Career Outline

Education
  • PhD in Philosophy awarded 1999, University of Ghent (Belgium)
    Doctoral dissertation: Interactive Construction: Organizational Constraints on Evolution and Cognition. Committee: Gertrudis Van de Vijver (Philosophy), Werner Callebaut (Philosophy), Walter Verraes (Biology), Marc de May (Psychology), Gert Mueller (Biology)
  • Magister/Master in Biology and Social Sciences awarded 1993, University of Mainz (Germany)

Academic Positions
  • 2008-2012 ARC Research Fellow, University of Sydney, Department of Philosophy
  • 2005-???present??? Postdoctoral Fellow, Indiana University, Cognitive Science Program
  • 2002-2005 Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pittsburgh, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
  • 2001-2002 Visiting Fellow, Center for the Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
  • 1999-2000 Research Associate, University of Sydney, Unit for History and Philosophy of Science
  • 1997–1998 Postgraduate Fellow, University of Ghent (Belgium), Department of Philosophy
  • 1993-96 Research Fellow, Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, Austria

Organised Workshops
  • “Postgenomic Perspectives on Human Nature II: Systems Biology”, Sydney, July 21-22, 2009
  • “Postgenomic Perspectives on Human Nature I: Innateness”, Exeter, Oct 31-Nov 1, 2008
  • “Reconciling Nature and Nurture in the Study of Behavior”, Symposium (Funded by the New Frontiers Arts and Humanities Program), 23-25 March, 2007, Indiana University
  • “Representing Genes III”, third workshop of the NSF funded Representing Genes Project, University of Exeter, May 13 – 15, 2005 (co-organized with Paul Griffiths)
  • “Representing Genes II”, second workshop of the NSF funded Representing Genes Project, University of Pittsburgh, Feb 20 – 22, 2004 (co-organized with Paul Griffiths)
  • “Representing Genes I: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology”. Pittsburgh, Jan 17 – 19, 2003 (with Paul Griffiths): http://www.reprentinggenes.org
  • “Evolutionary Naturalism and the Challenge of Development and Sociality", Konrad Lorenz Institute Vienna, July 1997. (Co-organized with Werner Callebaut).
  • “Causes of Growth I and II”, Symposia of the Altenberg Contribution to the Vienna Future Conference, September 1993 and May 1995 (co-organized with Dr. Rupert Riedl).

Conference Sessions
  • “Epigenetics, Parental Effects, and Ontogenetic Niche Construction: A Philosophical Analysis of Extended Inheritance”. ISHPSSB 2009, Brisbane, July 11-16, 2009
  • “Rediscovering Human Nature” (workshop). SPP 2009, Indiana University, Bloomington, June 11-14, 2009
  • “New Perspectives on Reductionism I and II” (Panel discussion). ISHPSSB 2007, Exeter July 25-29.
  • “Plastic Minds: Developmental approaches to animal minds. ISHPSSB 2007, Exeter.
  • “From cellular receptors to higher learning: a world of experience”. June 15-17, SPP 2007
  • “Philosophy in the Trenches: From naturalized to experimental philosophy (of science)”. PSA 2006, Nov 2-5, 2006, Vancouver, Canada.
  • “Son of ELSI: New interactions between bioscience and the humanities and social sciences”. Biannual Meeting of ISHPSSB, July 13- 17, 2005, Guelph, CA.
  • “Conceptual Implications of Recent Advances in Genomics”. Symposium, Philosophy of Science Association Nineteenth Biennial Meeting, November 18-21, 2004, Austin, Texas
  • “Conceptual Issues of Molecular Genetics”. International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB) in Vienna, July 2003.
  • “Interactive Constructionism”. International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology in July 1999, Oaxaca, Mexico
  • “Evolutionary Naturalism”. International Society for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology in July 1997, Seattle

Professional Associations
  • Australasian Association for the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science
  • Austrian Society of Cognitive Science (ASOCS)
  • International Society of Artificial Life
  • International Society of the History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Biology (ISHPSSB)
  • Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research (KLI)
  • Philosophy of Science Association (PSA).
  • Society for Philosophy and Psychology (SPP)

Refereed Journals
  • Evolution and Cognition (now: Biological Theory)
  • International Studies in the Philosophy of Science
  • Studies in History and Philosophy of Science C
  • Philosophy of Science
  • Philosophical Psychology, Biology & Philosophy
  • Acta Biotheoretica
  • Artificial Life
  • History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences

Invited Lectures
2009
  • Workshop ‘Postgenomic Perspectives on Human Nature II: Systems biology’, Sydney, July 21-22
  • Workshop ‘Biological Cognition’, July 17-19, Adelaide
  • Epigenetics, Parental Effects, and Ontogenetic Niche Construction: A Philosophical Analysis of Extended Inheritance” ISHPSSB 2009, University of Sydney, Brisbane July 12-16
  • NEH Summer Institute on Experimental Philosophy, June 28-30
  • SPP 2009, Indiana University, Bloomington, June 11-14,

2008
  • “The Nurturing of Human Nature”. Workshop “Man and her Genes”, Oslo, Nov 20-23
  • “From Molecular Epigenesis to Developmental Niche Construction”. Egenis Seminar Series, Nov 17
  • “Postgenomic Perspectives on Human Nature”. Keynote address (with Paul Griffiths), Workshop ‘Postgenomic Perspectives on Human Nature I: Innateness’, Exeter, Oct 31-Nov 1
  • “The Nurture of Nature: Epigenetics, Parental Effects, Ontogenetic Niche Construction and Behavior”. Workshop “Future Direction in Genetic Studiies’, Washington University, St Louis, August 10
  • “Tanz der Gene: Evolutionstheorie in der Krise?” Studium Generale ‘Mensch, Genom, Evolution’ at the University of Luebeck, April 24
  • “From Apes to Humans: the Naturing of Human Nature”. Workshop on Human Nature, Egenis, Exeter April 21
  • “How (not) to be a Reductionist in a Complex Universe”. First Sydney-Tilburg conference ‘Reductionism in the Special Sciences’, Tilburg, NL April 10-12
  • “Molecular Epigenesis: A postgenomic argument against Waters’ thesis of Causal Specificity”. University of Sydney, Mar 4

2007
  • “Ontogenetic Niche Construction: From the genetic niche to developmental systems”. ’Dynamical Approaches to Development’ Workshop, ECAL 2007, Lisbon, Sep 9-15
  • “The Construction of the Developmental Niche: a means for phenotypic plasticity”. ISHPSSB 2007, University of Exeter July 25-29
  • “From Cell-surface receptors to higher learning: a whole world of experience” (with Colin Allen). SPP 2007, New York/Toronto, CA, June 14-17
  • “From Molecular Epigenesis and to Developmental Niche Construction”. Philosophical Colloquim, UCSC, May 10
  • “Developmental Niche Construction as an Evolutionary Factor”. Workshop “Making Sense of Evolution- author meets critics”, Oregon State University, April 7
  • “From Nature and Nurture to Nurturing Nature”. Keynote address of the Symposium “Reconciling Nature and Nurture in the Study of Behavior”, Indiana University March 20-22, 2007. (http://nanu.dynalias.org)
  • “Molecular epigenesis as an argument for developmental niche construction”. Developmental seminar, Indiana University, March 2
  • “Experimental philosophy of biology: a meeting point between philosophy and science?” ‘Does Philosophy matter to Science?’ A Stony Brook symposium, Mar 9
  • “Distributed specificity as a break in the Central Dogma”. ‘Central Dogma’, Colloquim, University of Geneva, Faculty of Medicine, Feb 22-23

2006
  • “From Genetics to Postgenomics: a case against reductionism”. 3. Biohumanities Conference “Idealization, Mechanism and Reduction”, Brisbane, Dec 17-19
  • “2001 and all that: A tale of a third science”. 7th Philosophy of Developmental Biology workshop (PhilDevo) 2006, Nov 6-7, Vancouver
  • “How to test conceptual change in science: notes from the field”. PSA 2006 20th biannual meeting, Nov 2-5, 2006, Vancouver.
  • “Genes in the Postgenomic Era” (with Paul Griffiths). AAHPSSS, July 2-7 Australian National University, Canberra.
  • “Ontogenetic Niche Construction: From the Genetic Niche to Developmental Systems”. AAP, July 2-7 Australian National University.
  • “Ontogenetic Niche Construction: From Developmental Systems to Extend Minds”. Alife X conference, Indiana University Bloomington, June 3-7

