Manchester Online Seminars on Evidential Pluralism: Epistemic games and causal problems
| Dates: | 16 June 2025 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:30 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | School of Social Sciences |
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| How much: | Free |
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| Who is it for: | University staff, External researchers, Current University students |
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| Speaker: | Phyllis Illari |
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Epistemic games and causal problems: a framework for teaching the evaluation of scientific information.
Studies in science education demonstrate that laypeople typically engage with science to meet situation-specific needs. Their interest in science often emerges only when it directly helps them solve a particular problem. However, most research in science education has focused on evaluating the trustworthiness of information and the level of understanding required for its use. Less attention has been given to assessing the appropriateness of scientific information for specific purposes while recognizing its limitations. This paper aims to address this gap by proposing a framework to help laypeople evaluate scientific information in a purpose-specific manner. The framework introduced in this paper is based on the philosophical classification of causal information and its relevance to four scientific problems: inference, explanation, prediction, and control. It categorizes causal information into two types of epistemic games used by scientists: difference makers search and production or mechanism search. By understanding these games, laypeople can better assess the merits and limitations of scientific information relative to their specific needs. The paper also offers insights into how this framework can be taught in educational settings, with a focus on genetics education as an example. The aim is to enhance students’ capacity to critically engage with scientific information, thereby improving their ability to make informed decisions based on the specific needs and challenges.
All welcome! Please register for a meeting link from the MOSEP webpage (under More Information).
Speaker
Phyllis Illari
Role: Professor
Organisation: UCL
Travel and Contact Information
