This document discusses the production of knowledge in technological and scientific practices. It argues that knowledge is generated through a partnership between human and artificial agents, rather than being solely the product of human thinkers. Technologies play an essential role in knowledge production by augmenting human capacities, analyzing large amounts of data, and interacting with their environments. This challenges received views that see knowledge as only propositional statements or instruments as merely tools for humans. The document proposes a new framework of "poiêsis" to understand how human and artificial agents co-produce knowledge through their activities. It calls for bringing together different fields like philosophy of science, philosophy of technology, and science and technology studies to study this phenomenon of techno-scientific knowledge production.
This is a presentation about Philosophy in Technology. Philosophy in technology studies of salient philosophical dimensions, or underpinnings, of technology and demonstrating how philosophical insights may shed new light on what technology does or misses. The best technology is created when its philosophical foundations are (critically) realized and the best engineers are usually (knowingly or not) philosophers. The critical discussion on philosophical underpinnings of technology is necessary to rationally guide the development of technology and to realize the limitations, prospects, dangers and benefice of the technology on which we all depend. Some examples of PinT are: the concept of knowledge underpinning knowledge engineering, the nature of free will, personhood, and autonomy probed by the autonomous machines, the essence of ethics as interpreted in AI systems, abduction and induction and knowledge assumptions behind natural resources explorations, the nature of human mind underpinning AGI studies, the deep (natural) concept of computing underpinning Turing computing paradigm, philosophy of methodological aspects of technology- these just being few examples of potential topics to be explored by PinT. The presentation is an introduction to lectures on Philosophy in Technology offered in Spring Semester 2021 at Pontifical University of John Paul II, in Cracow, Poland.
This is a presentation about Philosophy in Technology. Philosophy in technology studies of salient philosophical dimensions, or underpinnings, of technology and demonstrating how philosophical insights may shed new light on what technology does or misses. The best technology is created when its philosophical foundations are (critically) realized and the best engineers are usually (knowingly or not) philosophers. The critical discussion on philosophical underpinnings of technology is necessary to rationally guide the development of technology and to realize the limitations, prospects, dangers and benefice of the technology on which we all depend. Some examples of PinT are: the concept of knowledge underpinning knowledge engineering, the nature of free will, personhood, and autonomy probed by the autonomous machines, the essence of ethics as interpreted in AI systems, abduction and induction and knowledge assumptions behind natural resources explorations, the nature of human mind underpinning AGI studies, the deep (natural) concept of computing underpinning Turing computing paradigm, philosophy of methodological aspects of technology- these just being few examples of potential topics to be explored by PinT. The presentation is an introduction to lectures on Philosophy in Technology offered in Spring Semester 2021 at Pontifical University of John Paul II, in Cracow, Poland.
Technology, determinism and learning: exploring different ways of being digit...Martin Oliver
(Seminar given at Lancaster University, 14th March, 2012)
The field of educational technology has devoted a lot of time and effort to theorising ‘learning’, and some to developing ideas about what ‘education’ might be, but perhaps surprisingly, the idea of ‘technology’ remains poorly examined. Work commonly builds on ‘common sense’ accounts of technology, relying on deterministic accounts of the relationship between technology, practices and identities. These accounts rarely pay attention to ideas of context or the role of agency.
These problems can be illustrated by work on digital literacy. Digital literacy is widely assumed to be about free-floating generic skills. The prevalence of new technologies has supposedly led to the emergence of a generation of digital natives, who are supposed to learn in different ways and even have different kinds of brains from other people. Educational systems are expect both to reflect their new preferences for learning, and to prepare them to use technology as a route to gainful employment.
However, instead, digital literacies can be reconceived as consisting of context bound, situated practices that are implicated in the construction of complex, hybrid identities in a range of overlapping domains. Viewed this way, being digitally literate becomes a social achievement, in which technology is taken up to serve personal agency, rather than a cause.
This presentation will review different ways of theorising technology, exploring some alternative framework (such as Actor Network Theory and praxiology), and their consequences for research. This will be illustrated using data drawn from an ongoing JISC-funded project that is using multimodal journaling to document their engagement with technology.
This presentation is for undergraduate students on BSc Design and Technology Education at Nottingham Trent University.
The session considers the philosophy of technology, where students learn about Carl Mitcham's different approaches to technology (artifacts, knowledge, processes and volition). Through learning about these four approaches they begin to think about consequences for their D&T teaching - realising that D&T is more than 'design and make'.
Following this session the students research an emerging technology (see www.dandtfordandt.wordpress.com for more details), using Mitchum's four approaches to critique how emerging technologies can be taught in schools.
