*Please distribute to others who may be interested...*
You are hereby invited to the 7th weekly seminar in our seventh interdisciplinary series on Evolution, Complexity and Cognition<http://ecco.vub.ac.be/?q=node/108>(ECCO). *Reminder: This is the 2nd seminar this week.* The first one is on *Wednesday *given by Frank J. Tipler <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_J._Tipler> on The ultimate future - of the universe, of computers, and of humanity. *Time*:* Friday, Dec, 10th* 14:00-16:00 p.m (note: this year, all seminars take place on Fridays, 14-16 pm, unless announced otherwise) *Place*: Room B 0.036 (building B, level 0, close to the human sciences computer rooms), on the VUB Campus Etterbeek (Pleinlaan 2, 1050 Brussels), in collaboration with MOSI. Coffee available. Free entrance: everybody welcome! * * ------------------------------ * Evolutionary epistemology as a scientific method* Nathalie Gontier <http://vub.academia.edu/NathalieGontier> (CLWF, VUB) *Abstract: *Evolutionary epistemology can provide a unified scientific methodology that enables scholars to study the evolution of life as well as the evolution of cognition, science, culture and any other phenomenon displayed by living organisms. 3 heuristics are presented that allow for a thorough search for the units, levels and mechanisms of evolution. Contrary to previous approaches, units, levels and mechanisms are not identified by pointing out essential features, but rather ostensive definitions are preferred. That is, units are considers as such if a level of evolution and a mechanism of evolution is identifiable. Levels are levels if one can point out units that evolve at that level according to evolutionary theories, and mechanisms are considered as such if one can point out units and levels where the mechanism is active. * More info on the talk: * http://vub.academia.edu/NathalieGontier/Papers/205363/Evolutionary_epistemology_as_a_scientific_method_a_new_look_upon_the_units_and_levels_of_evolution_debate ------------------------------ *Upcoming Seminars* *Dec. 17* Bertin Martens<http://books.google.be/books?id=r7CbVtlfc0sC&printsec=frontcover&dq=bertin-martens&source=bl&ots=Amuu-Z3p_8&sig=oD4mkFDgiTLlVLJo5xe7zUU2RqU&hl=en&ei=7D7ATKDFLZm8jAe8xMSUCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8&ved=0CC8Q6AEwBw>(European Commission) *Economic exchange as a cognitive transmission channel in human societies* *Jan 14* Chris Exton <http://www.csis.ul.ie/staff/chrisexton/> (University of Limerick) *Crowd sourcing **Jan 21* Marco Fenici <http://unisi.academia.edu/MarcoFenici> (University of Siena) *Children's Understanding of Others' Minds: Empirical Research and Challenges Ahead* * * More info about the ECCO seminar program: http://ecco.vub.ac.be/?q=node/108
