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    • Writing
    Description
    My written work spans several areas. The primary focus is the philosophy of science, and, particularly the epistemological and metaphysical dimensions of the scientific realism debate. Most of this work concerns a weak form of realism which is known as 'structural realism', and includes case studies of theory change. In recent years, I have also been developing a form of empiricism that shares much with realist views. Alongside this interest is a growing body of work on the relationship between phenomena, evidence, theories and models. Part of this work sits as the intersection of the philosophy of science with cognitive science, namely the kindred topics of theory-ladenness of observation and cognitive (im-/)penetrability of perception. Another part investigates the extent to which relations between data, phenomena, theories and models can be described as inferential. The rest explores conceptions of confirmation, ad hoc-ness and unification, including, in some cases, quantitative measures of these concepts. Beyond the philosophy of science, I have published and/or I'm currently working on papers in the philosophy of language and metaphilosophy (on how to settle disputes over referring terms), experimental studies on the pedagogy of logic (on how to best train students to reason with conditionals), and the philosophy of AI (on how to model analogical reasoning, how to marry together neural and symbolic AI in the service of automating scientific discovery, how to methodologically cross-pollinate between conceptual change practices in 'classical' scientific representations and feature changes in machine learning representations, and how to modify the resolution method in automated theorem proving to produce more natural-looking proofs).

    In what follows, you will not only find external links to the papers but also pdfs to download. Moreover, I'm currently populating this page with AI-generated podcast versions of the papers. The podcasts have been generated with NotebookLM, are fairly short (typically 5-7 minutes), and give a very rough, but helpful, idea as to what each paper is about.

    Edited Volumes & Special Issues


    The Future of the Humanities, Relective Practice, in preparation, co-edited with J. Hofweber and S. Raimondi, [Contributors: Caitlin Bentley, Yulia Kovas, Art Langer, Hannes Leitgeb, SeoYoon Sung, Doug Thomas, Ioannis Votsis, Timothy Williamson.].
    Towards Foolproof Democracy: Improving Public Debate and Political Decision-Making (Part II), Moral Philosophy and Politics, 2021, vol. 8(1), co-edited with D. Lanius, [Contributors: B. Ball, G. Arlen and Enzo Rossi, P. Kitcher and N. Rogach Alexander.].
    Computationalism meets the Philosophy of Information, Review of Philosophy and Psychology, 2020, vol. 11(3), co-edited with B. Ball and F. Nagle, [Contributors: M. Artiga, R. Cao, F. Fallon, N. Fresco, C. Maley, S. F. Mann, M. Sprevak and M. Rescorla.].
    Mind and Brain, Topoi: An International Review of Philosophy, 2020, vol. 39(1), co-edited with B. Ball and F. Nagle, [Contributors: V.F. Castro, D. Dennett, M. I. Eronen, F. Fallon, R. Gervais, V. Hardcastle, N. Humphrey, D. C. Mollo, C. Rathkopf, M. A. Sebastián and M. Artiga.].
    Towards Foolproof Democracy: Improving Public Debate and Political Decision-Making (Part I), Moral Philosophy and Politics, 2019, vol. 6(2), co-edited with D. Lanius, [Contributors: F. Podschwadek, K. J. Worden, W. Loh, S. Bloks, D. Lenzi and F. McEvoy.].
    EPSA13 Helsinki, 2015, Berlin: Springer, co-edited with U. Maki, S. Ruphy and G. Schurz, [Contributors: H. Andreas, S. Avin, J. Bain, S. Bangu, A. Bartels, A. Bueter, G. Cevolani, C. J. Feldbacher, C. F. French, Z. Gyenis, R. F. Hendry, G. Hofer-Szabó, L. Kästner, I. Koskinen, M. Kronfeldner, M. Neuber, M. Redei, F. Samaniego, J. N. Schupbach, C. Seck, M. Suárez, L. Tambolo, P. D. Thorn, C. Tiefensee, D. Wohlfarth, L. C. Zuchowski].
    Unification and Coherence, Theoria: An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 2015, vol. 30(1), co-edited with G. Schurz, [Contributors: Victor Gijsbers, Michael Schippers, Jonah N. Schupbach, Gerhard Schurz, Mark Siebel and Ioannis Votsis].
    Theory-Ladenness, Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 2015, vol. 46(1), co-edited with M. Tacca and G. Schurz, [Contributors: B. Brewer, A. Franklin, E. Fridland, M. Kusch, R. McCauley, A. Raftopoulos, E. Schmidt and G. Schurz].
    Novel Predictions, Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2014, vol.45(1), co-edited with L. Fahrbach and G. Schurz, [Contributors: E. Barnes, M. Carrier, D. Mayo, C. Menke, S. Schindler, G. Schurz, I. Votsis, and J. Worrall].
    Scientific Realism: Quo Vadis?, Synthese, 2011, vol. 180(2), co-edited with G. Schurz, [Contributors: L. Fahrbach, S. French, M. Friedman, M. Carrier, P. Hoyningen-Huene, J. Ladyman, H. Leitgeb, H. Lyre, F.A. Muller, S. Psillos, G. Schurz, I. Votsis, and J. Worrall].
    Papers & Chapters


