koglist April 2002

koglist@maillist.ttk.hu

6 participants
18 discussions

BBS Call for Commentators: Shanker & King, The Emergence of a New Paradigm in Ape Language Research

by Behavioral & Brain Sciences

Dear Dr. Qwerty, Below is a link to the forthcoming BBS target article The Emergence of a New Paradigm in Ape Language Research by Stuart Shanker & Barbara J. King http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Shanker/Referees/ This article has been accepted for publication in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), an international, interdisciplinary journal providing Open Peer Commentary on important and controversial current research in the biobehavioral and cognitive sciences. Commentators must be BBS Associates or suggested by a BBS Associate. To be considered as a commentator for this article, to suggest other appropriate commentators, or for information about how to become a BBS Associate, please reply by EMAIL within within two (2) weeks to: calls(a)bbsonline.org The Calls are sent to 10,000 BBS Associates, so there is no expectation (indeed, it would be calamitous) that each recipient should comment on every occasion! Hence there is no need to reply except if you wish to comment, or to suggest someone to comment. If you are not a BBS Associate, please approach a current BBS Associate (there are currently over 10,000 worldwide) who is familiar with your work to nominate you. All past BBS authors, referees and commentators are eligible to become BBS Associates. An electronic list of current BBS Associates is available at this location to help you select a name: http://www.bbsonline.org/Instructions/assoclist.html (please note that this list will be updated shortly) If no current BBS Associate knows your work, please send us your Curriculum Vitae and BBS will circulate it to appropriate Associates to ask whether they would be prepared to nominate you. (In the meantime, your name, address and email address will be entered into our database as an unaffiliated investigator.) ======================================================================= IMPORTANT To help us put together a balanced list of commentators, please give some indication of the aspects of the topic on which you would bring your areas of expertise to bear if you were selected as a commentator. To help you decide whether you would be an appropriate commentator for this article, an electronic draft is retrievable from the online BBSPrints Archive, at the URL that follows the abstract below. _______________________________________________________________________ THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW PARADIGM IN APE LANGUAGE RESEARCH Stuart Shanker Departments of Philosophy and Psychology York University North York, Ont M3J 1P3 Canada Barbara J. King Department of Anthropology College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 United States KEYWORDS: dynamic systems; co-regulation; apes; language development; ape language research; communication; symbols; brain development ABSTRACT: In recent years we have seen a dramatic shift, in several different areas of communication studies, from an information-theoretic to a dynamic systems paradigm. In an information-processing system, communication, whether between cells, mammals, apes, or humans, is said to occur when one organism encodes information into a signal that is transmitted to another organism that decodes the signal. In a dynamic system, all of the elements are continuously interacting with and changing in respect to one another, and an aggregate pattern emerges from this mutual co-action. Whereas the information-processing paradigm looks at communication as a linear, binary sequence of events, the dynamic systems paradigm looks at the relation between behaviors and how the whole configuration changes over time. One of the most dramatic examples of the significance of shifting from an information-processing to a dynamic systems paradigm can be found in the debate over the interpretation of recent advances in ape language research (ALR). To some extent, many of the early ALR studies reinforced the stereotype that animal communication is functional and stimulus-bound, precisely because they were based on an information-processing paradigm that promoted a static model of communicative development. But Savage-Rumbaughs recent results with bonobos has introduced an entirely new dimension into this debate. Shifting the terms of the discussion from an information-processing to a dynamic systems paradigm not only highlights the striking differences between Savage-Rumbaughs research and earlier ALR studies, but further, it sheds illuminating light on the factors that underpin the development of communication skills in great apes and humans, and the relationship between communicative development and the development of language. http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Shanker/Referees/ ====================================================================== IMPORTANT Please do not prepare a commentary yet. Just let us know, after having inspected it, what relevant expertise you feel you would bring to bear on what aspect of the article. We will then let you know whether it was possible to include your name on the final formal list of invitees. ======================================================================= *** SUPPLEMENTARY ANNOUNCEMENT *** (1) Call for Book Nominations for BBS Multiple Book Review In the past, Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) had only been able to do 1-2 BBS multiple book treatments per year, because of our limited annual page quota. BBS's new expanded page quota will make it possible for us to increase the number of books we treat per year, so this is an excellent time for BBS Associates and biobehavioral/cognitive scientists in general to nominate books you would like to see accorded BBS multiple book review. (Authors may self-nominate, but books can only be selected on the basis of multiple nominations.) It would be very helpful if you indicated in what way a BBS Multiple Book Review of the book(s) you nominate would be useful to the field (and of course a rich list of potential reviewers would be the best evidence of its potential impact!). *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Please note: Your email address has been added to our user database for Calls for Commentators, the reason you received this email. If you do not wish to receive further Calls, please feel free to change your mailshot status through your User Login link on the BBSPrints homepage, using your username and password above: http://www.bbsonline.org/ *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Ralph BBS ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph DeMarco Associate Editorial Coordinator Behavioral and Brain Sciences Journals Department Cambridge University Press 40 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-4211 UNITED STATES bbs(a)bbsonline.org http://bbsonline.org Tel: +001 212 924 3900 ext.374 Fax: +001 212 645 5960 -------------------------------------------------------------------

24 years

BBS Call for Commentators: Shanker & King, The Emergence of a New Paradigm in Ape Language Research

