... Spring 1999 ISHPSSB Newsletter, Continued SPECIAL OFFERS FOR MEMBERS From: David Magnus <[log in to unmask]> Beginning in 1999 there will be a special rate of USD$50 for members of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB) for the journal Biology and Philosophy (BIPH). Members of this society can subscribe to the Journal of the History of Biology (HIST) for the same rate, also beginning 1999. If society members subscribe to both journals, they can receive both for a price of USD$90. We will soon be sending out a mailing making it possible to sign up. • ISHPSSB Membership Directory Members are invited to request a copy of the ISHPSSB Directory by sending a request to David Magnus, the Society secretary. The first copy is free. Members who would like a second copy of the directory are asked to forward a check for $3.00 payable to the Society to cover copying and mailing costs. The directory is updated at the beginning of each year; members submitting requests after February 1 will receive a copy of the latest directory. • SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Jill E. Cooper Jill E. Cooper completed her dissertation "Of Microbes and Men: A Scientific Biography of Rene Jules Dubos" at Rutgers University in October 1998. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow in history at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research in New Brunswick. • Marjorie Grene Prize The Marjorie Grene Prize is intended to advance the careers of younger scholars, and will be awarded to the best manuscript based on a paper presented at one of the previous two ISHPSSB meetings by someone who was, at the time of presentation, a graduate student. Graduate students presenting papers at the meeting in Oaxaca should start planning now to submit their work in next year's competition! It is very appropriate for ISHPSSB to name this prize in Marjorie Grene's honor. Her work in history and philosophy of biology has provided models for many ISHPSSB members, and exemplifies the spirit of pursuing interactions among the fields within ISHPSSB; she played a central role in bringing together the scholars in the meetings that became the pre-history of ISHPSSB; and she has been a mentor to many of the leading members of the Society. The award consists of a certificate and up to $200 towards expenses incurred in attending the following meeting of the Society and not reimbursed from another source. If the manuscript is not already under review by a journal, the prize committee will promote the winning entry to one of the leading journals. The prize will not be awarded this year, lacking a sufficiently large pool of applicants. • POSITIONS AVAILABLE Visiting Position in Philosophy: Connecticut College The Philosophy Department invites applications for a one-year replacement position (salary competitive and medical benefits included), beginning August of 1999. Ph.D. preferred; exceptional ABD candidates will be considered. The position involves teaching six (6) courses. Courses to be taught are two sections of an historically-oriented introduction to philosophy, one intermediate-level course on philosophy and the environment, one intermediate-level course on philosophical approaches to Darwinism and evolutionary theory, one intermediate-level course on a selected topic in the philosophy of science, and one course to be determined. AOS: Philosophy of Science; AOC: Open. Applicants must have documented excellence in teaching. The dossier should include a letter of interest, current c.v., graduate transcript, syllabi of all courses taught independently, proposed outlines of syllabi for courses to be taught, a writing sample, and two letters of reference. Applicants should submit a complete dossier as soon as possible; review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Connecticut College is an AA/EO employer actively engaged in increasing faculty diversity. Connecticut College is a private, highly selective college with a strong commitment to the liberal arts tradition and an emphasis on broad interdisciplinary teaching and research. Apply to: Prof. Lawrence Vogel, Acting Chair, Department of Philosophy, Connecticut College, Campus Box 5628, New London, CT 06320. Contact Prof. Vogel at (860) 439-2184 if further information is required. • Two Visiting Assistant Professors: Michigan State University Michigan State University invites applications for two full-time, temporary positions as visiting assistant professors of science and technology studies (STS) in the Lyman Briggs School, an undergraduate, residential, liberal arts science program in the College of Natural Science. Candidates will teach two sections per semester of our first-year writing course, which also serves as an introduction to science and technology studies. (One of the four courses is likely to be replaced by an upper-division