    Structural Realism:

    'Radical Ontic Structural Realism and Holistic Monism', in F.A. Muller (ed.), The Structure of Reality and the Reality of Structure, Springer Publications, forthcoming. [pre-print]




    'Structuralism: Introduction to Theory', in James Mattingly (ed.), The SAGE Encyclopedia of Theory in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2023. [pdf]




    'Structural Realism and its Variants', in J. Saatsi (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Scientific Realism, London: Routledge, 2017, ch. 9. [pdf]




    'A Frame-Theoretic Analysis of Two Rival Conceptions of Heat', Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2012, vol. 43(1): 105-114. [primary author, second author: G. Schurz]. [pdf]




    'Everything you Always Wanted to Know about Structural Realism but Were Afraid to Ask', European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 2011, vol. 1(2): 227–276. [co-authored with R. Frigg]. [pdf]




    'How not to be a Realist', in D. Rickles (ed.), Structure, Objects and Causality, (Western Ontario Series in Philosophy of Science), Springer, 2011, ch. 3. [pdf]




    'Reconstructing Scientific Theory Change by Means of Frames', in T. Gamerschlag et al. (eds.), Frames and Concept Types, Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy, vol. 94, Springer, 2014, pp. 93-109. [secondary author, lead author: G. Schurz]. [pdf]




    'Structural Realism: Continuity and its Limits', in A. Bokulich and P. Bokulich (eds.), Scientific Structuralism, (Boston Studies in the History and Philosophy of Science), Springer, 2011, pp. 105-117. [pdf]




    'Δομικός Ρεαλισμός: Ιστορική Συνοχή και τα Όρια της', Proceedings of the 5th Pan-Hellenic Conference in the History, Philosophy and Teaching of Natural Sciences, 2009. [pdf] (This is an earlier, less developed, version of the paper 'Structural Realism: Continuity and its Limits' published in Greek).




    'Uninterpreted Equations and the Structure-Nature Distinction', Philosophical Inquiry, 2007, vol. 29(1-2):57-71. [pdf]




    'The Upward Path to Structural Realism', Philosophy of Science, 2005, vol. 72(5): 1361-1372. [pdf]*




    'Is Structure not Enough?', Philosophy of Science, 2003, vol.70(5): 879-890. [pdf]*





    Scientific Realism:

    'Taking up Space: The Case of the Ether', in J. Ashbourn (ed.), HAPP 10th Anniversary Commemorative Volume, Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Institute of Physics Publishing. [pdf]




    'Vale la pena debatir acerca del realismo científico?', in B. Borge and N. Gentile (eds.), La ciencia y el mundo inobservable. Discusiones contemporáneas en torno al realismo científico, Buenos Aires: EUDEBA. [pdf]




    English Language Version: 'Is the Scientific Realism Debate Worth Having?', [pdf]




    'Putting Realism in Perspectivism', Philosophica, 2012, vol. 84: 85–122. [pdf]




    'The Prospective Stance in Realism', Philosophy of Science, 2011, vol. 78(5): 1223-1234. [pdf]




    'Saving the Intuitions: Polylithic Reference', Synthese, 2011, vol 180(2): 121-137. [pdf]




    'The Scientific Realism Debate', draft. [pdf]




    'Evidential Equivalence', draft, [to be co-authored with G. Schurz]. [pdf]





    Empiricism, Observation and Evidence:

    'Grounded Empiricism', European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 2025, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-025-00644-6. [pdf]




    'Theory-Ladenness: Testing the 'Untestable' ', Synthese, 2018, DOI: 10.1007/s11229-018-01992-y. [pdf]




    'Putting Theory-Ladenness to the Test', Cognitive Science Society Proceedings, 2018, pp. 2630-2635. [pdf]




    'Perception and Observation Unladened', Philosophical Studies, 2015, vol. 172(3): 563-585. [pdf]




    'Data meet Theories: Up Close and Inferentially Personal', Synthese, 2011, vol 182(1): 89-100. [pdf]