by Behavioral & Brain Sciences

Below is a link to the forthcoming BBS target article The Emergence of a New Paradigm in Ape Language Research by Stuart Shanker & Barbara J. King http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Shanker/Referees/ This article has been accepted for publication in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), an international, interdisciplinary journal providing Open Peer Commentary on important and controversial current research in the biobehavioral and cognitive sciences. Commentators must be BBS Associates or suggested by a BBS Associate. To be considered as a commentator for this article, to suggest other appropriate commentators, or for information about how to become a BBS Associate, please reply by EMAIL within within two (2) weeks to: calls(a)bbsonline.org The Calls are sent to 10,000 BBS Associates, so there is no expectation (indeed, it would be calamitous) that each recipient should comment on every occasion! Hence there is no need to reply except if you wish to comment, or to suggest someone to comment. If you are not a BBS Associate, please approach a current BBS Associate (there are currently over 10,000 worldwide) who is familiar with your work to nominate you. All past BBS authors, referees and commentators are eligible to become BBS Associates. An electronic list of current BBS Associates is available at this location to help you select a name: http://www.bbsonline.org/Instructions/assoclist.html (please note that this list will be updated shortly) If no current BBS Associate knows your work, please send us your Curriculum Vitae and BBS will circulate it to appropriate Associates to ask whether they would be prepared to nominate you. (In the meantime, your name, address and email address will be entered into our database as an unaffiliated investigator.) ======================================================================= IMPORTANT To help us put together a balanced list of commentators, please give some indication of the aspects of the topic on which you would bring your areas of expertise to bear if you were selected as a commentator. To help you decide whether you would be an appropriate commentator for this article, an electronic draft is retrievable from the online BBSPrints Archive, at the URL that follows the abstract below. _______________________________________________________________________ THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW PARADIGM IN APE LANGUAGE RESEARCH Stuart Shanker Departments of Philosophy and Psychology York University North York, Ont M3J 1P3 Canada Barbara J. King Department of Anthropology College of William and Mary Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795 United States KEYWORDS: dynamic systems; co-regulation; apes; language development; ape language research; communication; symbols; brain development ABSTRACT: In recent years we have seen a dramatic shift, in several different areas of communication studies, from an information-theoretic to a dynamic systems paradigm. In an information-processing system, communication, whether between cells, mammals, apes, or humans, is said to occur when one organism encodes information into a signal that is transmitted to another organism that decodes the signal. In a dynamic system, all of the elements are continuously interacting with and changing in respect to one another, and an aggregate pattern emerges from this mutual co-action. Whereas the information-processing paradigm looks at communication as a linear, binary sequence of events, the dynamic systems paradigm looks at the relation between behaviors and how the whole configuration changes over time. One of the most dramatic examples of the significance of shifting from an information-processing to a dynamic systems paradigm can be found in the debate over the interpretation of recent advances in ape language research (ALR). To some extent, many of the early ALR studies reinforced the stereotype that animal communication is functional and stimulus-bound, precisely because they were based on an information-processing paradigm that promoted a static model of communicative development. But Savage-Rumbaughs recent results with bonobos has introduced an entirely new dimension into this debate. Shifting the terms of the discussion from an information-processing to a dynamic systems paradigm not only highlights the striking differences between Savage-Rumbaughs research and earlier ALR studies, but further, it sheds illuminating light on the factors that underpin the development of communication skills in great apes and humans, and the relationship between communicative development and the development of language. http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Shanker/Referees/ ====================================================================== IMPORTANT Please do not prepare a commentary yet. Just let us know, after having inspected it, what relevant expertise you feel you would bring to bear on what aspect of the article. We will then let you know whether it was possible to include your name on the final formal list of invitees. ======================================================================= *** SUPPLEMENTARY ANNOUNCEMENT *** (1) Call for Book Nominations for BBS Multiple Book Review In the past, Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) had only been able to do 1-2 BBS multiple book treatments per year, because of our limited annual page quota. BBS's new expanded page quota will make it possible for us to increase the number of books we treat per year, so this is an excellent time for BBS Associates and biobehavioral/cognitive scientists in general to nominate books you would like to see accorded BBS multiple book review. (Authors may self-nominate, but books can only be selected on the basis of multiple nominations.) It would be very helpful if you indicated in what way a BBS Multiple Book Review of the book(s) you nominate would be useful to the field (and of course a rich list of potential reviewers would be the best evidence of its potential impact!). *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Please note: Your email address has been added to our user database for Calls for Commentators, the reason you received this email. If you do not wish to receive further Calls, please feel free to change your mailshot status through your User Login link on the BBSPrints homepage, using your username and password above: http://www.bbsonline.org/ *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Ralph BBS ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph DeMarco Associate Editorial Coordinator Behavioral and Brain Sciences Journals Department Cambridge University Press 40 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-4211 UNITED STATES bbs(a)bbsonline.org http://bbsonline.org Tel: +001 212 924 3900 ext.374 Fax: +001 212 645 5960 -------------------------------------------------------------------

24 years

BBS Call for Commentators: Andrews et al., Adaptationism: How to Carry Out an Exaptationist Program

