Past Events
07.-08.10.2024 Workshop: The Evidence Synthesis Toolkit: Perspectives from Philosophy and Biology
Scientists are increasingly using the 'evidence synthesis toolkit', which primarily consists of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to integrate and synthesise results from individual studies, studies to test the overall validity and generality of the hypotheses tested in individual studies. However, the use of this toolkit remains controversial, as scientists and philosophers alike criticise it on the grounds that it it can introduce and perpetuate various forms of bias and provide an unwarranted level of confidence in the results and their generality. The aim of this workshop is to bring together ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and philosophers working on evidence synthesis, to clarify the uses, advan- tages and limitations of this toolkit. Our goal is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for scientists and philosophers to discuss the aims and scope of evidence synthesis, along with some key difficulties and how they can be overcome.
Organisers
Alkistis Elliot-Graves, Alfredo Sánchez-Tójar, Marlene van den Bos
Funding
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (German Research Foundation), SFB NC3, JICE, InChangE
30.09.-02.10.2024 Fifth PhilInBioMed Network Meeting & Workshop “Philosophical Engagement with Biology and Medicine”
This workshop brings together philosophers, biologists and medical scientists with two goals: first, to foster and deepen the engagement of philosophy with biology and medicine by discussing examples of research projects in which philosophy contributes to biology or medicine; and second, to reflect on the PhilInBioMed approach (https://www.philinbiomed.org/) and to develop it further.
Conveners
Marie I. Kaiser (Bielefeld University), Lara Keuck (Bielefeld University), Alkistis Elliott-Graves (Bielefeld University), Thomas Pradeu (University of Bordeaux), Fridolin Gross (University of Bordeaux)
Funding
This workshop is generously funded by the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF), by the Medical Faculty of Bielefeld University, and by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
23.05.2022: BIAS IN ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENCE!?
A joint event of DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2073, Bielefeld University, and Leibniz University Hannover
Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking on more and more tasks around us and often paves the way for innovative digital solutions. Algorithms are used to make recommendations for insurance policies, recognise our voices, and check our passports at the airport. However, it seems that algorithms, like humans, are not always neutral or fair. The documentary Coded Bias by director Shalini Kantayya focusses on racist and sexist bias in artificial intelligence. It illuminates the dangers and concrete consequences for those affected by discriminatory algorithms. In a panel discussion with experts Markus Ahlers and Fabio Tollon and moderators Pia Ortwein and Leonie Wiemeyer, we will discuss the dangers of bias in algorithms and the influence of their human creators. Participants will be provided with a link to the online screening and will have 7 days to view the documentary in preparation of the panel discussion. The event is open to employees as well as Masters' students of philosophy of science of Bielefeld University and Leibniz University Hannover.
08.-10.03.2023 Workshop: Uncertainty and the co-production of usable climate knowledge in forestry and urban planning
The workshop is part of the series "Forest-City-River: Transforming Regional Climate Models into Local Climate Knowledge for Decision Making"
Organisers
Philipp Haueis (Universität Bielefeld), Constanze Schmidt (Wuppertal Institute für Klima, Umwelt & Energie), Karla García (Universität Bielefeld)
Funding
Volkswagen Stiftung
29.-30.09.2022 International Conference on Engaging Ethics and Epistemology in Science (EES 2022)
The International Conference on Engaging Ethics and Epistemology in Science (EES 2022) will take place on 29-30 September 2022 at Leibnizhaus, Hannover, Germany. It is organised by the DFG-Graduiertenkolleg 2073, a cooperation of Leibniz University Hannover and Bielefeld University. EES 2022 focusses on bridging the gap between epistemological and ethical or political approaches as well as theoretical and material approaches to philosophy of science.
13.05.2022 Workshop: Climate research between science and society: new approaches in philosophy of science and climate ethics
Speakers
Anna Leuschner (Wuppertal), Mathias Frisch (Hannover), Constanze Schmidt (Wuppertal), Christian Baatz (Kiel)
07.-09.02.2022 Workshop: The Structure and Development of Concepts in the Life Sciences
Speakers
Uljana Feest, Yafeng Shan, Philipp Haueis, Jo E Wolff, Daniel Margulies, Quayshawn Spencer, Ingo Brigandt, Morgan Thompson, Catarina Dutihl Novaes, Catherine Herfeld, Corinne Bloch Mullins, and Rose Novick
Organisers
Philipp Haueis, Morgan Thompson, Marie Kaiser, Department of Philosophy, Bielefeld University
02.-03.07.2020 Workshop: Niche Construction and Other Mechanisms in Ecology & Evolution
This workshop brings together philosophers, ecologists, and evolutionary biologists interested in niche construction, mechanisms, fitness, and function. Our goal is to clarify the concept of niche construction and to discuss whether and how it can be distinguished from related concepts, such as the extended phenotype.
Niche construction (as well as niche choice and niche conformance) seems to be a paradigmatic example of an ecological (or ecological-evolutionary) mechanism. We will thus use this case to discuss more generally how the concept of a mechanism, developed primarily in regard to fields such as molecular biology and neuroscience, can be applied to the ecological and evolutionary context. Furthermore, we will examine the roles that concepts of fitness and function play in studies of niche construction mechanisms.
We hope that thinking about niche construction in terms of mechanisms, fitness and function will contribute to overcome some of the challenges of integrating ecology and evolutionary biology.
Organisers
Marie I. Kaiser (Bielefeld University), Rose Trappes (Bielefeld University), Ulrich Krohs (University of Münster), Behzad Nematipour (University of Münster)
Funding
This workshop takes place as part of the DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre at the University of Münster, Bielefeld University and Jena University "A Novel Synthesis of Individualisation across Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution: Niche Choice, Niche Conformance, Niche Construction (NC³)".