Thomas More Institute

 

THOMAS MORE INSTITUTE

in conjunction with

NETHERHALL HOUSE

Philosophy of Science and Philosophy Behind Science

 

What scientists do, and what people say about what scientists do, are often very different. Some say that science consists in classifying facts – without telling us what ‘facts’ are or what ‘classifying’ is. Others say science is all about what always happens. Others that science is about predictions, or that it is all about phenomena. None of these remarks in fact correspond to what scientists actually spend most of their time doing. This series of seminars run by the Thomas More Institute for residents of Netherhall House and their friends will examined what view of the world is presupposed by what scientists actually do.

Presentations were given by Prof. Christopher Martin (a Professor of Philosophy at the University of St. Thomas, Houston, who has taught in Spain, England, Scotland and the U.S.A., and has published on – among other subjects – Aristotle, causality and ethics), and were moderated by Mr. Peter Adams (a physicist by training who has worked on the particle accelerator at the Rutherford Laboratory, as well as in computer science and IT-related fields, acting as Co-Editor of a book soon to be published, Is Science Compatible with Free Will?). Prof. Martin presented participants with suggestions for thought and preparatory reading to successive seminars.

 

 

Saturday 20 October 2012:

What scientists do and what scientists think they are doing

 

Saturday 27 October 2012:

Is the structure of the Universe there to be discovered or do we impose it?

 

Saturday 3 November 2012:

Is the Universe made up of things or events?

 

Saturday 10 November 2012:

Are there any medium-sized things or only combinations of very small things?

 

Saturday 17 November 2012:

Things and the kinds they belong to

 

Saturday 24 November 2012:

Do things just happen or do they happen for a reason?

 

Saturday 1 December 2012:

Change