by Behavioral & Brain Sciences

Dear Dr. Qwerty, Below is a link to the forthcoming BBS target article Adaptationism: How to Carry Out an Exaptationist Program by Paul W. Andrews, Steven W. Gangestad, & Dan Matthews http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Andrews/Referees/ This article has been accepted for publication in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), an international, interdisciplinary journal providing Open Peer Commentary on important and controversial current research in the biobehavioral and cognitive sciences. Commentators must be BBS Associates or suggested by a BBS Associate. To be considered as a commentator for this article, to suggest other appropriate commentators, or for information about how to become a BBS Associate, please reply by EMAIL within two (2) weeks to: calls(a)bbsonline.org The Calls are sent to 10,000 BBS Associates, so there is no expectation (indeed, it would be calamitous) that each recipient should comment on every occasion! Hence there is no need to reply except if you wish to comment, or to suggest someone to comment. If you are not a BBS Associate, please approach a current BBS Associate (there are currently over 10,000 worldwide) who is familiar with your work to nominate you. All past BBS authors, referees and commentators are eligible to become BBS Associates. An electronic list of current BBS Associates is available at this location to help you select a name: http://www.bbsonline.org/Instructions/assoclist.html (please note that this list will be updated shortly) If no current BBS Associate knows your work, please send us your Curriculum Vitae and BBS will circulate it to appropriate Associates to ask whether they would be prepared to nominate you. (In the meantime, your name, address and email address will be entered into our database as an unaffiliated investigator.) ======================================================================= To help us put together a balanced list of commentators, please give some indication of the aspects of the topic on which you would bring your areas of expertise to bear if you were selected as a commentator. To help you decide whether you would be an appropriate commentator for this article, an electronic draft is retrievable from the online BBSPrints Archive, at the URL that follows the abstract below. _______________________________________________________________________ ADAPTATIONISM: HOW TO CARRY OUT AN EXAPTATIONIST PROGRAM Paul W. Andrews, Steven W. Gangestad & Dan Matthews Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 KEYWORDS: adaptation, ADHD, brain allometry, constraint, epistemology, evolutionary psychology, exaptation, female orgasm, optimization, special design, waist-hip ratio ABSTRACT: Adaptationism is a research strategy that seeks to identify adaptations and the specific selective forces that drove their evolution in past environments. Since the mid-1970s, paleontologist Stephen J. Gould and geneticist Richard Lewontin have been critical of adaptationism, especially as applied towards understanding human behavior and cognition. Perhaps the most prominent criticism they made was that adaptationist explanations were analogous to Rudyard Kiplings "just-so" stories. Since story telling (through the generation of hypotheses and the making of inferences) is an inherent part of science, the criticism refers to the acceptance of stories without sufficient empirical evidence. In particular, Gould, Lewontin, and their colleagues argue that adaptationists often use inappropriate evidentiary standards for identifying adaptations and their functions and that they often fail to consider alternative hypotheses to adaptation. Playing prominently in both of these attacks are the concepts of constraint, spandrel, and exaptation. In this article we discuss the standards of evidence that could be used to identify adaptations and when and how they may be appropriately used. Moreover, building an empirical case that certain features of a trait are best explained by exaptation, spandrel, or constraint requires demonstrating that the traits features cannot be better accounted for by adaptationist hypotheses. Thus, we argue that the testing of alternatives requires the consideration, testing, and systematic rejection of adaptationist hypotheses. Where possible, we illustrate our points with examples taken from human behavior and cognition. http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Andrews/Referees/ ====================================================================== IMPORTANT Please do not prepare a commentary yet. Just let us know, after having inspected it, what relevant expertise you feel you would bring to bear on what aspect of the article. We will then let you know whether it was possible to include your name on the final formal list of invitees. ======================================================================= *** SUPPLEMENTARY ANNOUNCEMENT *** (1) Call for Book Nominations for BBS Multiple Book Review In the past, Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) had only been able to do 1-2 BBS multiple book treatments per year, because of our limited annual page quota. BBS's new expanded page quota will make it possible for us to increase the number of books we treat per year, so this is an excellent time for BBS Associates and biobehavioral/cognitive scientists in general to nominate books you would like to see accorded BBS multiple book review. (Authors may self-nominate, but books can only be selected on the basis of multiple nominations.) It would be very helpful if you indicated in what way a BBS Multiple Book Review of the book(s) you nominate would be useful to the field (and of course a rich list of potential reviewers would be the best evidence of its potential impact!). *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Please note: Your email address has been added to our user database for Calls for Commentators, the reason you received this email. If you do not wish to receive further Calls, please feel free to change your mailshot status through your User Login link on the BBSPrints homepage, using your username and password above: http://www.bbsonline.org/ *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Ralph BBS ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph DeMarco Associate Editorial Coordinator Behavioral and Brain Sciences Journals Department Cambridge University Press 40 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-4211 UNITED STATES bbs(a)bbsonline.org http://bbsonline.org Tel: +001 212 924 3900 ext.374 Fax: +001 212 645 5960 -------------------------------------------------------------------

24 years

BBS Call for Commentators: Andrews et al., Adaptationism: How to Carry Out an Exaptationist Program

by Behavioral & Brain Sciences

Below is a link to the forthcoming BBS target article Adaptationism: How to Carry Out an Exaptationist Program by Paul W. Andrews, Steven W. Gangestad, & Dan Matthews http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Andrews/Referees/ This article has been accepted for publication in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), an international, interdisciplinary journal providing Open Peer Commentary on important and controversial current research in the biobehavioral and cognitive sciences. Commentators must be BBS Associates or suggested by a BBS Associate. To be considered as a commentator for this article, to suggest other appropriate commentators, or for information about how to become a BBS Associate, please reply by EMAIL within two (2) weeks to: calls(a)bbsonline.org The Calls are sent to 10,000 BBS Associates, so there is no expectation (indeed, it would be calamitous) that each recipient should comment on every occasion! Hence there is no need to reply except if you wish to comment, or to suggest someone to comment. If you are not a BBS Associate, please approach a current BBS Associate (there are currently over 10,000 worldwide) who is familiar with your work to nominate you. All past BBS authors, referees and commentators are eligible to become BBS Associates. An electronic list of current BBS Associates is available at this location to help you select a name: http://www.bbsonline.org/Instructions/assoclist.html (please note that this list will be updated shortly) If no current BBS Associate knows your work, please send us your Curriculum Vitae and BBS will circulate it to appropriate Associates to ask whether they would be prepared to nominate you. (In the meantime, your name, address and email address will be entered into our database as an unaffiliated investigator.) ======================================================================= To help us put together a balanced list of commentators, please give some indication of the aspects of the topic on which you would bring your areas of expertise to bear if you were selected as a commentator. To help you decide whether you would be an appropriate commentator for this article, an electronic draft is retrievable from the online BBSPrints Archive, at the URL that follows the abstract below. _______________________________________________________________________ ADAPTATIONISM: HOW TO CARRY OUT AN EXAPTATIONIST PROGRAM Paul W. Andrews, Steven W. Gangestad & Dan Matthews Department of Biology University of New Mexico Albuquerque, NM 87131 KEYWORDS: adaptation, ADHD, brain allometry, constraint, epistemology, evolutionary psychology, exaptation, female orgasm, optimization, special design, waist-hip ratio ABSTRACT: Adaptationism is a research strategy that seeks to identify adaptations and the specific selective forces that drove their evolution in past environments. Since the mid-1970s, paleontologist Stephen J. Gould and geneticist Richard Lewontin have been critical of adaptationism, especially as applied towards understanding human behavior and cognition. Perhaps the most prominent criticism they made was that adaptationist explanations were analogous to Rudyard Kiplings "just-so" stories. Since story telling (through the generation of hypotheses and the making of inferences) is an inherent part of science, the criticism refers to the acceptance of stories without sufficient empirical evidence. In particular, Gould, Lewontin, and their colleagues argue that adaptationists often use inappropriate evidentiary standards for identifying adaptations and their functions and that they often fail to consider alternative hypotheses to adaptation. Playing prominently in both of these attacks are the concepts of constraint, spandrel, and exaptation. In this article we discuss the standards of evidence that could be used to identify adaptations and when and how they may be appropriately used. Moreover, building an empirical case that certain features of a trait are best explained by exaptation, spandrel, or constraint requires demonstrating that the traits features cannot be better accounted for by adaptationist hypotheses. Thus, we argue that the testing of alternatives requires the consideration, testing, and systematic rejection of adaptationist hypotheses. Where possible, we illustrate our points with examples taken from human behavior and cognition. http://www.bbsonline.org/Preprints/Andrews/Referees/ ====================================================================== IMPORTANT Please do not prepare a commentary yet. Just let us know, after having inspected it, what relevant expertise you feel you would bring to bear on what aspect of the article. We will then let you know whether it was possible to include your name on the final formal list of invitees. ======================================================================= *** SUPPLEMENTARY ANNOUNCEMENT *** (1) Call for Book Nominations for BBS Multiple Book Review In the past, Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS) had only been able to do 1-2 BBS multiple book treatments per year, because of our limited annual page quota. BBS's new expanded page quota will make it possible for us to increase the number of books we treat per year, so this is an excellent time for BBS Associates and biobehavioral/cognitive scientists in general to nominate books you would like to see accorded BBS multiple book review. (Authors may self-nominate, but books can only be selected on the basis of multiple nominations.) It would be very helpful if you indicated in what way a BBS Multiple Book Review of the book(s) you nominate would be useful to the field (and of course a rich list of potential reviewers would be the best evidence of its potential impact!). *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Please note: Your email address has been added to our user database for Calls for Commentators, the reason you received this email. If you do not wish to receive further Calls, please feel free to change your mailshot status through your User Login link on the BBSPrints homepage, using your username and password above: http://www.bbsonline.org/ *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-* Ralph BBS ------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph DeMarco Associate Editorial Coordinator Behavioral and Brain Sciences Journals Department Cambridge University Press 40 West 20th Street New York, NY 10011-4211 UNITED STATES bbs(a)bbsonline.org http://bbsonline.org Tel: +001 212 924 3900 ext.374 Fax: +001 212 645 5960 -------------------------------------------------------------------