STS course.) Candidates should hold a Ph.D. with a specialization in STS, composition, rhetoric, English, history, philosophy, or a related field, and should have experience working with undergraduates in composition courses. ABDs will be considered, particularly those who combine strengths in STS and expository writing instruction. Salary commensurate with experience, but in the mid-$20K range. Positions may be renewed annually, depending on performance and budgetary factors. Underrepresented minorities and women are especially encouraged to apply. Letters of application, accompanied by a curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation, should be sent by April 5, 1999, to Dr. Robert Shelton, Lyman Briggs School, E-27 Holmes Hall, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48825-1107. • CONFERENCES Philosophical Problems in the Neurosciences The fifth meeting of the Pittsburgh-Konstanz Colloquium in the Philosophy of Science will take place in Konstanz, Germany during the four day period from Wednesday, May 26, 1999 until Saturday, May 29. The meeting will focus on philosophical problems, specifically methodological and conceptual problems, in the neurosciences. The Pittsburgh-Konstanz Colloquium in the Philosophy of Science is a joint biennial undertaking of the Center for Philosophy of Science of the University of Pittsburgh (USA) and the Zentrum Philosophie und Wissenschaftstheorie of the University of Konstanz (Germany). The conference will take place at Hotel "Waldhaus Jakob" (Konstanz). The conference fee is DM 130 and DM 80 for students respectively (4 lunches and refreshments are included). There will be an excursion followed by a dinner which are not included in the conference fee. The price is DM 80 and DM 55 for students respectively. Those planning to attend are requested to register in advance. Further information: Prof. Gereon Wolters, University of Konstanz, FG Philosophie, Fach D15, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany, Tel. +49-7531-882745 (office); Fax 882502 • Nature and Belief in American Communal Societies: Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment When: June 2-5, 1998 Where: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI In The Death of Nature, Carolyn Merchant points to seventeenth-century English sects such as the Diggers and the Ranters that sought to establish "egalitarian communal societies like those attempted by the medieval millenarian utopists." They challenged not only the socio-economic hierarchy of their time, but the emerging mechanistic world-view on which it was based, according to Merchant. While the lessons of science taught the general populace that the material world could be subjected to human control, these sects drew from the thought of Paracelcus to envision a nature filled with God, of which they were a part. Communal societies guided by religious precepts, such as those mentioned by Merchant, have sprouted across the American landscape throughout its history. Few studies of such communities have taken any sustained look at questions concerning the relationship between man and nature raised by current environmentalist thought. This panel will examine the philosophies that underlie the practices of various American communal societies, from their earliest appearances to the present day. Pertinent issues to address include: How do religious precepts of the group define nature and the relation between man and nature? Is the religious philosophy of the group based on an interpretation of some biblical text, or any other text? Has the community generated its own written texts articulating the beliefs of the group? To what extent is the place of nature within the practical structure of the community mediated by written texts? Is there any relationship between the place of women in the community, and the philosophy of nature implied or directly stated within the belief system of the community? Historically, certain communities have experienced a weakening in their spiritual practices and convictions as their material fortunes improved. Does the community's attitude toward nature play any role in the changes in its fortunes? What is the connection between the group's millenialist philosophy (presuming it has one) and its relation to nature? What implications does this have for us, as we simultaneously confront the exhaustion of natural resources, possibilities of economic collapse, and a rash of apocalyptic visions occasioned by the coming millenial year? Contact: Dr. Jan Stryz, Aquinas College, 1607 Robinson Rd. S.E., Grand Rapids MI 49506. Questions may be e-mailed to: [log in to unmask] • What to Make of a Diminished Thing: The Association for the Study of Literature and Environment (ASLE) When: June 2-5, 1999 Where: Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI Featured speakers include: John