Explanation and gravity, by Lina Jansson (29 Sept 2011)

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Philosophy Seminar Series: 29 Sept 2011, 2-4pm, Philosophy Resource Room; Speaker: Lina Jansson, Assistant Professor, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, NTU; Moderator: Dr. Ben Blumson

Abstract:
Both Newton’s theory of gravity and the theory of general relativity are central examples of explanatory progress within the sciences.  In this talk I argue that both cases provide instances of explanation where a more complicated attitude than the standard accounts of explanation can easily accommodate is warranted.  Moreover, this problem affects any account with a specific kind of exclusivity about the relationships that can do explanatory work.  Here, I suggest that developing an account of explanation based on a notion of dependence allows us to better understand these central cases.

Photo on 12-09-2011 at 16.17 #2About the speaker: Lina Jansson is an assistant professor of philosophy at Nanyang Technological University.  She obtained her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2011.  Before starting her Ph.D. she received a B.A. in physics and philosophy from Oxford University.
More information on the Philosophy Seminar Series can be found here. A list of past talks in the series can be found here.

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