24 years

Call eloadasa SURGOS

by Gergely Csibra

Legyszives tegyetek fel a kovetkezo informaciot az altalatok moderalt listakra (cog psycgol, etologia, okologia stb) 2002 Majus 6. du 15.30 kor Josep Call (a PRIMATE COGNITION c. konyv tarsszeroje) (MAX PLANK INST, Lipcse) CIM> INFERENTIAL REASONING IN APES HELYSZIN: ETOLOGIA TSZ. BP. PAZMANY P s. 1/c 6em MINDENKIT SOK SZERETETTEL VARUNK. KOSZONETTEL ADAM dr Adam Miklosi Dept of Ethology DIV>Univ. of Eotvos Budapest Pazmany P. s. 1/c H-1117 Hungary Tel: 00 36 1 381 21 79 Fax: 00 36 1 381 21 80

24 years

Fw: VISION

by Csaba Pleh

Csaba Pleh, Professor of Psychology Budapest U. of Technology and Economics, Center for Cognitive Science Presently at Collegium Budapest, Budapest, Szentharomsag u 2 H-1014 cspleh@ colbud.hu, T: 3612248323, Fax: 3612248310 Mobile: (06)303500431 ----- Original Message ----- From: Kovács Gyula dr. To: Csaba Pleh ; nanay bence ; ajuska(a)axelero.hu ; András Rung ; Futo Judit ; Gabi Felhosi ; Gabor Zemplen ; Gabris Krisztian ; Gervain Judit ; Kovács Kristóf ; Lilla ; Lukacs ; Mund Katalin ; noemi Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 11:08 AM Subject: FW: VISION terjesszetek es jeloljetek be a naptarotokban idoben!!! gyula --------------------- LÁTÁS nemzetközi kiállítás, szimpózium, vetítéssorozat, hálózati projekt, kiadványok Budapesti Õszi Fesztivál - Mûcsarnok - C3, 2002. október 18 november 17 A látás, különösen az emberi látás, mely jelen rendezvénysorozat fõ témája, történetileg változó, aktív, kognitív folyamat. Agykutatók, pszichológusok, történészek, mûvészek együttes közremûködésével arra a feladatra vállalkozunk, hogy egy új, interdiszciplináris közeget hozzunk létre mely reményeink szerint alkalmas arra, hogy a látás megértéséhez új szempontokat teremtsen. LÁTÁS/VISION Nemzetközi médiamûvészeti és történeti kiállítás. Mûcsarnok, 2002 október 19 november 17. Megnyitó: 2002 október 18 egyben a Budapesti Õszi Fesztivál megnyitója Mûvészeti, történeti és tudományos kiállítás a látásról. A Mûcsarnok teljes kiállítóterében megrendezésre kerülõ bemutató három fõ csoportra osztható: Az elsõ, alapterületét és költségigényét tekintve legnagyobb mûcsoport a kortárs médiamûvészet eszközeivel, a mûvészi látásmód sajátosságainak megfelelõen prezentálja kép és percepció, a látáskutatás mûvészi reflexiói alapján azt a sajátos mûvészi "hozadékot", mely egyben e közös munka különös elemét jelenti. A második, történetinek nevezhetõ csoport részben mûtárgyakra, részben eszközökre és dokumentumokra oszlik, mely a történeti kutatási témacsoportokhoz köthetõ. Itt a kutatók és a közönség számára is mód nyílik olyan ritkán látható és tanulmányozható eredeti tárgyak és eszközök megismerésére, melyek ilyen kivételes alkalmaktól eltekintve el vannak zárva a nyilvánosság elõl. E hazai és nemzetközi anyag sorában felhasználunk és bemutatunk a kutatási témához kapcsolódó új, eddig publikálatlan nemzetközi eredményeket, mint a Jaroslav Andel által feldolgozott, Jan Purkinje 1818-as prágai disszertációja, a látás perzisztenciája elsõ felismerésének eredményeit és hatását bemutató munka. A harmadik, arányaiban a legkisebb rész olyan, erre az alkalomra készülõ valamint a korábbi, hasonló témában kutatásokat folytató tudósok (Marey, Demeny) által készített demonstrációs táblák, tablók készítése, melyek bemutathatóvá tesznek fontos, de értékük miatt hozzáférhetetlen és kölcsönözhetetlen mûtárgyakat éppúgy, mint a tudósok által használt, kifejlesztett optikai, illúziócsalódást vagy épp a térlátás tulajdonságait vizsgáló szemléltetõ ábrákat, képeket. Történeti és mûvészeti témakörök: A szem mítosza, az öt érzék mûvészi megjelenítései. Látás mozgásban. A látás fiziológiájának kutatása, a fényismeret és ennek összefüggései a technikai képek megszületését elõkészítõ találmányokkal a XVIII-XX. században (Peter Mark Roget, Plateau, Purkinje, Wheatstone, Young, Fresnel, Johannes Müller, Brewster, Stampfer, Helmholtz, Marey, Demeny, Mach, stb.) "Az ész szeme." A vizuális minta, az illúzió és a XIX XXI. századi tudományos kép változásai (Arnheim, Kanizsa, Francois Molnar, Gregory, Julesz, Rorschach-teszt, Necker-kocka, Mach, Wittgenstein ábrái) Ars magna lucis et umbra Fényelméletek, optika és katoptrika a fizikában és a mûvészetben, mozgó képek Nervus opticus. Demonstrációs tablók részben a kiállítótérben, részben a weben. Aktív és interaktív prezentáció, valamint a látás és a mûvészi alkotás közvetlen kapcsolatára reflektáló mûvek (Bosch, Leonardo, Dürer, Rembrandt, Vermeer, Muybridge, Meissonier, Degas, Seurat, Cézanne, Duchamp, Bragaglia, Kiefer, Vertov, Moholy-Nagy, Kepes, Vasulka) Oculus artificialis. Látógépek. (mesterséges szemek, optikai berendezések, elméletek és kísérletek a XVII. századtól a XX. század elejéig) Látásprotézisek és optikai mutatványok (a szemüvegtõl a sztereoszkópon át a 3D virtuális valóságig) Résztvevõ mûvészek többek között Gyõrfi Gábor, El-Hassan Róza, Csörgõ Attila, Sugár János, Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán, Türk Péter, Joachim Fleischer, Woody és Steina Vasulka, Harun Farocki, Joachim Sauter, Rosa Barba, Masaki Fujihata, JODI, valamint a C3 által kiírt pályázat révén kiválasztott, erre az alkalomra készülõ 8-10 új mû szerzõi. Történeti anyagok: Prágai Technikatörténeti Múzeum, Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Gadányi György gyûjteménye, Állatorvostudományi Egyetem Archívuma, Semmelweis Orvostudományi Egyetem, MKE könyvtár, Magyar Nemzeti Filmintézet, Magyar Szabadalmi Hivatal Tárgyak: bioszkóp, epidiaszkóp, fenakiszitszkóp, fonoszkóp, grafoszkóp, ikonoszkóp, kaleidoszkóp, kinetoszkóp, megaszkóp, mikroszkóp, mutoszkóp, oszcilloszkóp, periszkóp, praxinoszkóp, stroboszkóp, sztereoszkóp, tachyszkóp, teleszkóp, zograszkóp FILMSZEM. Vetítéssorozat / PROJECTION SERIES Vetítéssorozat a Mûcsarnokban és az Örökmozgó Filmmúzeumban a kiallítás nyitvatartásának idõszakában. Dziga Vertov, Bódy Gábor, Ferdnand Léger, Louis Bunuel, Erdély Miklós, Harun Farocki, Zbigniew Rybczynski és mások munkái. Kísérõ rendezvények: különbözõ budapesti helyszíneken SZEM, LÁTÁS, KÉP DOKUMENTUMOK / ADATBÁZIS / KIADVÁNYOK Szöveggyûjtemény/Katalógus Webfejlesztés http://www.c3.hu/events/2001/latas/index.html http://vision.c3.hu AGY ÉS KÉP / Image and the Brain Tudományos szimpózium, 2002. október 19-20.-án a Mûcsarnokban. A bölcsnek szemei vannak a fejében; (Préd. 2.15 Károli fordítás) Szimpózium a vizuális mûvészetek és az agykutatás kapcsolatáról. A tervezett meghívott elõadók az agykutatás neuronális (anatómiai, fiziológiai), viselkedéses (neurológiai, pszichofiziakai), és elméleti (filozófiai) megközelítéseinek elsõszámú képviselõi a világban, s összeköti õket közös érdeklõdésük az alkotó folyamat idegrendszeri hátterét illetõen. A tudományos kutatók mellett a mûvészet és a humán szféra jeles képviselõi vesznek részt a konferencián. A meghívást visszaigazolt, legismertebb külföldi meghívottak felsorolása: Vilayanur S. Ramachandran (Professor of Neurosciences and Psychology, University of California, San Diego). Korai munkái vizuális percepcióval kapcsolatosak, de mostanában neurológiai tanulmányairól híres. Legújabb témája a szinesztézia jelenségének értelmezése, és kísérleti vizsgálata. Jean-Pierre Changeux (Récepteurs et Cognition, CNRS, Institut Pasteur), legutóbbi magyarul megjelent Paul Ricoeurrel közös könyve: A természet és a szabályok Richard Gregory (Professor of Psychology, Downing College Cambridge), pl. az Értelmes szem c. könyv szerzõje. A vizuális mûvészetek és a tudomány kapcsolatának klasszikusa. Siegfried Zielinski (Kunsthochscule für neue Medien, Köln) teoretikus, a kölni médiamûvészeti iskola alapító rektora. A médiaarcheológia és a kortárs mûvészet kapcsolatának nemzetközi hírû kutatója. Peter Weibel (ZKM, Karlsruhe) médiamûvész, teoretikus, a karlsruei médiaintézet és múzeum igazgatója. A linzi Ars Electronica koncepciójának egyik kidolgozója, a bécsi mûvészeti akadémia tanára Jaroslav Andel (kurátor, New York) mûvészettörténész, a prágai Nemzeti Galária volt igazgatója, több, témánkhoz kapcsolódó korábbi rendezvény kezdeményezõje. A rendezvénysorozat felelõse, egyben a Visio munkacsoport vezetõje a C3 részérõl: Peternák Miklós. Munkatársak: Erõss Nikolett, Mélyi József valamint a Visio kutatócsoport további tagjai: Dr. Kovács Ilona, Dr. Kovács Gyula, Vidnyánszky Zoltán, Beke László, El Hassan Róza, Gyõrfi Gábor, Sugár János, Szegedy-Maszák Zoltán. Webfejlesztõ: Nikázy Gusztáv. Nemzetközi koordináció: Adéle Eisenstein http://vision.c3.hu/ e-mail cím: vision(a)c3.hu