Elder, Stephanie Mills, and Scott Russell Sanders. Program to include: topics related to literature and environment, such as: environmental restoration, urban nature, environment and community, ruined landscapes, environmental justice, stewardship, ecology and religion. Contact: Walter Isle, ASLE 99, English Department MS 30, Rice University, 6100 South Main, Houston, TX 77005, Phone: 713-737-5606, Fax: 713-285-5991, e-mail: [log in to unmask] Web site: http://www.people.virginia.edu/~djp2n/asle.html • Science-in-Society, Society-in-Science: A Workshop Fostering Critical Thinking about Science & Technology in their Social Context Monday July 26, 1999, 9:00am-5:00pm (Please bring to the attention of teachers in the New England area) This summer the Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT) Program at the University of Massachusetts, Boston is bringing together teachers, students, and other concerned citizens to participate in a day of workshops and presentations given by innovative and inspiring teachers. These teachers will engage you through case studies ranging from genetic testing to population growth and environment, computers and gender equity to disputes over scientific integrity. You will learn how placing developments in science and technology in their social context can enliven and enrich science education, science popularization, and citizen activism. The sessions are designed to stimulate a range of participants: K-12 teachers wanting make the science, technology and human affairs an integral part of their science or social studies classes; high school and college students wanting to keep sight of the social implications of their studies in science; and citizens wanting to promote active social debate about the directions taken in science and technology. You will experience model class activities, be informed of resources, receive a directory of participants and other printed materials, and become linked to networks for support and inspiration for your subsequent efforts. For more details on the workshop sessions: http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~cct/workshop99.html For registration & other questions: email: [log in to unmask]; phone: 617-287-6520 • The Recent History of Botanical Science: A General Symposium for the 16th International Botanical Congress When: August 1-7, 1999 Where: St. Louis, Missouri,USA This symposium is designed to examine the recent history of botany from a number of different directions in order to gain an appreciation of general trends in twentieth century botanical research. It will include contributions from botanists and historians who will examine the role of individuals, institutions, organisms, and choice of research problems in various subdisciplines and fields of the botanical sciences. Contact: Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis, Dept. History, 4131 Turlington Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA; or Josef Daniel Ackerman, Environmental Studies Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, V2N 4Z9 Canada; Phone: (352) 392-0271; Fax: (352) 392-6927 Speakers: Ronald Stuckey, "Botanical History of North America: Important Contributions Chronicled for the Twentieth Century;" Nancy Slack, "Life After Clements: Do Plant Communities Still Exist?" Kim Kleinman, "Edgar Anderson, Introgressive Hybridization, and Evolutionary Theory in the 1940s;" Mark Lesney, "Plants in Peril: Plant Protection and the Rise of Biotechnology;" Vassiliki Betty Smocovitis, "Botany at Harvard, 1918-1950;" James Pringle, "Milestones in the History of North American Botany;" Doug Holland, "A Short History of Botany in the United States -- Thirty Years Longer." • Nature, Society, and History: Long Term Dynamics of Social Metabolism September, 30th, - October, 2nd, 1999 Vienna, Austria Scientific Committee: Marina Fischer-Kowalski, IFF Vienna, Austria; Rolf-Peter Sieferle, Mannheim University, Germany; Eugene Rosa, Washington State University, USA. Keynote Speakers: Stephen Boyden, Nature and Society Forum, Canberra, Australia; Mark Hambley, Ambassador to the U.N., Washington, D.C., USA; Ilona Kickbusch, Yale University, USA. The conference will be hosted by the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Austrian Universities - IFF - Social Ecology, Vienna, Austria. E-mail: [log in to unmask] Further information: http://www.univie.ac.at/iffsocec • International Council of Associations for Science Education: Third Latin American and Caribbean Symposium of ICASE Curitiba, Parana, Brazil October 4th to 8th 1999, (Opening ceremonies: October 3rd 1999 evening) Theme: Promoting Scientific and Technological Culture for All in the 21st Century, Project 2000+ Further information about the 3rd. Symposium and any up-dates can be obtained by checking the University of Parana Home Page at: http://www.ufpr.br/eventos/icase/ or contact: [log in to unmask] • 'Nature's Nation' Reconsidered: American Concepts of Nature from Wonder to Ecological Crisis: European Association for American Studies Conference 2000 When: April 14-17, 2000 Where: Graz, Austria Today's advanced understanding of nature calls for a drastic re-conceptualization of traditional ideas about our relation to the natural environment. At the beginning of a new millennium an adequate understanding of 'nature' will be of utmost importance, and an investigation into the dominant ideas and attitudes of a nation and culture powerful enough to change that environment on a global scale would seem highly appropriate. A host of historical, socio-political and economical as well as cultural, literary, and psychological approaches can be applied to the theme in an attempt to understand the place and function of nature in American history (and the history of American self-definition) as well as the current manifestations of a new interest in nature in various areas of American culture and society. Lectures and workshops could thus inquire into the powerful impact the idea of nature had on American society and culture in the past, but also into the creative ("utopian") potential it still has in contemporary conceptualizations of alternative or different lives (and life styles). They could explore the multitude of myths and concepts relating to 'nature' and 'America' (European and American projections, Jeffersonian ideals and agrarian myths from the early republic to the New Deal, from pastoral self-confinement to the dynamics of westward expansion), conservation movements (the establishment of national parks and natural museums), nature writing, the representation of nature in literature, the arts, photography and film. They could also deal with Native American natural religion and its echoes in contemporary mainstream and (ethnic) counter-culture(s), with ecological movements in politics and the arts, with eco-feminism; or with the various manifestations of 'artificial' nature in plastic or in cyberspace. Recent information on the conference will be available on the web site of the EAAS at: http://www.let.uu.nl/eaas/eaas2000.htm Contact: Jaap Verheul, History Department, Utrecht University, Kromme Nieuwegracht 66, 3512 HL Utrecht, The Netherlands, tel. +31 30 253 6034, fax. +31 30 253 6391, e-mail: [log in to unmask] • International Interdisciplinary Conference The Society for Indian Philosophy & Religion will hold an International Interdisciplinary Conference in Calcutta 1-4 August, 2000. The Conference theme is Language, Thought and Reality: Science, Religion and Philosophy. The Advisory Board comprises: Kisor K. Chakrabarti (USA), Willem Derde (Belgium), Owen Flanagan (USA), Michael Ferejhon (USA), Jonardon Ganeri (UK), Robert Goldman (USA), Michael Howard (USA), Gerald Larson (USA), Chris Ross (Canada), Isaac Nevo (Israel), Leon Schlam (UK), Sukharanjan Saha (India), Braj Sinha (Canada). We welcome your participation and suggestions. Contact: Dr. Chandana Chakrabarti, Elon College Campus Box 2336, Elon College, N.C. 27244, USA. E-mail [log in to unmask]; Phone (336) 538-2705, Fax (336) 538-2627. • PUBLICATIONS OF INTEREST Agner Fog, Cultural Selection, (Dordrecht: Kluwer, 1999). Interdisciplinary treatise giving a comprehensive overview of cultural selection theory - a theory of social change based in part on evolutionary thinking. Challenges traditional sociology by its superior ability to explain the irrational, unplanned, or unwanted aspects of a culture. Cultural selection theory is broader than memetics, because it includes selection processes that can not be expressed in terms of information units. Demonstrates a causal connection between the peacefulness or bellicosity of a society and its cultural expressions: political ideals, discipline, philosophy, morals, art, and music. The book examines examples from many different aspects of culture, including: the history and evolution of religions; political history; economic competition; the spread of myths, stories, beliefs, jokes, etc.; witchhunts and moral panics; the role of mass media in social change; sexual behavior and the development of sexual morals; art, music, dance, clothing; play, games, sport; political consequences of the theory. Excerpts from the book can be seen at: www.agner.org/cultsel/; contact the author at: [log in to unmask] • Natural Contradictions: Links Between Ecological Science and Environmental Politics Special issue of Science as Culture 7(4). Guest Editors: Yrjo Haila and Peter Taylor "How does the commons become tragic? Simple models as complex socio-political constructions," Peter Taylor; "Political undercurrents of modern ecology," Yrjo Haila; "Newtonian ecology and beyond," Douglas H. Boucher; "Political ecology of deforestation in Central America," John Vandermeer and Ivette