Please refer to the program below or click here for a pdf version.
Please click here for a pdf version of the abstracts for the conference.
| THURSDAY, MARCH 15th | ||
| 8:00-9:00 | Registration | 8th Floor Lobby |
| 9:00-9:30 | Opening | Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp |
| 9:30-10:30 | Plenary | Mieke Boon – “Scientific Models in the Engineering Sciences” (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp) |
| 10:30-11:00 | Coffee Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 11:00-13:00 | Contributed Papers 1 | 1. Symposium: Scale Models in Engineering (350)
2. Opacity and Epistemology of Simulations (351) |
| 13:00-14:00 | Lunch Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 14:00-16:00 | Contributed Papers 2 | 3. Models in Economics (350)
4. Models in Physics (351) 5. Epistemology and Models (363) |
| 16:00-16:30 | Coffee Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 16:30-18:30 | Contributed Papers 3 | 6. Models in Chemistry and Biology (350)
7. Models in Policy (351) |
| FRIDAY, MARCH 16th | ||
| 8:00-9:00 | Registration | 8th Floor Lobby |
| 9:00-10:00 | Plenary | Michael Weisberg – “Confirmation Theory for Idealized Models” (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp) |
| 10:00-10:30 | Coffee Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 10:30-12:30 | Contributed Papers 4 | 8. Symposium: Models and Simulations in Systematics (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp)
9. Mathematics and Models (350) 10. Idealization, Abstraction, and Models of Science (351) |
| 12:30-13:30 | Lunch Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 13:30-15:00 | Contributed Papers 5 | 11. AJI Symposium: Predicting the Unexpected, Pt. 1 (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp)
12. Symposium: Why Simulations are Different (350) |
| 15:00-15:30 | Coffee Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 15:30-17:30 | Contributed Papers 6 | 11. AJI Symposium: Predicting the Unexpected, Part 2 (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp)
13. Relationship between Explanation and Idealization (350) |
| 17:45-18:45 | Plenary | Michela Massimi – “What Scientific Models Are for” |
| 19:30-21:30 | Conference Dinner | Top of Carolina |
| SATURDAY, MARCH 17th | ||
| 8:00-9:00 | Registration | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 9:00-10:00 | Plenary | Peter Mättig – “The Role and Dynamics in Models Particle Physics” (Lumpkin Auditorium, 8th Floor of Close-Hipp) |
| 10:00-10:30 | Coffee Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 10:30-12:30 | Contributed Papers 7 | 14. Toy Models and Representation in Scientific Practice (350)
15. Model Explanation (351) 16. History and Philosophy of Computer Simulations (363) |
| 12:30-13:30 | Lunch Break | Catered, 8th Floor Lobby |
| 13:30-15:30 | Contributed Papers 8 | 17. Representation and Similarity (350)
18. Models in Climate Science (351) |
Registration, lunches, and coffee breaks will take place in the lobby outside the Lumpkin Auditorium (8th Floor of Close-Hipp). Contributed papers will take place on the 3rd floor of the Close-Hipp Building.
The conference is supported by the Department of Philosophy, the USC Nanocenter, the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Ann Johnson Institute for Science, Technology & Society.
Plenary 1: Mieke Boon (Chair: Robert Mullen)
Plenary 2: Michael Weisberg (Chair: Michael Dickson)
Plenary 3: Michela Massimi (Chair: Michael Stöltzner)
Plenary 4: Peter Mättig (Chair: Tarja Knuuttila)
- SYMPOSIUM: SCALE MODELS in ENGINEERING
| 1a | Sterrett | Scale models, invariants, and similarity |
| 1b | Pincock | Concrete scale models and essential idealization |
| 1c | Sánchez-Dorado | Not only size matters. Scale models and judgments of similarity |
| 1d | Poznic | Architectural Modeling: Interplay of Designing and Representing |
- OPACITY and EPISTEMOLOGY of SIMULATIONS
CHAIR: Johannes Lenhard
| 32 | Humphreys | Reducing Representational Opacity |
| 28 | Formanek | Modal troubles with epistemic opacity |
| 60 | Creel | Transparency in Complex Computational Systems |
| 17 | Lehtinen | Testing the tools; Computer simulations in the design of research methods |
- MODELS in ECONOMICS
CHAIR: Justin Price
| 73 | Knuuttila and Morgan | Simple – And Thick: Abstract Models in Economics |
| 58 | Sperry | Complexity Economics: When Equilibrium Explanations Fail |
| 3 | Nebel | A Puzzle about Economic Explanation |
| 55 | Jhun | Modelling Complex Phenomena: Econometrics as a Case Study |
- MODELS in PHYSICS
CHAIR: Martina Merz
| 20 | Jacquart | Observing the Invisible: Dark Matter & Computer Simulations |
| 52 | Elder | LIGO and Models as Mediators |
| 38 | Chall | Particle Physics Model-Groups as Scientific Research Programmes |
| 34 | Pronskikh | Simulation study of epistemic democracy in big science |
- EPISTEMOLOGY and MODELS