24 years

Ursula Bellugi es A. Karmiloff -Smith eloadasa majus 2-an a Collegium Budapestben

by Gergely Csibra

BOUNCE koglist(a)www.cogpsyphy.hu: Header field too long (>1024) From: "Csaba Pleh" <pleh(a)itm.bme.hu> To: "Vidnyanszky Zoltan" <vidnyanszky(a)ana.sote.hu>, "Vajda Zsuzsanna" <vajda.zsuzsanna(a)drotposta.hu>, "Vajda Zsuzsanna" <vajdazs(a)edpsy.u-szeged.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?T=E1rnok_Zsanett?= <tarnok(a)vadaskertalapitvany.hu>, "szendi" <szendi(a)nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu>, "Sandor Klara" <sandor(a)jgytf.u-szeged.hu>, "Peter Molnar" <pmolnar(a)jaguar.dote.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?P=E9ley_Bernadette?= <peley(a)btk.pte.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?B?UGFwIErhbm9z?= <eurania(a)mail.uti.hu>, "Pleh" <pleh(a)itm.bme.hu>, "Santha Miklos" <Santha(a)nucleus.szbk.u-szeged.hu>, "Kri Szabolcs" <SZKERI(a)phys.szote.u-szeged.hu>, "Janka Zoltan professzor" <janka(a)nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu>, "Beke Monika" <b.moni(a)itm.bme.hu>, "gadoros" <gadoros(a)axelero.hu>, "Gyori" <GyoriMiklos(a)axelero.hu>, "halasz" <halasz(a)opni.hu>, "Kovacs Gyula" <g.kovacs(a)richter.hu>, "Kovacs Ilona" <ikovacs(a)cyclops.rutgers.edu>, "Lukacs" <alukacs(a)axelero.hu>, "Racsmany" <racsmany(a)edpsy.u-szeged.hu>, "Laszlo Janos" <laszlo(a)mtapi.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?B?S2924WNzIEtyaXN082Y=?= <kristof.k(a)chello.hu>, "Krajcsi Attila" <krajcsi(a)izabell.elte.hu>, "Korossy Judit" <korossy(a)edpsy.u-szeged.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?B?S/NueWEgQW5pa/M=?= <konya(a)izabell.elte.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Ko=F3s_Orsolya?= <kooso(a)mtapi.hu>, "Kenesei Istvan" <kenesei(a)sol.cc.u-szeged.hu>, "Hamori Eszter" <ehamori(a)mtapi.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Gergely_Gy=F6rgy?= <gergelyg(a)mtapi.hu>, "Futo Judit" <tokimano(a)yahoo.com>, =?iso-8859-1?B?RmVo6XJN?= <feherm(a)phil.philos.bme.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?B?RfZycyBTemF0aG3hcnk=?= <szathmary(a)colbud.hu>, "Dr. Pogany Gabor" <pogany(a)williams.ngo.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Dank=F3_Bertalan?= <danko.bertalan(a)axelero.hu>, <Csilla.Gyenis(a)colbud.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Csibra_Gerg=F5?= <g.csibra(a)bbk.ac.uk>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Cs=E1nyi_Vilmos?= <csanyi13(a)axelero.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Czigler_Istv=E1n?= <czigler(a)cogpsyphy.hu>, "Boross Ottilia" <ottilia(a)btk.ppke.hu>, "Barotfi Edit" <barotfi(a)zeus.colbud.hu>, "Balazs Gulyas" <Balazs.Gulyas(a)neuro.ki.se>, "Aurel GABRIS" <gabrisa(a)optics.szfki.kfki.hu>, "Attila Krajcsi" <krajcsi(a)edpsy.u-szeged.hu>, "Agnes Kovacs" <agikov(a)hotmail.com>, =?iso-8859-1?B?wWThbSBHefZyZ3k=?= <dradam(a)ludens.elte.hu>, "koglist" <koglist(a)cogpsyphy.hu>, <ajuska(a)axelero.hu>, =?iso-8859-1?Q?Andr=E1s_Rung?= <rungandras(a)hotmail.com>, "Gabi Felhosi" <felhogab(a)hotmail.com>, "Gabor Zemplen" <zemplen(a)hps.elte.hu>, "Gabris Krisztian" <gabrikri(a)freemail.hu>, "Gervain Judit" <h633301(a)stud.u-szeged.hu>, "Lilla" <mlillus(a)izabell.elte.hu>, "Mund Katalin" <mundka(a)freemail.hu>, "noemi" <hahnoemi(a)freemail.hu> Subject: Ursula Bellugi es A. Karmiloff -Smith eloadasa majus 2-an a Collegium Budapestben Date: Tue, 23 Apr 2002 12:46:12 +0200 --- The Rector and Permanent Fellows of COLLEGIUM BUDAPEST / Institute for Advanced Study invite you to a Public Session by Ursula Bellugi and Annette Karmiloff-Smith on Thursday, 2 May 2002, at 5.00 p.m. in Collegium Budapest 1014 Budapest Szentháromság u. 2. The session is organized on the occasion of the workshop held at the Collegium on METHODOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF WILLIAMS SYNDROME RESEARCH organized by the Collegium and BME Center for Cognitive Science Linking Cognitive Neuroscience and Molecular Genetics: New Perspectives from Williams Syndrome Ursula Bellugi Edward S. Klima Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience The Salk Institute for Biological Studies La Jolla, CA Introduction to Williams Syndrome. Recent major advances in cognitive neuroscience, in brain imaging and molecular genetics make this an ideal time to begin to examine the links between these levels through the study of specific genetic syndromes. We present an historical approach which contrasts different genetically based disorders such as Williams syndrome with others such as Down syndrome. Williams syndrome is a rare genetically-based disorder resulting in a fascinating and puzzling profile of peaks and valleys of abilities. Starting at a point in time where little to nothing was known about the syndrome, we will show how initial studies have found that the syndrome results in specific dissociations in higher cognitive functions, both within and across domains: a) cognitive deficits but relative strength in language; b) extreme disorders in spatial cognition but strength in face processing; as well as c) hypersociability. Studies of cognitive functions, brain structure, brain function, and molecular genetics resulting from such syndromes can thus help begin to forge links between disparate levels, including brain, gene, and cognition. Neurobiological Findings Contrasting Genetic Syndromes. We will present initial findings from studies of Williams syndrome involving cognitive, neuromorphological, neurophysiological, brain cytoarchitectonic and genetic probes. The neuromorphological characterization of Williams syndrome using quantitative high resolution voluming of magnetic resonance images (MRI) suggests that