ELPUB 2018 Feminist Open Science workshopLeslie Chan
This was the slides for the workshop on Feminist Open Science presented at ELPUB2018 in Toronto. Notes for the session is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zr51nZ4VRjVNLixeRc_4SPa-liSALADLTbJ1RUJYcpo/edit
"This workshop will centre on how current discourse around Open Science has tended to focus on the creation of new technological platforms and tools to facilitate sharing and reuse of a wide range of research outputs, but has largely avoided tackling many important issues related to inclusion of a diversity of perspectives in science. We believe a feminist perspective can help to surface these issues, particularly with regard to the need for inclusive infrastructure, which are especially important as Open Science increasingly becomes part of government agendas and policies. We expect that researchers, practitioners and policy makers interested in Open Science will benefit from this workshop to think about issues of inclusivity in Open Science that are not receiving sufficient attention. We expect participants who attend this workshop will gain awareness about relevant resources and work that has been done by feminist technoscience scholars to expand the perspectives of Open Science. We hope that participants will take away new possibilities for their work that they may not have considered before. For policy makers, this workshop will be particularly relevant to help think about how evidence for Open Science should be assessed from a more feminist inclusive standpoint. The workshop will also present results from a two-day workshop on Feminist Open Science that will take place prior to the ELPUB workshop, with the intent of soliciting feedback and collaboration."
What is Open Science and what role does it play in Development?Leslie Chan
What is Open Science and what role does it play in Development?
The talk begins with a review of current understanding of open science and its alleged role in providing new opportunities for addressing long-standing development challenges. I then introduce the newly launched Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network, funded by IDRC Canada, and in collaboration with iHub Nairobi, Kenya. The rationale, funding modalities, and the short and long term objectives of the network will be discussed.
Technology, determinism and learning: exploring different ways of being digit...Martin Oliver
(Seminar given at Lancaster University, 14th March, 2012)
The field of educational technology has devoted a lot of time and effort to theorising ‘learning’, and some to developing ideas about what ‘education’ might be, but perhaps surprisingly, the idea of ‘technology’ remains poorly examined. Work commonly builds on ‘common sense’ accounts of technology, relying on deterministic accounts of the relationship between technology, practices and identities. These accounts rarely pay attention to ideas of context or the role of agency.
These problems can be illustrated by work on digital literacy. Digital literacy is widely assumed to be about free-floating generic skills. The prevalence of new technologies has supposedly led to the emergence of a generation of digital natives, who are supposed to learn in different ways and even have different kinds of brains from other people. Educational systems are expect both to reflect their new preferences for learning, and to prepare them to use technology as a route to gainful employment.
However, instead, digital literacies can be reconceived as consisting of context bound, situated practices that are implicated in the construction of complex, hybrid identities in a range of overlapping domains. Viewed this way, being digitally literate becomes a social achievement, in which technology is taken up to serve personal agency, rather than a cause.
This presentation will review different ways of theorising technology, exploring some alternative framework (such as Actor Network Theory and praxiology), and their consequences for research. This will be illustrated using data drawn from an ongoing JISC-funded project that is using multimodal journaling to document their engagement with technology.
This presentation is for undergraduate students on BSc Design and Technology Education at Nottingham Trent University.
The session considers the philosophy of technology, where students learn about Carl Mitcham's different approaches to technology (artifacts, knowledge, processes and volition). Through learning about these four approaches they begin to think about consequences for their D&T teaching - realising that D&T is more than 'design and make'.
Following this session the students research an emerging technology (see www.dandtfordandt.wordpress.com for more details), using Mitchum's four approaches to critique how emerging technologies can be taught in schools.
ELPUB 2018 Feminist Open Science workshopLeslie Chan
This was the slides for the workshop on Feminist Open Science presented at ELPUB2018 in Toronto. Notes for the session is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zr51nZ4VRjVNLixeRc_4SPa-liSALADLTbJ1RUJYcpo/edit
"This workshop will centre on how current discourse around Open Science has tended to focus on the creation of new technological platforms and tools to facilitate sharing and reuse of a wide range of research outputs, but has largely avoided tackling many important issues related to inclusion of a diversity of perspectives in science. We believe a feminist perspective can help to surface these issues, particularly with regard to the need for inclusive infrastructure, which are especially important as Open Science increasingly becomes part of government agendas and policies. We expect that researchers, practitioners and policy makers interested in Open Science will benefit from this workshop to think about issues of inclusivity in Open Science that are not receiving sufficient attention. We expect participants who attend this workshop will gain awareness about relevant resources and work that has been done by feminist technoscience scholars to expand the perspectives of Open Science. We hope that participants will take away new possibilities for their work that they may not have considered before. For policy makers, this workshop will be particularly relevant to help think about how evidence for Open Science should be assessed from a more feminist inclusive standpoint. The workshop will also present results from a two-day workshop on Feminist Open Science that will take place prior to the ELPUB workshop, with the intent of soliciting feedback and collaboration."
