[WTI-trainee] Neurophilosophy seminar series: Eric Hochstein on "Analogizing the Brain", February 16th, 12:30 PM

[Natalia Castelo Branco Matos]

We are thrilled to announce an upcoming session of our neurophilosophy
seminar series featuring *Professor Eric Hochstein *from the University of
Victoria.

🎙️ Talk Title: "Analogizing the Brain: The Way Analogies Can Structure
Scientific Modeling and Ontology"
📅 Date: Fri, February 16th, 2024
🕒 Time: 12:30 - 2:00 PM
📍 Location: 100 College Street, Room 1167

*About the Speaker: *Dr. Eric Hochstein, an Associate Professor and
Graduate Coordinator in Philosophy at the University of Victoria, is
renowned for his expertise in the history and philosophy of science,
particularly in neuroscience and psychology. With academic credentials from
Concordia University, the University of British Columbia, and the
University of Waterloo, Dr. Hochstein's research delves into the dynamics
of scientific theories and models, especially in understanding complex
phenomena like the study of the mind. His notable career includes positions
as a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow at Washington University in St. Louis and a
Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Leeds. A prolific author, his
work appears in esteemed journals like The British Journal for the
Philosophy of Science and Philosophical Quarterly, reflecting his deep
engagement with philosophical and scientific communities. To learn more
about Dr. Hochstein's work, please visit his personal webpage
<https://yale.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b04ef1c576332f4626a1db32b&id=8a8871564e&e=8691455c16>
 or Google Scholar
<https://yale.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=b04ef1c576332f4626a1db32b&id=1b75340a6e&e=8691455c16>
.

*Talk Abstract:* Scientific pluralism (or what I will call “model
pluralism”) has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years.
According to this view, we cannot use a single scientific model or
representation to characterize all features of a complex system or
phenomenon, and we are instead dependent on employing collections of
distinct, and often contradictory, models in order to learn about different
facets of it. While there have been different reasons offered to explain
why this is the case, I propose there is an often-overlooked factor that
may play an important role in understanding model pluralism. Specifically,
that the role analogies play in model building provides essential insights
into why we are so dependent on collections of incompatible models when
studying one and the same complex phenomenon. In addition to this, I argue
that the way in which analogical reasoning influences model building also
provides new insights into how our cognitive ontology can shift and change
over time in subtle ways.
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