there are differential areas of brain development in two contrasting genetic syndromes. Although cerebral volumes are smaller than normal in both Williams syndrome and Down syndrome subjects, anterior brain volume and limbic structure volume appear proportionately better preserved in Williams syndrome, and neocerebellar volumes are actually enlarged. Primary auditory areas also appear to be disproportionately large in Williams syndrome subjects, compared to Down syndrome and normal controls, perhaps subserving relative strengths in language and affinity for music. We will present results of initial studies in language, face, and space processing that provide clues to neurophysiological phenotypic markers in Williams syndrome. Summary: These studies may in the long run provide new clues to the neurobiological basis of domains of higher cognitive functioning. The finding that specific brain regions are selectively preserved and impaired in diverse genetically-based syndromes suggests that they may come under the influence of specific genetic developmental factors, or that their development is mutually interactive. Such issues linking cognitive phenotypes, neural systems and molecular genetics may have implications for cortical plasticity, and are important to central questions of cognitive neuroscience. CV of Dr. Ursula Bellugi: she is Professor at The Salk Institute for Biological Studies, as well as Director of the Laboratory for Cognitive Neuroscience, and Adjunct Professor at UCSD and SDSU, and an Associate with the Sloan Center for Theoretical Neurobiology. Much of her research is in collaboration with her husband, Edward S. Klima. Both have doctorates from Harvard University and they have received many awards for their research, including two MERIT awards from the National Institute of Child Health and Development, a Neuroscience Investigator Award from the National Institute on Deafness., and the Distinguished Scientific Contribution Award from the American Psychological Association. Dr. Bellugi has also received the Foundation IPSEN Prize in Neuronal Plasticity, together with Torsten Wiesel and Wolfgang Singer. Bellugi and Klima's research is focused on the biological foundations of language and other cognitive functions and their genetic basis. Bellugi and Klima have co-authored several hundred papers and books including The Signs of Language and What the Hands Reveal About the Brain as well as the recent book Journey from Cognition to Brain to Gene: Perspectives from Williams Syndrome (which has been nominated for an award). These studies permit the exploration of some of the central issues of cognitive neuroscience linking cognitive functions with their bases in neurobiology and gene expression. Genotype Phenotype Relations: Why a Cognitive Developmental Perspective is Crucial Annette Karmiloff-Smith I will discuss three reasons why genotype/phenotype mapping is not straight-forward even in a genetic disorder where the deleted genes and the pattern of behavioural impairments have already been identified. The case of Williams syndrome (WS) serves as a model. First, genotype/phenotype relations will be discussed with respect to older children and adults with WS, compared to non-WS individuals with similar but smaller deletions on chromosome 7q11.23. Our studies suggest that it is at the level of underlying *cognitive* processes, and not behavioural outcomes, that genotype/phenotype relations must be explored. Second, I will show how even in domains where people with WS score in the range of normal controls, the cognitive processes they use are different. Third, I will argue that it essential to consider genotype/phenotype relations in early infancy and not solely in the phenotypic outcome. The infant brain is not like a Swiss army knife, simply handed down by evolution with preformed, specialized components that may be individually impaired at birth. Rather, subtle impairments early on can have a differential impact on different domains in the phenotypic outcome. Ontogenetic development itself is the clue to understanding developmental disorders and their relation to the structure of the adult cognitive system. CV of Annette Karmiloff-Smith: she Professor and Head of the Neurocognitive Development Unit at the Institute of Child Health in London where she runs a research team examining cognitive development in genetic disorders. She has a Doctorat en Psychologie Génétique et Expérimentale from the University of Geneva, where she studied and worked with the Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget, at the Centre International d'Epistemologie Genetique. She is a Fellow of the British Academy and of the Academy * of Medical Sciences. In 1995, she was awarded the British Psychological Society's Book Award for excellence in the literature of psychology for her book Beyond Modularity: A developmental perspective on cognitive science (MIT Press, 1992). Her co-authored book, Rethinking Innateness: A Connectionist Perspective on Development, (MIT Press, 1996) was nominated for the 1997 American Psychological Association Eleanor Maccoby Prize. With her daughter, Kyra Karmiloff, she has written two books bringing science to the general public. Author of 7 books and of some 200 chapters and articles in scientific journals, her works have been translated into Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, French, Greek, Hungarian, Arabic and Hebrew. Csaba Pleh, Professor of Psychology Budapest U. of Technology and Economics, Center for Cognitive Science Presently at Collegium Budapest, Budapest, Szentharomsag u 2 H-1014 cspleh@ colbud.hu, T: 3612248323, Fax: 3612248310 Mobile: (06)303500431

