#39: The Real World and its Many Models with philosopher Michela Massimi

Send a love messageExploring Perspectival Realism: Are there many paths to the right place?In this episode, Andrea talks with Michela Massimi, a philosopher renowned for her book 'Perspectival Realism.' They look at what these terms mean, discussing the relevance of perspectivism in the philosophy of science and its implications for understanding scientific models, realism, and pluralism. The conversation explores how different perspectives can coexist in scientific inquiry without leading to relativism, and the role of local and experiential knowledge in contributing to scientific understanding. Massimi also shares her personal journey into philosophy and science, the influence of community and historical context on her work, and inspirations of both physics and literature.Perspectival Realism, the book we discuss: Invisible Cities by Italio CalvinoGarden of Forking Paths00:00 Introduction to Perspectival Realism01:02 Exploring Perspectival Realism in Philosophy of Science02:27 Quotes from Borges and Calvino06:43 Michela Massimi's Journey into Philosophy11:04 Combining Physics and Philosophy17:39 Pluralism and Realism in Science20:01 Situated Knowledge and Modeling Reality33:33 The Role of Models in Scientific Inference34:42 Stable Events and Realism in Science37:29 Natural Kinds and Anti-Essentialism41:57 Metaphysics of Reality: Stable Events, Robust Phenomena, and Natural Kinds50:32 The Importance of Historical and Multicultural Perspectives in Science57:14 Philosophy's Role in Addressing Structural and Systemic Issues01:06:59 Personal Reflections and the Interconnectedness of Life and Philosophyhttps://www.michelamassimi.comhttps://academic.oup.com/book/43074?login=falseNatural Kinds: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/natural-kinds/Scientific Perspectivism https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/8471045/Massimi_2012_Scientific_perspectivism.pdfFull intro and notes here.Care is not the opposite of love. It is the very urge of life. 'Caring for what?' is the primary question. That we have a choice about what we care for and how is what makes us human, but it's quite the challenge and responsibility. Let's help one another handle it.Support the showBuy Holding Paradox: The Navigational Approach to Mind and Consciousness by Andrea HiottSign up for Making Ways newsletter and projects.Please rate and review with love. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Substack.