophy of Language". UPDATE (17 June, 2013): We just added another 5 collections - "Philosophy of Mathematics", "Ethics and Value Theory", "Philosophy of Mind", "Metaphilosophy", and "History of Philosophy"! Have fun exploring and try out our video search function at http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/media! [First Sight ID: xoZzT2cC6x]

Michael Strevens (NYU) presents a video abstract of "Idealization, Prediction, Difference-Making" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk at the 6th Munich-Sydney-Tilburg Conference "Models and Decisions" (10-12 April, 2013): Every model leaves out or distorts some factors that are causally connected to its target phenomena – the phenomena that it seeks to predict or explain. If we want to make predictions, and we want to base decisions on those predictions, what is it safe to omit or to simplify, and what ought a causal model to capture fully and correctly? A schematic answer: the factors that matter are those that make a difference to the target phenomena. There are several ways to understand the notion of difference-making. Which are the most useful to the forecaster, to the decision-maker? This paper advances a view. [First Sight ID: mAgdIJ0Vse]

Ulrike Hahn (Birkbeck) presents a video abstract of "Modelling Human Decision Making; Some Puzzles" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk at the 6th Munich-Sydney-Tilburg Conference "Models and Decisions" (10-12 April, 2013): A vast literature on human decision-making has highlighted its frailties and deviations from expected utility, leading to a plethora of alternative, descriptive models. However, more recent work has found maximization of expected value to provide a good descriptive account of decision-making in perceptual or perceptual motor domains. Trying to reconcile these two sets of results raises a number of interesting formal considerations. [First Sight ID: y84LEEdCWQ]

Luc Bovens (LSE) presents a video abstract of "Evaluating Risky Prospects; The Distribution View" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk at the 6th Munich-Sydney-Tilburg Conference "Models and Decisions" (10-12 April, 2013): Policy Analysts need to rank policies with risky outcomes. Such policies can be thought off as prospects. A prospect is a matrix of utilities. On the rows we list the people who are affected by the policy. In the columns we list alternative states of the world and specify a probability distribution over the states. I provide a taxonomy of various ex ante and ex post distributional concerns that enter into such policy evaluations and construct a general method that reflects these concerns, integrates the ex ante and ex post calculus, and generates orderings over policies. I show that Parfit’s Priority View is a special case of the Distribution View. [First Sight ID: kxrb0XatVy]

Itzhak Gilboa (Paris & Tel-Aviv) presents a video abstract of "Rationality and the Bayesian Paradigm" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk at the 6th Munich-Sydney-Tilburg Conference "Models and Decisions" (10-12 April, 2013): It is claimed that rationality does not imply Bayesianism. We first define what is meant by the two terms, so that the statement is not tautologically false. Two notions of rationality are discussed, and related to two main approaches to statistical inference. It is followed by a brief survey of the arguments against the definition of rationality by Savage's axioms, as well as some alternative approaches to decision making. [First Sight ID: gi5nbF6nCe]

Für die zweite Ausgabe von Cog!to konnten wir nicht nur Prof. Hartmann für ein Gespräch gewinnen, Prof. Leitgeb hat uns außerdem ein Interview ohne Worte gegeben. In unserer Leitrubrik widmen wir uns den philosophischen Fragen des Alltags, und in Schulenstreit werdet ihr mehrere Positionen zu Gerechtigkeit, Gleichheit und Gleichstellung nachlesen können. Das Interview mit Stephan Hartmann soll in Print und Video erscheinen - eine Vorschau gibt es als Video Abstract hier auf "MCMP at First Sight"! Besuch uns online auf http://www.fachschaft.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/cogto und like Cog!to auf Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CogitoZeitschrift! [First Sight ID: SqTFIEf1h1]

Claudia Tebaldi (Climate Central & NCAR) presents a video abstract of "Making sense of multiple climate models' projections" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk at the 6th Munich-Sydney-Tilburg Conference "Models and Decisions" (10-12 April, 2013): In the last decade or so the climate change research community has adopted multi-model ensemble projections as the standard paradigm for the characterization of future climate changes. Why multiple models, and how we reconcile and synthesize - or fail to - their different projections, even under the same scenarios of future greenhouse gas emissions, will be the themes of my talk. Multi-model ensembles are fundamental to exploring an important source of uncertainty, that of model structural assumptions. Different models have different strength and weaknesses, and, how we use observations to diagnose those strengths and weaknesses, and then how we translate model performance in a measure of model reliability, are currently open research questions. The inter-dependencies among models, the existence of common errors and biases, are also a challenge to the interpretation of statistics from multi-model output. All this constitutes an interesting research field in the abstract, whose most current directions I will try to sketch in my talk, but is also critical to understand in the course of utilizing model output for practical purposes, to inform policy and decision making for adaptation and mitigation. [First Sight ID: 6My7oiKdqT]

Catarina Dutilh Novaes (Groningen) presents a video abstract of "Reasoning Biases and Non-monotonic Logics" on "MCMP at First Sight". About the talk (24 Jan, 2013): Stenning and van Lambalgen (2008) have argued that much of what is described in the psychology of reasoning literature as `reasoning biases' can more accurately be accounted for by means of the concept of defeasible, non-monotonic reasoning. They rely on the AI framework of closed-world reasoning as the formal background for their investigations. In my talk, I give continuation to the project of reassessing reasoning biases from a non-monotonic point of view, but use instead the semantic approach to non-monotonic logics presented in Shoham (1987), known as preferential semantics. I focus in particular on the so-called belief-bias and the Modus Ponens-Modus Tollens asymmetry. The ease with which these reasoning patterns are accounted for from a defeasible reasoning point of view lends support to the claim that (untrained) human reasoning has a strong component of defeasibility. I conclude with some remarks on Marr’s ‘three levels of analysis’ and the role of formal frameworks for the empirical investigation of human reasoning. [First Sight ID: suyV62TV7a]