24 years

PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM, Lilia Gurova

by Laszlo E. Szabo

Department of History and Philosophy of Science Eotvos University Budapest, Pazmany P. setany 1/A PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE COLLOQUIUM (http://hps.elte.hu/seminar) ________________________________________________ 29 April 4:00 PM 6th floor 6.54 (Language: English) Concepts: where the critics of the classical view went wrong Lilia Gurova Department of Philosophy of Science, Institute of Philosophical Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia Department of Cognitive Science and Psychology, New Bulgarian University, Sofia In the 1970s, a set of experimental findings convinced cognitive science community that the view whose main claim is that concepts are represented by lists of defining features (the so-called classical view) is to be recognized as inadequate and replaced by a more sound theory. Some of the critics of the classical view have even claimed that this view has failed not only as a psychological theory but also as a methodological prescription in natural sciences (especially in biology). Taken seriously, their claim implies that the search for well-defined concepts in science is generally misleading. Most scientists, however, would hardly agree with such a verdict. Is the criticism against the classical view so unproblematic as it is seen to be today? The aim of this presentation is to denounce some broadly accepted myths concerning the so-called classical view and its alleged main flaws. ___________________ The organizer of the seminar: László E. Szabó -- Laszlo E. Szabo Department of Theoretical Physics Department of History and Philosophy of Science Eotvos University, Budapest H-1518 Budapest, Pf. 32, Hungary Phone/Fax: (36-1)372-2924 Home: (36-1) 200-7318 Mobil/SMS: (36) 20-366-1172 http://hps.elte.hu/~leszabo