What is Open Science and what role does it play in Development?Leslie Chan
What is Open Science and what role does it play in Development?
The talk begins with a review of current understanding of open science and its alleged role in providing new opportunities for addressing long-standing development challenges. I then introduce the newly launched Open and Collaborative Science in Development Network, funded by IDRC Canada, and in collaboration with iHub Nairobi, Kenya. The rationale, funding modalities, and the short and long term objectives of the network will be discussed.
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The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
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Impact of Ethnobotany in traditional medicine,
New development in herbals,
Bio-prospecting tools for drug discovery,
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It is possible to hide or invisible some fields in odoo. Commonly using “invisible” attribute in the field definition to invisible the fields. This slide will show how to make a field invisible in odoo 17.
1. Towards a philosophy of
techno-science
Federica Russo
Philosophy & ILLC | University of Amsterdam
Science&Technology Studies | University College London
russofederica.wordpress.com| @federicarusso
4. How is knowledge generated
in techno-scientific contexts?
4
What is the role of instruments
in this process?
5. Overview
The Phil Sci – Phil Tech divide
Parallel debates
How studying practices can fill the gap
Two episodes of techno-science
Exposure research and computational history of ideas
What is knowledge, and how is it produced in techno-scientific practices?
Poiêsis: How human and artificial agents co-produce knowledge
The epistemic and normative aspects of poiêsis
5
7. Parallel contexts and debates
• Distinct institutional contexts
• Consider: learned societies, conferences, job openings, …
• Distinct academic outputs
• Very little cross-reference in major publications in either field
• Very little mutual recognition in terms of authors, main themes
7
8. Distinct objects of investigation
• Types of knowledge
• Sci: aims at truth | Tech: usefulness for practical purposes
• Hierarchy
• First Sci, then Tech (in line with first epistêmê, then technê)
• Different relation to reality
• Sci: discovery | Tech: creation
• Different outputs
• Sci: theories | Tech: artefacts
• Objects
• Sci: unchanging objects | Tech: created objects, hence mutable
• Who is instrumental to whom
• True science is supposedly necessary for technological innovation
8
Boon, 2011
“In Defence of Engineering Sciences:
On the Epistemological Relations
between Science and Technology.”
Techné
9. How wide is the gap?
• Philosophy of Science in Practice
• A recent attempt to broaden up Anglo-Americal Phil Sci
• French Epistemology
• A neglected tradition in which the gap did not quite exist
9
11. The practice turns
11
STS
• Laboratory Studies
• Science-as-practice
• Contemporary practices
matter (hence the need of
anthropology)
Phil Sci
• New Experimentalism
• Experiments and their
materiality matter
• Not all or only about
theory
Phil Tech
• Relevance of the design
process
• Not just about the nature
of technical objects
• Also about the practice of
engineering
12. How to study practice,
in practice
• An activity-based analysis:
• Activity: What is being done in the practice in question?
• Aims: What is the inherent purpose of this activity, and what external function does it serve?
• Systematic context: Does the activity constitute a part of a broader system of practices?
• Agent(s): Who is doing the activity?
• The second person: To/with whom?
• Capabilities: What must the agent be capable of, in order to carry out this activity?
• Resources: Which tools are necessary for this activity to be successful?
• Freedom: What kind of choices does the agent make?
• Metaphysical principles: What must we presume the world to be like, in order for this activity to be
coherent?
• Evaluation: Who is judging the results, and by what criteria (in addition to coherence)?
12
Chang, 2014.
“Epistemic Activities and Systems
of Practice: Units of Analysis in
Philosophy of Science After the
Practice Turn.”
