Frederick Britt

The Long Ukrainian Winter How You Can Help

Russia’s full-scale invasion began 4 years ago. It began in winter, and so this winter is the 5th. And, for civilians, the worst. Russia launches missiles and drones at energy infrastructure to force Ukrainians to endure the freezing cold. Here's how you can help
snyder.substack.com/p/the-long-u...

ABSTRACT. Newton's gravitational theory is a hard case for scientific realists, as despite its overwhelming empirical success, what the theory tells us about the nature of gravitational forces seems to be inconsistent with our current best theory of gravity, namely, the general theory of relativity. After demonstrating the limitations of existing responses to that challenge, I argue that a better response can be given by questioning a premise that has so far been taken for granted in the debate: the assumption that all inertial forces are fictitious. Rejecting this premise is justified by distinguishing different types of inertial forces, some of which are indispensable in a sufficiently strong sense to justify realism about them.

Just accepted:

Realism about Newtonian Gravity
– Matthias Egg

Abstract in alt text or read it here: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/740610

#philsci #philsky

Deadline approaching!👇

#philsci

It looks like the Philosophy of Science Association could use a little help reaching its fundraising goal for #GivingTuesday 😳 Show your pride in #philsci & chip in @ least what you'd pay for a coffee/drink. Every little bit counts & it's easy (& tax deductible) @ link below ⬇️
philsci.org/donate.php

New on the Archive:

Van Dyck, Maarten (2026) Defending constructive empiricism. [Preprint]

https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/27313/

Gifted Khashoggi Head Mounted In Oval Office

Gifted Khashoggi Head Mounted In Oval Office

We plan to offer travel grants for people who cannot obtain their own funding. So please, do not hesitate to submit something until January 31, 2026!

Entity Realism Beyond Manipulation Entity realism (also known as ‘experimental realism’) traditionally ties belief in scientific entities to experimental manipulation. Yet many sciences involve a commitment to entities that...

Call for Papers

Workshop on 'ENTITY REALISM BEYOND MANIPULATION' (June 16 - 17, 2025) at the University of Bern (CH).

We are very much looking forward to welcoming Nora M. Boyd and @msuarez.bsky.social as keynote speakers and invite further contributions!

#philsci

philevents.org/event/show/1...

Were Dinos On Their Way Out Before The Asteroid Hit? Maybe Not Two new studies suggest that, contrary to longstanding beliefs, dinosaurs were not on the decline before the Chicxulub asteroid impact.

People have long wondered if dinosaurs really would've thrived if not for the asteroid that killed them. Two new studies, involving paleontologists @stevebrusatte.bsky.social and Lindsay Zanno, dig further into that question.

This collection follows on from our conference in July, where we heard a series of excellent talks on these themes. The collection will continue the discussion and invite further contributions engaging with the same set of questions.

www.philosophie.unibe.ch/research/pro...

Synthese Topical Collection "Meta-Level Reflections on the Scientific Realism Debate" Call for Papers: Meta-Level Reflections on the Scientific Realism Debate Guest Editors: Matthias Egg, Mahdi Khalili and Frederick Britt (University of Bern) Topical Collection Description: It has...

Call for papers: Synthese Topical Collection "Meta-Level Reflections on the Scientific Realism Debate". Deadline: March 31, 2026. Guest editors: Matthias Egg, Mahdi Khalili & myself, @unibe.ch. Looking forward to your contributions!

philevents.org/event/show/1...

#philsci

@philsci-archive.bsky.social is finally here! Nice!

'How can we explain the fact that we have concepts X and Y using primordial capacities?' ... 🤷‍♂️

A weirdly underappreciated problem about Inference to the Best Explanation is how it can handle uncertain evidence. This new paper, now forthcoming in Philosophy of Science, proposes a strategy for doing that (and argues that Einstein may have used it). #philsky #philsci

doi.org/10.1017/psa....

The photo shows an Acheulean biface handaxe knapped from dark grey flint with a creamy-white cortical layer, shown against a black background. The handaxe is roughly tear-drop shaped with a pointed tip and rounded bottom. There is a fossil shell centrally displayed on one face, identified as the Cretaceous bivalve mollusc Spondylus spinosus. Above the shell to the right is a small rectangular museum label. The toolmaker has knapped the flint in such a way as to retain the shell in a central position. Measurements 79mm x 35mm x 132mm Weight 0.375kg. Collections of the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge.

