Emergence and Non-Fundamentalist Metaphysics

Emergence and
Non-Fundamentalist Metaphysics

2012, May 14th | 15th | 16th

Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon
CFCUL
Organized by the Research project What is a Physical Theory?

Auditorium of the FFCUL | Edifício C1 - Piso3
How to arrive

Organising Committee: Rui N. Moreira | Gil C. Santos | João L. Cordovil | John F. Symons

'Emergence and Non-Fundamentalist Metaphysics'

In the inner synchronic structure of our world and in its historical processes we acknowledge the occurrence of qualitatively new phenomena at different levels of organization. Nevertheless, although these new phenomena arise from previous elements they cannot be completely reduced to them – either taken by themselves or through a mere linear or combinatorial models. How can we make intelligible this emergent novelty and this non-reducibility without giving up of causal or law-like kinds of explanation?

On the other hand, must we assume the existence of a fundamental level of reality to which everything should, in principle, be reduced? A fundamentalist metaphysics implies that everything is fixed at a certain level – for example, that of the ultimate particles or fields – and that everything else is ontologically derivative and, in principle, epistemologically derivable from its fundamental properties and laws.

In such hypothesis what looks like an ontological emergence (a new kind of system, behavior, property or causal power) is only a case of epistemological emergence arising from the complexity of the phenomena and from limited abilities to calculate, to predict, or to explain. Nevertheless, even cases of epistemological complexity already challenge the traditional linear (atomistic) approaches, such as the methodological individualism, or the continuist perspectives on developmental and evolutionary processes – either in Physics, in Biology or in Social Sciences.

Is it necessary to start from a non-fundamentalist metaphysics in order to defend ontological emergence?

All these questions will be discussed in this Colloquium in the domains of physical matter, of life, of mind and cognition, and of our social and economical existence.

Program (pdf) Poster (pdf) Foldable (pdf)

Monday, May 14th

14.30	Opening Session Olga Pombo and Rui N. Moreira
15.00	John F. Symons Philosophy, University of Texas at El Paso Completely Physical? Emergence and Hume's Dictum
15.45	Francisco Carrapiço Biology, University of Lisbon Beyond Neo-Darwinism. Building Symbiogenic Theory Of Evolution
16.30	*Coffee Break*
17.00	Special Sciences and the Unity of Science Olga Pombo, Juan Manuel Torres, John Symons and Shahid Rahman (Eds.) Public presentation of the book

Tuesday, May 15th

10.00	Rui N. Moreira Physics; History and Philosophy of Sciences, CFCUL, University of Lisbon In what conditions can we consider a new Physical Theory as a Strong Emergence?
10.45	Erez Firt Software Engineer; Tel Aviv University Problems for Emergentism: The downward causation argument – a problematic problem
11.30	*Coffee Break*
11.45	Gil C. Santos Philosophy, CFCUL An Ontology of Transformative Relations for Emergence Theory
12.30	*Lunch*
15.00	Francisco Louçã Economy, ISEG; Head of the 'Research Unit on Complexity and Economics' Economics, physics and meta-physics
15.45	Gildo Magalhães History of Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil Continuity vs. emergence, a break up? A look beyond physics and behind economics
16.30	*Coffee Break*
16.45	Peter Andrew Corning Biology, Director of the 'Institute for the Study of Complex Systems' The Synergism Hypothesis: A Theory of Emergent Complexity in Evolution

Wednesday, May 16th

10.00	José R. Croca Physics, CFCUL, University of Lisbon Emergence, De-Emergence. A concrete physical example
10.45	João L. Cordovil Philosophy of Physics, CFCUL Why are there no examples of ontological emergence from Physics?
11.30	*Coffee Break*
11.45	Nathalie Gontier Philosophy of Science, Dutch Free University of Brussels). Biological realities: how evolutionary epistemology can inform us on ontology
12.30	*Lunch*
15.00	José Castro Caldas Economy, Researcher of CES Evolution at the service of mechanics: an episode in the history of economics
15.45	Jonathan Tennenbaum Physics, Quantix – 'Société de Recherche et Développement en Technique Vibratoire' Creativity in Nature and Creativity in Man
16.30	*Coffee Break*
16.45	Mark Bickhard Philosophy, Director of the Institute for Interactivist Studies The Metaphysics of Emergence.
17.30	Closing
20.00	Conference Dinner Fábrica Braço de Prata (more info here)

How to arrive

The colloquium will take place on the Auditorium of the FFCUL (Foundation of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon), located on the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon campus (Campo Grande), bulding C1 - 3rd floor.

By subway:
- Yellow Line (Linha Amarela) - Cidade Universitária station (about 10mins). [fares] [map]

By bus (carris):
- 7, 21, 31, 35, 36, 47, 54, 64, 78, 83, 106, 108, 701, 732, 738, 745, 750, 755, 767, 768, 777, 780 [fares] [routes and Schedules]

By car:

- 2ª circular - Campo Grande / Cidade Universitária exit

If you're staying on Amazonia Hotel, you can see a detailed map here (subway) and here (bus).

Faculty campus map (pdf):

Further informations, please send an e-mail to cfcul@fc.ul.pt.