Tomorrow! Annual meeting of Israeli society for history and philosophy of science. This is our 25th anniversary and as president of the society I’ll be moderating a session on the past-present-future of #hps #sts and related fields. Attendance is open to all and free but registration encouraged.

2026 כנס האגודה השנתי | ISHPS
2026 כנס האגודה השנתי | ISHPS

The 25th Annual Conference of the Israeli Society for the History, Philosophy, and sociology of Science

ISHPS
New paper from my PhD student @[email protected] ! The paper tries to explain why evolutionary game theory became associated with the sociobiology research program and not its alternatives. Along the way we learn how modeling traditions embody theoretical commitments. Get it while it’s hot! #hps

Formalization Does Not Entail ...
Formalization Does Not Entail Neutrality: Evolutionary Game Theory and the Sociobiology Controversy - Biological Theory

Model makers often find themselves in the following situation: in order for the model to be able to represent the dynamics of the target system, they have to make certain assumptions that pertain to the system. The problem with these assumptions is not that they are wrong, but that they cannot be derived from observations and experiments. Thus, alternative modeling assumptions can also be used, and the data does not adjudicate between the sets of assumptions. Since a decision must be made, the decision derives from considerations such as the theoretical commitments of the modeler. Focusing on assumptions of this sort, the article examines the assumptions of evolutionary game theory (EGT). Following previous authors who noticed that there were in fact two strands of EGT, the current work compares the set of modeling assumptions made in each. The attempt here is not to adjudicate between the two sets, but to demonstrate that for each strand of EGT, an alternative set of assumptions was available. My hope is that the examination of the chosen assumptions will reveal the theoretical commitments that motivated the choice. Focusing on the latter strand of EGT, the article addresses the following question: What assumptions about evolution did EGT embody that align this modeling tradition with sociobiology? By demonstrating these similarities, I hope to support a broader argument, namely, that models are not neutral structures with respect to their target system.

SpringerLink
Israeli academics abroad? Many fields are organizing conference near election day so you can justify coming to vote (hopefully for the good guys). If your work is in any way related to #philsci #sts #hps intellectual history etc. please let the organizers know. forms.gle/6qUs7PhfeQhS...

חגיגה של מדע ישראלי: כנס בינ"ל...
חגיגה של מדע ישראלי: כנס בינ"ל של חוקרי הסטוריה ופילוסופיה של המדע והרעיונות ישראלים

שאלון התעניינות לכנס חד או דו-יומי המתוכנן להתקיים באוניברסיטת תל אביב ביום שני הסמוך לבחירות. חוקרים ישראלים רבים הגרים בחו"ל מתכוונים להגיע לארץ לבחירות. אנו מבקשים לנצל את ההזדמנות לקיום כנס אקדמי נרחב המיועד לאקדמאים ישראלים העוסקים בהיסטוריה ו/או פילוסופיה של המדע והרעיונות במובנן הרחב (הן השוהים בחו"ל והן המתגוררים בישראל). כנסים דומים בתחומי מחקר נוספים יתקיימו במקביל. הבחירות צפויות להתקיים ביום שלישי ה 27 באוקטובר (ובהתאם הכנס ביום שני, ה-26.10.26 ואולי גם ב-25) אך התאריך עשוי להשתנות. הודעה סופית על מועד הכנס וקול קורא מסודר יפורסמו לאחר שיקבע סופית תאריך הבחירות. אנא מלאו את השאלון הקצר, בין אם אתם גרים בישראל או בחו"ל. מאוד חשוב: אנא הפיצו לכל מי שרלוונטי המארגנים: ד"ר אורלי דהאן, [email protected] ד״ר יעל קדר, [email protected] פרופ' שאול קציר, [email protected] פרופ' יוסי שורץ, [email protected] פרופ׳ אורלי שנקר, [email protected]

Google Docs

@Heidentweet
This is a cool CSIRO article on Hantaviruses― difference between European/Asian Hantaviruses and South American ones.

It adds cardio to pulmonary in the HPS, to make the acronym of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, HCS.

https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2026/May/Hantavirus-explainer

#AndesVirus #Hantaviruses #CSIRO #HPS #HCS

Hantavirus: the ‘silent’ virus

As a hantavirus outbreak makes global headlines, CSIRO researchers are investigating how these rodent-borne viruses spread and why different strains target specific human organs, like the lungs or kidneys, with such varying levels of severity.

@Heidentweet "type of hantavirus spread by rodents in South America and, less commonly, by other infected people. Causes severe respiratory disease in people, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. The only known type of hantavirus to spread person-to-person, usually limited to close contact with a sick person. Incl/ direct physical contact, prolonged time spent in close or enclosed spaces, and exposure to the sick person's body fluids. The rodents not found in the US." (CDC, 2026)
#CDC #AndesVirus #HPS
Are you a friend or alumnus of the Cohn Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Ideas? Join us 13/5 for our first ever alumni meetup! בוגר של מכון כהן באוניברסיטת תל אביב או שייך לקהילת המכון? כנס בוגרים ראשון מאד ומעולם, ב 13/5. להתראות בגילמן! #hps #sts #philsci #histsci
Also challenges the gendered associations of knotting and knitting by showing how such practices inspired Scottish male mathematicians like Tait, Maxwell and Thomson #hps #histsci

RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:l4dcuxn3os2bmxt72dv3qwrq/post/3mk3wa3j5sk25
Fierce debate on whether we should continue to require all our #hps students to take introduction to critical theory…

#A24 #HPS #OCHI #オチ #🏞️

映画『OCHI!-オチ-』でもプロヘメのロッキーみたいに、ぬまがさワタリさんの生体解説が見れるなんて嬉しい
イラストが可愛すぎる

https://x.com/i/status/2039946009284128776

🐣 Happy to announce another OA publication, co-written with Cornelius Borck (Lübeck) and published in HPLS: *Sorting Out and Navigating Uncertainty in Precision Medicine* doi.org/10.1007/s406... #HPS #PhilMed #philsci

Sorting out and navigating unc...
Sorting out and navigating uncertainty in precision medicine - History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Uncertainty has been highlighted as a paradoxical consequence of precision medicine (PM). In the life sciences and medicine, uncertainty is often conceptua

SpringerLink