In Science After the Practice Turn in
the Philosophy, History, and the
Social Studies of Science
Conceptual
|
Normative|
Historical
Sociopolitical
14. • Sensors, smartphones, GPS
• Biobanks
• Omic technologies for biomarkers
identification and validation
• Liquid chromatography
• Mass spectometry
• Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
• …
• Statistics softwares
Technologies are essential at all stages:
data generation and collection, analysis,
interpretation and theory building, …
14
16. • Digitalisation of texts
• Various technologies for digitalising
and texts and make them
searchable
• Algorithm-based and ontology-based
searches
• These are not purely computational
methods
• Very large digital corpora
• Allows not just for more texts to be
analysed but for different types of
information to gather
Technologies open up novel spaces for
historical investigation
16
19. Received views
19
Mainstream PhilSci:
No instruments, all about
theory and propositional
content
PhilTech:
Instruments mediate or are
bearers of knowledge
STS:
‘Technocratic’ regimes
contribute to the
‘solidification’ of knowledge
20. ReDiEM Knowledge
Knowledge is a product of techno-scientific activities carried out by epistemic agents, it is often
expressed in propositional form in natural language, it is also encapsulated in material objects, and is
situated with respect to a number of social, cultural, or material aspects
Not a definition, but a broad characterisation
Elements about Relation, Distribution, Embodiment, Materiality are as important as propositional content
and vernacularity
These elements are interrelated, rather than isolated
Any element can become more prominent, depending on the specific question at hand
My question, reformulated:
How to cash out the partnership of human and artificial agents
in the process of knowledge production? 20
21. Why so much emphasis on instruments?
Instruments seem to do more than just
Mediating between us and the world
Augmenting our capacities to see the smaller or the bigger
Enhancing ability to analyse more data
Instruments have a proper epistemic role in the process of knowledge
production
21
23. The legacy
From Greek thinking:
Poiêsis is about producting artefacts, it is about technê rather than epistêmê
At the root of the (alleged) superiority of epistêmê over technê
From contemporary Philosophy of Information
Poiêsis is (also) about producing the situations moral agents are in, and that are
subject to ethical assessment
Useful to reduce moral luck
23
24. The semantic space of the poiêsis
The poietic character of human epistemic agents:
The production of artefacts by human agents
A topos of Greek philosophy and of philosophy of technology, not my main interest here;
The production of knowledge by human epistemic agents;
An expansion of Phil Information ‘homo poieticus’ as moral agent, it includes human epistemic
agents as techno-scientists and as philosophers
The poietic character of artificial agents
The power of technical objects to interact and modify the environment
Digital and analogue technologies have this power (in degrees), we learn from Simondon
The partnership of human and artificial epistemic agents
This partnership comes with important responsibilities, both epistemic and moral ones
24
26. Knowledge production is distributed
Human and artificial epistemic agents produce knowledge
An epistemic point:
Knowledge production is not a prerogative of us human(s)
Technologies, the environment, materiality and embodiment, situatedness … are all essential
elements
A normative point
Distribution in the process of production of knowledge does not mean less responsibility from
us human epistemic agents
We still have responsibility for the knowledge we produce, the artefacts we design and develop,
the policies we implement, …
Epistemology and ethics must go hand in hand
26
28. Philosophy of Science
Philosophy
of
Technology
Science and
Technology Studies
Ethics/
Political
Philosophy
Philosophy of
Techno-Science
The intellectual and academic space
where different perspectives and
traditions meet and fruitfuilly
dialogue about techno-science
28
As heir of Greek thinking, we are used to separate science from technology, episteme from techne, philosophy of science from philosophy of technology. A closer look at the practice of science, however, shows that technologies are more than mediating instruments – they are part and parcel of the process of knoweldge production. In this talk, I reconstruct how the gap between (Phil) Tech and (Phil) Sci came about and make a modest proposal to bridge it. Turning our attention to techno-scientific practices, I shall argue, helps us recognise the ways in which we human epistemic agents produce knowledge together with artificial epistemic agents. I sketch the contours of an epistemology for techno-scientific practices, and I anticipate some of the challenges ahead, notably about ontology and normative questions.
Instruments in science.
We tend to think of big instruments, e.g. LHD, mass spectometers, big optical telescopes …
But instruments have been used since much earlier, some we still use today …
What is exposure research
How it goes beyond traditional epidemiology
Technology plays a major role in this fundamental change
Emphasise that this is important because biomarkers are not there for us to find, as cherries on a tree or strawberries in a bush
Remember passage in Hacking Repr & Inter, where he also says that it would be miracoulous if sci phenomena were out there to be picked as cherries on a tree
What it is – digital humanities > history of ideas + computational methods
Research currently done in-house!
To understand why this is problematic, one needs to understand the state of the art. But state of the art is quite different, depending on whether one looks into Phil Sci, Phil Tech, or STS
HERE GIVE EXAMPLES OF REDIEM-K IN THE 2 CASE STUDIES