24 years

FW: Problems in Philosophy of Science eloadasok (fwd)

by Gergely Csibra

BOUNCE koglist(a)www.cogpsyphy.hu: Non-member submission from [Laszlo Ropolyi <ropolyi(a)caesar.elte.hu>] --- Date: Sat, 20 Apr 2002 21:59:32 +0200 (METDST) From: Laszlo Ropolyi <ropolyi(a)caesar.elte.hu> To: koglist(a)cogpsyphy.hu Subject: Problems in Philosophy of Science eloadasok (fwd) Ertesitjuk az erdeklodoket, hogy az ELTE Tudomanytortenet es Tudomanyfilozofia Tanszeken angol nyelvu tudomanyfilozsfiai kurzus folyik (minden erdeklodo szamara): Problems in Philosophy of Science cimmel Eloadok: Bojan Borstner (Maribor), Lilia Gurova (Sofia), Mihail-Radu Solcan (Bucharest) is Borut Cerkovnik (Ljubjana) A kurzus soronkovetkezo eloadasai: 24 April, 18.00: Lilia Gurova: Causation and causal explanations 26 April, 14.00: Lilia Gurova: The problem of intratheoretical reduction 3 May, 14.00: Lilia Gurova: Scientific concepts and psychological theories of concepts 8 May, 18.00: Mihail-Radu Solcan: Problems in the philosophy of psychology 15 May, 18.00: Borut Cerkovnik: Wittgenstein on vagueness 17 May, 14.00: Borut Cerkovnik: What is a picture theory of meaning? 22 May, 18.00: Borut Cerkovnik: Quine's and Wittgenstein's accounts of the nature of meaning Az eloadasok idopontja: szerda 6 - fel 8, valamint pentek 2 - fel 4 (kizarolag a fent megjelolt napokon) Az eloadasok helye: Budapest, ELTE Lagymanyos, Eszaki tomb, 686. terem Tovabbi informaciok megtalalhatok a kovetkezo web cimen: http://hps.elte.hu/ Minden erdeklodot szeretettel varunk! Ropolyi Laszlo ELTE Tudomanytortenet es Tudomanyfilozofia Tanszek 1518 Budapest Pf. 32. tel: 372 2949 ------ End of Forwarded Message

24 years

Philosophy of Science Colloquium, May Program

by Laszlo E. Szabo

Department of HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE Eotvos University, Budapest Pazmany P. setany 1/A Budapest Phone/Fax: (36-1) 372 2924 Department's Home Page:http://hps.elte.hu Philosophy of Science Colloquium Room 6.54 (6th floor) Monday 4:00 PM ____________________________________ May Program 6 May 4:00 PM 6th floor 6.54 (Language: English) Models of cognition and social interactions Mihail Radu Solcan Department of Philosophy, University of Bucharest (1) The talk is an attempt to emphasize some philosophical presuppositions of the application of neural networks models in the analysis of social interactions. (2 )Two main models of cognition are taken into account in the talk: the classical model and the neural network model. (3) The use of neural networks models is rather rarely attempted in social science. The examples known to the author are from economics. (4) The talk suggests that the use of neural networks models in social science is however interesting. The focus is on the implications of the application of the last model as a model of social interactions. (5) Two main advantages of such models are suggested: (a) they offer an explanation for what is called dispersed knowledge; (b) they shift the accent from rational agents to interactions and rules in society. (6) Some criticisms of the use of models in social science are examined. We also consider the advantages of alternative models with (rational) agents. (7) Open problems: the meaning of computer simulations of social interactions based on neural networks models. 13 May 4:00 PM 6th floor 6.54 (Language: English, except all participants speak Hungarian) Indeterminism and Free Will Ferenc Huoranszki Central European University, Budapest The fundamental problem for any libertarian philosophy of action concerns the intelligibility of free choice in an indeterministic world. Since free choice implies control the absence of deterministic processes seems to diminish, rather than enhance, freedom. Chancy processes decrease the capacity of control; "indeterminate decisions" cannot serve as grounds of responsibility-attribution. Consequently, there could be no freedom in an indeterministic world. If our world is in fact indeterministic and such that its indeterminism matters in making choices then we cannot be free agents. One possible answer to this problem is to assume that it is the agent herself, and not some (mental or physical) event, which causes the action. Robert Kane has recently proposed an alternative solution. He argues that what is seen as an indeterministic causal process at the neuro-physiological level can be considered as an effort of the will at the mental level. Indeterminate decisions are not arbitrary in the sense that the agent must have a reason for doing what she does. But in some of the cases reasons themselves are not sufficient for choice. It depends on the agent's choice, which reasons she takes to be weightier. In such cases the outcome of a decision procedure depends only on the agent's ultimate choice but 1. the choice is not causally determined since the "neural basis" of the mental process is indeterministic and 2. it is not arbitrary either since in whatever way the agent acts she has a reason to choose that action. Consequently, probabilistic causation can explain how control is possible in indeterministic worlds. In the talk I'll argue that the idea of probabilistic causation will not help the incompatibilist. If incompatibilism is true, freedom of course implies the falsity of determinism. But probabilistic causation fails to provide the required link between indeterminism and control. Such control can only exist if the agent herself and not her neural or mental states causes her actions. 27 May 4:00 PM 6th floor 6.54 (Language: English) Counterfactuals and the Second Law Barry Loewer Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University Counterfactuals e.g. "if the match had been struck it would have lit", are temporally asymmetric -- the future typically coutnerfactually depends on the past but (typically) not the the past on the future. The second law of thermodynamics is also temporally asymmetric. It says, roughly, that the entropy of an isolated system (the universe as a whole) never decreases. So the idea has occurred to some philosophers and physicists including Einstein, Reichenbach, Lewis, Sklar, Horwich (among others) that there is a connection between counterfactuals and thermodynamics second law, and more generally statistical mechanics. But none of these spell out what that connection is. Lewis remarks that he "does not know how to connect the several asymmetries ...and the famous asymmetry of entropy." We will fill in part of the story here. ___________________________________ The 60-minute lecture is followed by a 5-minute break. Then we held a 30-60-minute discussion.The participants may comment the talks and initiate discussion on the Internet. The comments should be written in the language of the presentation. The organizer of the colloquium: Laszlo E. Szabo (email: leszabo(a)hps.elte.hu) -- Laszlo E. Szabo Department of Theoretical Physics Department of History and Philosophy of Science Eotvos University, Budapest H-1518 Budapest, Pf. 32, Hungary Phone/Fax: (36-1)372-2924 Home: (36-1) 200-7318 Mobil/SMS: (36) 20-366-1172 http://hps.elte.hu/~leszabo

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koglist April 2002