Dear ISH Colleagues, Please send me your April Announcements over the next week. Note that the post below has an upcoming deadline, and the one below is a talk this afternoon (March 24): Faculty Position Full Professorship in Philosophy with a focus on philosophy of (life) science and technology at the University of Heidelberg This position is intended as a bridge between the faculties of philosophy and engineering sciences and it is part of the Institute for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials. https://adb.zuv.uni-heidelberg.de/info/INFO_FDB$.startup?MODUL=LS&M1=1&M2=0&M3=0&PRO=32995 Successful candidates will have a strong and demonstrated research interest in issues concerning the relationship of technology and organisms and the constitution of (human) life. They will have interdisciplinary experience in the philosophical analysis of the development of technology and biotechnology or the life sciences, including neuroscience. Their prospective research should include questions in the areas of philosophy of science, anthropology or ethics. We expect a preparedness to cooperate in current and planned projects on topics such as synthetic biology and engineering of molecular systems at Heidelberg University. The duties of the position include interdisciplinary teaching of philosophy of science and technology in the bachelor and master programmes in philosophy and in engineering as well as supervising PhD theses. We expect a commitment to developing new teaching modules in philosophy and innovative teaching programmes which can form a bridge between the fields. Further responsibilities include transfer, grant acquisition, and participation in academic administrative duties. Teaching responsibilities are according to the law of the State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The appointment requires a completed university degree, a qualified doctorate and, according to § 47 (2) of the Higher Education Law of the state of Baden-Württemberg, a habilitation, a successfully evaluated junior professorship or a comparable academic qualification The qualification in philosophy should be demonstrated by a PhD or Habilitation (or equivalent qualification). An additional qualification in science or engineering is required; this can be documented by a university degree, suitable publications, cooperations and/or acquisition of research grants. Please submit your application in English with a curriculum vitæ including your complete research bibliography, teaching record, teaching and research statement in a single PDF to the Dean of Engineering Sciences, Prof. Dr. Guido Kanschat and to the Dean of the Philosophical Faculty, Prof. Dr. Katja Patzel-Mattern by email to [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>. Applications received by April 17th, 2023, will receive full consideration. Feel free to use this e-mail address for questions about this position. Heidelberg University is an equal opportunity employer and supports diversity. Qualified female candidates are especially invited to apply. Persons with disabilities will be given preference if they are equally qualified. Information on the appointment of professors and the collection of personal data are available at www.uni-heidelberg.de/en/job-market<http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/en/job-market><http://www.uni-heidelberg.de/en/job-market%3chttp:/www.uni-heidelberg.de/en/job-market%3e>. Lecture (Series) The Center for Philosophy of Science at the University of Pittsburgh invites you to join us for our upcoming Annual Lecture Series presentation. Attend in person in the Cathedral of Learning at the University of Pittsburgh or visit our live stream on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrRp47ZMXD7NXO3a9Gyh2sg. Holly Andersen Friday, March 24th @ 3:30 pm EST Cathedral of Learning -Room 1008 on the 10th Floor Title: Starting Points in Ohio: A pragmatist account of the asymmetry of explanation Abstract: Recent discussions around explanation have concerned the issue of asymmetry, an issue dating back at least to the well-known example of the shadow of a flagpole. What is the source of the directionality in explanation such that it should go one direction, and not the other? One common approach is to locate the directedness of explanation in the relation(s) that figure in an explanation: in causal explanations, for example, the direction of the causal arrow yields the asymmetry of the explanation in which the causal relation figures. I will first criticize this outsourcing of the directedness of explanation to bits of the world being directed, illustrated with the Quinean point about starting points in Ohio. I then offer an alternative, pragmatist, account of explanation on which explanation is itself already directed, regardless of the relation(s) that figure in any explanation. We don’t need the parts of the world highlighted in an explanation to be intrinsically directed for explanation to nevertheless be directed. I illustrate how this accommodates the plurality of explanations in the sciences that don’t involve straightforwardly asymmetric relationships, distinguishing ways in which explanans and explanandum can be connected that are not fully asymmetric in at least some sense, such as undirected relations, bidirectional relations, or pairs of undirected relations. Only reflexive loops fail to be explanatory on this account. Please Register Here: https://forms.gle/NFwuo7BR2HvARWtF8 End of Announcements Best regards, Lloyd Lloyd Ackert, Ph.D. Department of History Drexel University ISH Listserve Moderator https://www.ishpssb.org/ NEWS: https://www.ishpssb.org/news