    'Making Contact with Observations', in M. Suarez, M. Dorato and M. Redei (eds.), EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences, Launch of the European Philosophy of Science Association, vol. 2, Springer, 2010, pp. 267-277. [pdf]





    Confirmation, Ad hocness and Unification:

    'Unification through Confirmation', EPSA15 Selected Papers, European Studies in Philosophy of Science, 2017, vol. 5: 83-93. [pdf]




    'Unification: Not Just a Thing of Beauty', Theoria: An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 2015, vol. 30(1): 97-114. [pdf]




    'Ad hoc Hypotheses and the Monsters within', in V. C. Müller (ed.), Fundamental Issues of Artificial Intelligence (Synthese Library), 2016, Berlin: Springer, pp. 299-313. [pdf]




    'Objectivity in Confirmation: Post Hoc Monsters and Novel Predictions', Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2014, vol. 45(1): 70-78. [pdf]





    Philosophy of Artificial Intelligence and Philosophy of Information:

    'Concept and Feature Change in Scientific and Deep Neural Net Representations', Cognitive Science Proceedings, 2025, pp. 1654-1660. [pdf]




    'The Interplay of Data, Models, and Theories in Machine Learning', Philosophy of Science, forthcoming. [pre-print]




    'A Neuro-Symbolic Approach to the Logic of Scientific Discovery', in E. Ippoliti, L. Magnani, and S. Arfini (eds.), Model-Based Reasoning, Abductive Cognition, Creativity, Studies in Applied Philosophy, Epistemology and Rational Ethics, vol. 70, 2024, Springer. [pre-print]




    'Modelling Analogical Reasoning: One Size Fits All?', in B. Ball, A. Helliwell, A. Rossi (eds.), Wittgenstein and AI (vol. I), 2024, London: Anthem Press, ch. 9. [pre-print]




    'Philosophy of Science and Information', in L. Floridi (ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Information, 2016, London: Routledge, ch. 21. [pdf]





    Introductions & Prefaces


    'Towards Foolproof Democracy: Improving Public Debate and Political Decision-Making (Part II)', Moral Philosophy and Politics, 2021, vol. 8(1), [co-authored with D. Lanius]. [pdf]




    'Computationalism meets the Philosophy of Information', Topoi, 2020, vol. 11(3), [co-authored with B. Ball and F. Nagle]. [pdf]




    'Mind and Brain', Topoi, 2020, vol. 39(1), [co-authored with B. Ball and F. Nagle]. [pdf]




    'Towards Foolproof Democracy: Improving Public Debate and Political Decision-Making (Part I)', Moral Philosophy and Politics, 2019, vol. 6(2), [co-authored with D. Lanius]. [pdf]




    'Recent Developments in the Philosophy of Science', European Studies in Philosophy of Science, 2015, Springer, [co-authored with U. Maki, S. Ruphy and G. Schurz].[pdf]




    'Unification and Coherence', Theoria: An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 2015, vol. 30(1), [co-authored with G. Schurz]. [pdf]




    'Theory-Ladenness', Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 2015, vol. 46(1), [co-authored with G. Schurz and M. Tacca]. [pdf]




    'Novel Predictions', Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 2014, vol.45(1), [co-authored with G. Schurz and L. Fahrbach]. [pdf]




    'Scientific Realism: Quo Vadis?', Synthese, 2011, vol. 180(2), [co-authored with G. Schurz]. [pdf]





    Reviews & Reports


    'Trivial Pursuit: The Case of the Travelling Facts', review of Peter Howlett and Mary Morgan's How Well do Facts Travel, Metascience, 2014, vol. 23(1): 149-152. [pdf]




    'Review of Anjan Chakravartty's A Metaphysics for Scientific Realism', Analysis, 2009, vol. 69(2):378-380. [pdf]




    'Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Underdetermination', Journal for General Philosophy of Science, 2009, vol. 40 (1):137-140. [pdf]




    'Review of Yemima Ben-Menahem's Conventionalism: From Poincaré to Quine', Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 2008, vol. 39(1): 234–237. [pdf]




    'Report on Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Underdetermination', The Reasoner, 2008, vol. 2(6): 5-6. [pdf]




    'Review of Kyle Stanford's Exceeding Our Grasp: Science, History, and the Problem of Unconceived Alternatives', International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 2007, vol.21(1): 103-106. [pdf]




    'Review of Ilkka Niiniluoto's Critical Scientific Realism', Philosophy of Science, 2003, vol.70(2): 444-7. [pdf]*





    Doctoral Dissertation


    'The Epistemological Status of Scientific Theories: An Investigation of the Structural Realist Account', London School of Economics, 2004.