Perfecto; "The internal and external in explanatory theories," Richard Levins. Subscriptions: Issues of Science as Culture are numbered in volumes, each comprising four issues per year, starting in 1990. Personal rate for four issues: £32 or $48 in North America; Institutional rate for four issues: £92 or $138 in North America. All orders and remittances should be addressed to: Carfax Publishing Limited, PO Box 25, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 3UE, UK. Tel. +44 (0) 1235 401000; Fax +44 (0) 1235 401550; E-mail [log in to unmask]; or Carfax Publishing Limited, PO Box 352, Cammeray, NSW 2062, Australia. Tel. +61 (0) 2 958 5329; Fax +61 (0) 2 958 2376; E-mail [log in to unmask]; or to Carfax Publishing Limited, 875-81 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Tel. 1 (800) 354 1420; Fax +1 (617) 354 6875. • INTERNET: LISTS AND SITES New WWW archive established for Darwin and Darwinism Point your browser to: http://www.human-nature.com/darwin/index.html The resource currently contains books, debates on evolutionary theory, evolution on the www, and creationism and evolution. Also included are the following complete works: Charles R. Darwin -- On the Origin of Species, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, The Voyage of the Beagle, The Descent of Man; Alfred Russel Wallace -- On the Law that has Regulated the Introduction of New Species (1855), On the Tendency of Varieties to Depart Indefinitely From the Original Type (1858); Thomas Henry Huxley -- Autobiography and Selected Essays; Andrew Dickson White -- History of the Warfare of Science With Theology in Christendom; and William James -- The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. Our host site, Human-Nature.Com, also contains several hundred papers, articles, electronic journals, book reviews, interviews, and more than a dozen other complete books, together with unique search facilities and a collection of over four thousand hyperlinks. Contributions on any relevant topic are welcome. It is anticipated that the site will have a particular emphasis on evolutionary psychology, sociobiology, evolutionary epistemology, and evolutionary ethics. • The Huxley File The Huxley File is addressed to an audience ranging from those who never heard of Thomas Henry Huxley to those who are familiar with him and may even have read some of his work. For specific guidance on the various subjects he wrote about – fields ranging from the design of marine invertebrate structure to the design of a good human society – the cybernaut may refer to any of the 21 guides concluding this preview. Selections in THE HUXLEY FILE that appear only in obscure Victorian magazines or hidden archives will be of interest to those who do know him and may even have studied and published on him. Point your browser to: http://aleph0.clarku.edu/huxley/ • INTERNET: ISHPSSB LIST AND SITE ISHPSSB Listserv The ISHPSSB listserv provides instant information to members around the world. The listserv is moderated by an ISHPSSB member, so no "junk" e-mail gets through -- only information of interest to members. This will include updates on the 1999 Meeting in Oaxaca! As a member of ISHPSSB, you are not automatically subscribed to the society's listserv. Subscribe today to stay in touch. The moderated listserv for the society is sponsored in part by the University of Minnesota Program in History of Science and Technology. Any member interested in receiving mailings on this listserv should "subscribe" to the list by sending the following message: SUBSCRIBE ISHPSB-L yourfirstname yourlastname to: [log in to unmask] To send a message (information of interest or questions related to the history, philosophy, and social studies of biology) to all the people currently subscribed to the list, send to: [log in to unmask] Newsletter information goes out regularly on the listserv. Every ISHPSSB member is encouraged to subscribe to the e-mail list to enjoy more frequent and rapid correspondence with other members. If you know members who have not subscribed, please encourage them to do so. Questions? Contact the listserv moderator, Chris Young, directly at: [log in to unmask] • ISHPSSB Website http://www.phil.vt.edu/ISHPSSB/ The ISHPSSB Website is the best source for the latest information on the 1999 Meeting in Oaxaca, including travel arrangements and program updates. The web pages also contain the latest newsletter, instructions for how to subscribe to our listserv, and links to additional resources in science and technology. You can join ISHPSSB right over the web, as well as participate in a survey on the impact ISHPSSB has had in your professional life. You can access the site by typing the address into any web-browser. Ideas for additional items to include are always welcome -- please forward them to Valerie Hardcastle, web site administrator; e-mail: [log in