22–24 June 2011
University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

Conference materials

Updated Call for Papers (Closed)

updated November 18th 2010

For registration and further information on the conference, please visit the website of Egenis at the University of Exeter: http://www.genomicsnetwork.ac.uk/egenis/events/societyforthephilosophyofscienceinpractice-conference/

For general information on SPSP, please see: http://www.gw.utwente.nl/spsp or http://philosophy-science-practice.org

Deadline for submission: 1 December 2010. Under exceptional circumstances, late submissions may be considered by the Program Committee's discretion if there is still space on the program; however, on-time submissions will receive clear priority. If you plan to submit but foresee that you will not be able to meet the deadline, please let us know beforehand.

Please send paper or session proposals by e-mail attachment (Word document preferred) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., using "SPSP2011 abstract submission" or "SPSP2011 symposium submission" in the subject line. Acknowledgment of receipt has not been automated, so it can take several days; however, if you have not heard anything within one week, please contact Mieke Boon This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Notification of acceptance: 1 February 2011

The Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP) aims to create an interdisciplinary community of scholars who approach the philosophy of science with a focus on scientific practice and the practical uses of scientific knowledge. For further details on our objectives, see our mission statement on our website (URL above).

The SPSP biennial conferences provide a broad forum for scholars committed to making detailed and systematic studies of scientific practices — neither dismissing concerns about truth and rationality, nor ignoring contextual and pragmatic factors. The conferences aim at cutting through traditional disciplinary barriers and developing novel approaches. We welcome contributions from not only philosophers of science, but also philosophers working in epistemology and ethics, as well as the philosophy of engineering, medicine, agriculture, and other practical fields. Additionally, we welcome contributions from historians and sociologists of science, pure and applied scientists, and any others with an interest in philosophical questions regarding scientific practice.

In addition to keynote lectures by invited speakers, who will include Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent (Université Paris-X Nanterre), Philip Kitcher (Columbia University), and Sandra Mitchell (University of Pittsburgh), the conference will feature parallel sessions with contributed papers. For the 2011 conference, we encourage submissions on any topic related to the organization's objectives. For examples of previous topics, please consult our webpage for programs from our past two conferences.

We welcome both individual papers, and also strongly encourage proposals for whole, thematic sessions with coordinated papers, particularly those which include multiple disciplinary perspectives and/or input from scientific practitioners. You may wish to involve other members of SPSP (a listing is available on our website) or post a notice to the SPSP listserv describing your area of interest and seeking other possible participants for a session proposal.

Individual paper proposals must include a title and an abstract of 500 words, and full contact information for the speaker(s).

Session proposals must include an overall title for the session, a 250-500 words abstract of the session, and a 500-word abstract for each paper (or an equivalent amount of depth and detail, if the format of the proposed session is a less traditional one), and full contact information for each contributor. Session proposals should be submitted as a group by the organizer of the session.

Multiple submissions of any form by the same person will not be allowed. Please direct all queries to <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To receive updates about this conference, please become a member of the SPSP mailing list at http://www.gw.utwente.nl/spsp/membership/Membership%20Mailinglist.doc/

and also check the SPSP website at gw.utwente.nl/spsp/events/Third_Biennial_SPSP_Conference/

Original Call for Papers (Closed)

Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP)

http://www.genomicsnetwork.ac.uk/egenis/events/conferences/title,23552,en.html

For general information on SPSP, please see http://www.gw.utwente.nl/spsp/

Deadline for submission: 1 December 2010

Email paper proposals by attachment (word document preferred) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Notification of acceptance: 1 February 2011

The Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP) aims to create an interdisciplinary community of scholars who approach the philosophy of science with a focus on scientific practice and the practical uses of scientific knowledge. For further details on our objectives, see our mission statement on our website (URL above).

The SPSP biennial conferences provide a broad forum for scholars committed to making detailed and systematic studies of scientific practices — neither dismissing concerns about truth and rationality, nor ignoring contextual and pragmatic factors. The conferences aim at cutting through traditional disciplinary barriers and developing novel approaches. We welcome contributions from not only philosophers of science, but also philosophers working in epistemology and ethics, as well as the philosophy of engineering, medicine, agriculture, and other practical fields. Additionally, we welcome contributions from historians and sociologists of science, pure and applied scientists, and any others with an interest in philosophical questions regarding scientific practice.

In addition to keynote lectures by invited speakers, who will include Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent (Université Paris-X Nanterre), Philip Kitcher (Columbia University), and Sandra Mitchell (University of Pittsburgh), the conference will feature parallel sessions with contributed papers. For the 2011 conference, we encourage submissions on any topic related to the organization’s objectives. For examples of previous topics, please consult our webpage for programs from our past two conferences.

We welcome both individual papers, and also strongly encourage proposals for whole, thematic sessions with coordinated papers, particularly those which include multiple disciplinary perspectives and/or input from scientific practitioners. You may wish to involve other members of SPSP (a listing is available on our website) or post a notice to the SPSP listserv describing your area of interest and seeking other possible participants for a session proposal.

Individual paper proposals: must include a title and an abstract of 500 words, and full contact information for the speaker(s).

Session proposals: must include an overall title and a 250-500 word abstract for the theme of the session, a title and 500-word abstract for each paper (or an equivalent amount of depth and detail, if the format of the proposed session is a less traditional one), and full contact information for each contributor. Session proposals should be submitted as a group by the organizer of the session (who will be contact-person and responsible for communication with other contributors).

Multiple submissions of any form by the same person will not be allowed. Please direct all queries to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

To receive updates about this conference, please become a member of the SPSP mailing list at gw.utwente.nl/spsp/membership/Membership%20Mailinglist.doc and also check the SPSP website at gw.utwente.nl/spsp/events/Third_Biennial_SPSP_Conference

Additional notices:

  • Submissions (preferably a Word file) should be send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Please use “SPSP2011 abstract submission” or “SPSP2011 symposium submission” as your heading.
  • Reply (confirmation of receipt) has not been automated, so it can take several days. However, if you have not heard anything within one week, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (and include your abstract).
  • For your convenience: Examples of paper and symposia abstract, as well as the conference program can be found under these links:
  • Under exceptional circumstances, late submissions may be considered by the Program Committee's discretion if there is still space on the program; however, on-time submissions will receive clear priority. If you plan to submit but foresee that you will not be able to meet the deadline, please let us know beforehand.

Organisation Committee

Permanent organization committee

Rachel A. Ankeny

The University of Adelaide rachel.ankeny AT adelaide.edu.au

Mieke Boon

University of Twente

M.Boon AT gw.utwente.nl

Marcel Boumans

University of Amsterdam

M.J.Boumans AT uva.nl

Hasok Chang

University of Cambridge

hc372 AT caml.ac.uk

Additional members for the programming of the Exeter conference

Andrea Woody

University of Washington

Awoody AT u.washington.edu

Sabina Leonelli

University of Exeter

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Staffan Müller-Wille

University of Exeter

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Local organization committee of the Exeter conference

Sabina Leonelli

University of Exeter

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Staffan Müller-Wille

University of Exeter

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.