Something beautiful for the weekend!

An extraordinary Acheulean handaxe knapped around a fossil shell c. 500,000-300,000 years ago!

The shell’s central display has been described as an example of aesthetic intention by the toolmaker.

West Tofts, Norfolk. 📷 MAA Cambridge University

#Archaeology

Comic. [chessboard where one block of 2x2 sliding squares is shifted inward, with a blank next to it indicating the direction of the block’s movement] [caption] Sliding Number Puzzle Chess

Chess Variant

xkcd.com/3139/

Perspectival Realism + Ecological Psychology = Ecological Perspectivism

"Science offers knowledge of reality in terms of affordances, which are relational to the instruments and abilities of scientific communities."

#PhilSci #PsycSci

What is Critical Metascience and Why is it Important? If science is the subject of metascience, then metascience is the subject of critical metascience!

He's already replied, but @markrubin.bsky.social is an excellent scholar coming from metasci side reaching across to philsci. A lovely newsletter of his landed in mailbox today on how metasci might need to incorporate more critical (dare I say philosophical?) perspectives⤵️

OMG OMG OMG — Extinct Okay, so… this morning, I read this fun little article in the New York Times, which describes a statistical model designed to rank baseball players across eras. Barry Bonds came out on top, which ...

Fun article in the NYT today describing a statistical model for ranking baseball players across eras. The Extinct connection? The model (called the "Full House" model) is inspired by Stephen Jay Gould's work on the disappearance of .400 hitting. Pretty coooool
www.extinctblog.org/palaeonews/2...

Thanks to all the speakers and participants!

It's been over a month since our conference on the realism debate, held at the @unibe.ch and supported by the @snsf.ch. The recordings are now available online!😁

The image and audio quality, I'm afraid, is mixed despite editing, but here they are:

www.philosophie.unibe.ch/research/pro...

#philsci

philsci-archive.pitt.edu/26034/

philsci-archive.pitt.edu/26010/

philsci-archive.pitt.edu/26046/

This isn't quite working yet ...

philsci-archive.pitt.edu/26042/

I'm hereby making an honest attempt at using this platform. It's all quite confusing to me, making me feel very old. But so be it; here goes!

"Methods in the Philosophy of Science: A User's Guide" on a plain background. Text notes that the book is edited by Sophie Veigl and Adrian Currie. The cover features a colorful design with planets and geometric shapes.

The last twenty years have seen multiple methodological revolutions in the philosophy of science. In "Methods in the Philosophy of Science," Sophie Veigl and Adrian Currie introduce this range of methods through both practical advice and philosophical reflection: bit.ly/3GnXFxb

Science Makes the U.S. a Great Nation History tells us what happens when great nations attack science

Science Makes the U.S. a Great Nation

History tells us what happens when great nations attack science

www.scientificamerican.com/article/scie...

Caricature of Mayr by David Levine for the New York Review of Books.

Ernst Mayr was born OTD in 1904.

“Most scientific problems are far better understood by studying their history than their logic.”

🌱🐋🦋🦫🧪 #HistSTM #PhilSci

Iran Worried U.S. Might Be Building 8,500th Nuclear Weapon TEHRAN—Amidst mounting geopolitical tensions, Iranian officials said Wednesday they were increasingly concerned about the United States of America’s uranium-enrichment program, fearing the Western nation may soon be capable of producing its 8,500th nuclear weapon. "Our intelligence estimates indicate that, if it is allowed to progress with its aggressive nuclear program, the United States may soon possess its 8,500th atomic weapon capable of reaching Iran," said Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi, adding that Americans have the fuel, the facilities, and "everything they need" to manufacture even more weapons-grade fissile material. "Obviously, the prospect of this happening is very distressing to Iran and all countries like Iran. After all, the United States is a volatile nation that’s proven it needs little provocation to attack anyone anywhere in the world whom it perceives to be a threat." Iranian intelligence experts also warned of the very real, and very frightening, possibility of the U.S. providing weapons and resources to a rogue third-party state such as Israel.

Iran Worried U.S. Might Be Building 8,500th Nuclear Weapon

theonion.com/iran-wo...