to unmask] • OAXACA 1999: PRELIMINARY PROGRAM Available on-line at http://server.phil.vt.edu/ishpssb/99program.html OAXACA 1999: PRE-MEETING WORKSHOP Teaching HPSSB & Biology: Oaxaca, Wednesday, July 7. Additional participants are welcome in a pre-conference workshop on teaching HPSSB & Biology being arranged by the ISHPSSB Education Committee. The goal is for participants to learn from each others' efforts enlivening science education, science popularization, and citizen activism by placing developments in science and technology in their social context. Participants will take turns to lead discussion around a paper, syllabus, or lesson plan and/or to lead the other participants in activities derived from or adaptable to classrooms and other contexts. This latter format comes from the International Society for Exploring Teaching Alternatives (http://www.asu.edu/upfd/www/iseta). One example of an ISETA session proposal can be viewed at http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~ptaylor/iseta98.html, but quite different approaches are expected according to the subject material. To join the workshop, which will start in the morning of Wednesday, July 7. and may overlap with some of the first afternoon's sessions, contact [log in to unmask] A provisional listing of participants and topics is available; for updates see: http://omega.cc.umb.edu/~ptaylor/ishpssbed.html • MEMBERSHIP AND RENEWAL INFORMATION To join ISHPSSB or renew your membership contact Society Treasurer David Magnus or fill out the form on the Society's Website: http://www.phil.vt.edu/ISHPSSB/member.html Existing members need to renew if the mailing label on the most recent newsletter has 1997 or earlier on the top line. If you think the information in the membership files is out of date (e-mail addresses seem especially volatile), please provide the new information to the society treasurer/membership secretary. Graduate students qualify for a reduced membership fee -- only US $ 10 for two years. Emeritus members pay no fee. Otherwise a regular membership is US $ 35 for two years. All checks must be in US $; payment by Visa/Mastercard is welcome. Credit card payments can be sent electronically. (As far as we understand this is relatively safe -- as safe as the postal service, maybe safer -- since everything is automatically encrypted.) Receipts for payment will be sent out, but to reduce administrative costs, this will be done only if requested. If paying by credit card, your monthly credit card statement should serve as your receipt. • FALL 1999 NEWSLETTER Bring your camera to Oaxaca and share the memories in the ISHPSSB Newsletter. The next issue of the Newsletter will be published in Fall 1999. Deadline: October 1, 1999. Announcements, news of interest to the society, and photos of professional events are welcome. Please send submissions (preferably via e-mail) to the editor, Chris Young, [log in to unmask] • SOCIETY ADDRESSES Elisabeth Lloyd ISHPSSB President 1997-99 History & Philosophy of Science Department Biology Department Indiana University Bloomington, IN 47405 USA e-mail: [log in to unmask] Peter J. Taylor Past-President 1997-99 Program on Critical and Creative Thinking Graduate College of Education University of Massachusetts, Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd., Boston, MA 02125 USA Phone: (617) 287-6520 Fax: (617) 287-7664 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Richard Burian President-Elect 1997-99 Department of Philosophy Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0126 USA Phone: (540) 231-6760 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Michael Dietrich Program Chair, 1999 Meetings Department of Biology Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 03755 USA e-mail: [log in to unmask] Ana Barahona Local Arrangements Chair, 1999 Meeting Zapate # 6 - 9 Col. Miguel Hidalgo Tlalpan 14410 Mexico e-mail: [log in to unmask] David Magnus Treasurer and Membership Secretary University of Pennsylvania Center for Bioethics 3401 Market Street, Room 320 Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA Phone: (215) 898-7136 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Peggy Stewart Secretary 3900 Glengarry Drive Austin, TX 78731 USA e-mail: [log in to unmask] Karin Matchett Student Representative History of Science and Technology 435 Walter Library University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN 55455 USA e-mail: [log in to unmask] Chris Young Newsletter Editor History, Science, and Culture Mt. Angel Seminary St. Benedict, OR 97373 USA Phone: (503) 845-3557 Fax: (503) 845-3126 e-mail: [log in to unmask] ISHPSSB WWW Site http://www.phil.vt.edu/ISHPSSB/ ISHPSSB Listserv Listserv Address: [log in to unmask] (Use this address only to subscribe yourself to the list.) List Address: [log in to unmask] (Use this address to send mail to list members.)