[PhilPhys] Next Week - Andrea Roselli - Tuesday 3/25 and Mahdi Khalili - Friday 3/28

[Center for Phil Sci]

The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh
invites you to join us for our Lunch Time Talks.  Attend in person, Room
1117 on the 11th floor of the Cathedral of Learning at the University of
Pittsburgh or visit our live stream on YouTube at
*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg
<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg>*.

The upcoming talks are presented by The Center for Philosophy of Science's
Visiting Fellows, Andrea Roselli and Mahdi Khalili. If you would like
information about these positions for the 2026-2027 academic year, please
see the bottom of this notice.

*Lunch Time Talk - **Andrea Roselli*
*Tuesday, March 25 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT*
If you can't make it in person, use the following link to join online
: *https://pitt.zoom.us/j/93693674422
<https://pitt.zoom.us/j/93693674422>*

*Title: Emergent beasts and where to find them*
*Abstract: *Emergents are elusive beasts. The hunt has been going on for
years, but despite the many ingenious tactics employed, they keep slipping
through our metaphysical nets. In this paper, I propose a way to finally
catch them. My strategy is the following: first, unlike many dualist
frameworks that distinguish weak from strong emergence, I contend that
either emergence entails ontological novelty or it is not emergence at all
– understanding emergence requires us to reconsider how new properties,
behaviors, and laws manifest without being reducible to pre-existing
elements; then, I will propose a thought experiment based on Conway’s game
of life to get an immediate intuitive grasp of the emergent beasts we are
after; finally, I will explore various metaphysical implications of such
emergent properties, the relationship between emergence and causation, and
the broader ramifications for fields such as physics, biology, and
cognitive science. Through this exploration, I aim to clarify the criteria
necessary for identifying true emergent phenomena and provide a robust
framework for understanding their place in the ontological structure of the
universe.


*Lunch Time Talk - **Mahdi Khalili*
*Friday, March 28 @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EDT*
Zoom link: *https://pitt.zoom.us/j/97141615142
<https://pitt.zoom.us/j/97141615142>*

*Title:  **Ramsey Meets Ptolemy: A Realist Yet Perspectivist Account of
Theory Change*

*Abstract*: According to the Ramsey-sentence approach to scientific
theories, a scientific theory or model can be formulated as an existential
sentence called a Ramsey-sentence. In this talk, I apply this approach to
theory change in the history of science, arguing that the truthful content
of past theories can be restated from the perspective of later ones,
thereby accounting for their empirical successes.

I begin by reviewing the use of Ramsey-sentences in the works of Rudolf
Carnap, structural realists and David Papineau before introducing my own
application of the approach. I then use it to explain the success of the
Ptolemaic model in predicting the positions of the outer planets. Finally,
I draw broader lessons about theory change, offering a realist yet
perspectivist interpretation.



*Information about 2026 - 2027 Fellowships*
 If you would like information about our Fellowships please visit our
websites. Applications will open late Fall.

*Postdoctoral Fellowships: *
https://www.centerphilsci.pitt.edu/programs/postdoc-fellowships/program-overview/

*Visiting Fellows Program:*
https://www.centerphilsci.pitt.edu/programs/visiting-fellows/program-overview/

The 2026 - 2027 Fellows will join *Senior Visiting Fellow, **Nick Huggett*
 - *Huggett, Nick | Philosophy | University of Illinois Chicago
<https://phil.uic.edu/profiles/huggett-nick/>*
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