CHAIR: Julie Jebeile
| 51 | Bursten | Against the Hierarchical View of Theories |
| 39 | Verreault-Julien | Learning and understanding with models: same same but different? |
| 76 | Henne | Denorming Causation: the model-based theory of causation and norms |
| 48 | Neuman and Danka | The intimate relationship between thought experiments and simulations – do they provide fresh knowledge about Nature? |
- MODELS in CHEMISTRY and BIOLOGY
CHAIR: Julia Bursten
| 15 | Price | The Landing Zone – Preparing Ground for Model Transfer in Chemistry |
| 47 | Bolinska and Gandier | Understanding protein function through multiple models of structure: barriers to integration |
| 22 | Bokulich | Using Models to Correct Data: Paleodiversity and the Fossil Record |
| 42 | Parkkinen | Are model organisms like theoretical models? |
- MODELS in POLICY
CHAIR: Jennifer Jhun
| 44 | Cuffaro and Kao | Employing Agent-Based Computer Simulations in Developing Theories of Distributive Justice |
| 36 | MacLeod and Nagatsu | What does interdisciplinarity look like in practice: Mapping interdisciplinary modeling and its limits in the environmental sciences |
- SYMPOSIUM: MODELS and SIMULATIONS in SYSTEMATICS
| 9a | Quinn | Models and Simulations in Systematics |
| 9b | Novick | Models and Simulations in Systematics |
| 9c | Hillis | Models and Simulations in Systematics |
- MATHEMATICS and MODELS
CHAIR: Christopher Pincock
| 13 | Friedman and Krauthausen | Models and Mathematics at the End of the 19th Century |
| 19 | Danne | The Mathematical Language Needed on (but Missing from) Surface Spectral Reflectance Plots |
| 50 | Ishida | Equations and models |
| 70 | Guralp | Using data models and simulations in testing supernova cosmology |
- IDEALIZATION, ABSTRACTION, and MODELS of SCIENCE
CHAIR: Collin Rice
| 2 | Shech and Gelfert | The Exploratory Role of Idealizations and Limiting Cases in Models |
| 21 | Rivat | Effective theories and infinite idealizations: A challenge for scientific realism |
| 77 | Holman | It’s only a model |
| 74 | Carrillo and Knuuttila | Macro Level Modeling of Phenomena: A Challenge to the Current Mechanist Discussion |
- SYMPOSIUM (AJI): PREDICTING the UNEXPECTED (In two parts)
| 11a | Weinkle | Knowledge Politics and Catastrophe Insurance |
| 11b | Merz | Simulation, Images, and the Statistics of Rare Events: The Case of the Higgs Search |
| 11c | Lenhard and Hasse | A Reproducibility Crisis in Exact Sciences. Simulation and the Identity of Mathematical Models |
| 11d | Simpson | Complexity – Tractability – Significance. Finding a Balance in Statistical Modeling |
- SYMPOSIUM: WHY SIMULATIONS ARE DIFFERENT
| 14a | Beisbart | Computer simulation in experimentation versus computer simulation as experiment |
| 14b | Boge | Computer simulations and uncertain reasoning |
| 14c | Grünke | Epistemic status of simulations and the role of verification |
- The RELATIONSHIP between EXPLANATION and IDEALIZATION
CHAIR: Elay Shech
| 8 | Rice | Universality and Modeling Limiting Behaviors |
| 10 | Wayne | Model-based explanation and global theory |
| 29 | Zach | Minimal models, representation, and explanation |
| 30 | Khalifa and Sullivan | Idealizations and Understanding: Much Ado about Nothing? |
- TOY MODELS and REPRESENTATION in SCIENTIFIC PRACTICE
CHAIR: Alisa Bokulich
| 41 | Nguyen | It’s not a game: accurate representation with toy models |
| 43 | Dethier | Models, Fictions, and Representing Scientific Practice |
| 24 | Boesch | Representational Licensing in Scale-Models and Ecological Graph Models: Two Case Studies |
- MODEL EXPLANATION
CHAIR: Nicholas Danne
| 53 | Revlett | Demystifying ontic explanation |
| 68 | King | Explanatory Models: A framework for instrumentalism |
| 18 | Fumagalli | How ‘Thin’ Rational Choice Theory Explains Choices |
| 57 | Muntean | Aggregating multilevel mechanistic models from Big Data with Machine Learning |
- HISTORY and PHILOSOPHY of COMPUTER SIMULATIONS
CHAIR: Paul Humphreys
| 9 | Duran | The historical and philosophical roots of computer simulations |
| 35 | Hladky | Simulations – Lessons from model theory |
| 78 | Livengood, Briley, and Derringer | Reflecting on Simulating Models of Development under Plausible Gene-Environment Interplay |
| 45 | Haar | Discovery via computer simulation model-building |
- REPRESENTATION and SIMILARITY
CHAIR: Michael Poznic
| 27 | Khosrowi | Getting Serious about Shared Features |
| 72 | Nordmann | Similarity as Evidence |
| 37 | Greif | Images and Consequents. On Formal and Material Analogy in Computer Simulations |
- MODELS in CLIMATE SCIENCE
CHAIR: Jessica Weinkle
| 25 | Roussos | Against model aggregation |
| 62 | Pruss | A defense of historical proxy models in climate science |
| 67 | Jebeile and Crucifix | Ensemble of climate models or missed opportunity? |
| 31 | Lusk and Goldsby | The Decision-Relevancy of Climate Model Results: Idle Arguments or Idle Dreams? |