2005
  • “Mental Representation and the Extended Mind: Some lessons from the genome”. CogSci lunchtime seminar series, Cognitive Science Program, IU Bloomington, April 20.
  • “What is a Gene?” (with Paul Griffiths). Keynote address at the 1. Biohumanities conference: “The conceptual impact of the genomics revolution”, Oct 13-15, University of Queensland.
  • “Diverse conceptualizations of the gene and why they matter” (with Paul Griffiths). Keynote address of the ‘Representing Genes III’ workshop, May 13, University of Exeter.
  • “With Genes like that who needs an environment? Postgenomics’ argument for the ‘Ontogeny of Information’”. April 5th, Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh.
  • “Representing Genes Project”. Human Genetics Lunchtime seminar series, Pittsburgh Medical School, Feb 18, 2005.
  • “Genes: Philosophical Analyses put to the test”. Feb. 03, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Australia.

2004
  • “Molecular Epigenesis and the Extended Mind: lessons from genomics”. ‘Memory and embodied cognition’ workshop, Nov 29-30, Macquarie University, Sydney
  • “With genes like that who needs an environment? Genomics’ argument against genetic determinism.” PSA conference, Austin, TX Nov 18-22.
  • Commentary. Genomics and psychiatry workshop, Mc Gill University, May 13 – 15.
  • “The concept of the gene and the nature of cognition”, Indiana University, May 3rd
  • “Representing Genes”. (with Paul Griffiths), SUNY in Binghampton, PA, March 4 -5.
  • “Representing Genes II”. Keynote address for the 2nd.workshop ‘Representing Genes: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology’, Feb 20

2003
  • “Three Misunderstandings of Developmental Systems Theory”. Philosophy of Developmental Biology meeting, Boston, November
  • “Tracking the Shift from Genetics to Genomics”. Conference “The Meaning of Genomics”, EGENIS, University of Exeter, Nov. 20–22
  • “Representing Genes: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology”. Biannual Meeting of the ISHPSSB, Vienna
  • “Representing Genes: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology”. Conference “Genes and Information in Development and Evolution”, Kulturwissenschaftliches Institut, Essen, July 14-15
  • “Representing Genes: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology”. Department of Philosophy, Université de Quebec á Montreal, April

2002
  • “Bringing life to mind: Bodily experience, situated activity and environmental embeddedness of cognition”. Department of Philosophy, University of Cincinnati, April

2001
  • “Bringing Life back to Mind”, Pitt-London Conference on Philosophy of Biology and Neural Science, September 11, London.
  • “How Scientist conceptualize Genes: An empirical Study”. Notre Dame University, March.

2000
  • “From Evolutionary Psychology to Evolutionary Developmental Psychology”. NZAAP, Wellington, December.
  • “Dancing in the Dark: Evolutionary Psychology and the Argument from Design”. Department of Anthropology, University of Pittsburgh, November.
  • “Interaction and Construction: The Processes of Evolution and Cognition”. Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh, September.
  • ‘How “How Scientist conceptualise Genes: an empirical study” (with Dr. Griffiths). AAP, Brisbane July.
  • “How Scientist conceptualise Genes: an empirical study” (with Dr. Griffiths) AAHPSSS, Sydney June.

1999
  • “Bringing Life to Mind: A new evolutionary naturalism”. School of Philosophy, University of Sydney, August.
  • “An interactive-constructivist account of life and mind”. The Biannual Meeting of the ISHPSSB, Mexico, July.

1998
  • “The Contribution of Studies in Complexity for a Naturalistic Theory of Evolution and Cognition”. At: “How Scientists deal with Complexity”, Workshop on Complexity, Sydney University June.
  • “Humans act in contexts, not in their heads”. Konrad Lorenz Institute, Mai.
  • “Evolution and Complexity”. Department of philosophy, University Ghent, April.
  • “Organizational Constraints on Evolution and Cognition”. Konrad Lorenz Institute, March.
  • “There Is More To Human Nature Than Evolution”. University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia, March.

1997
  • “Evolutionary Naturalism and the Challenge of Development and Sociality: Results form the Workshop” (with W. Callebaut). Biannual Meeting of the ISHPSSB, Seattle, July.
  • “Evolutionary Naturalism and the Challenge of Development and Sociality” (With W. Callebaut). Keynote Address for the Second Altenberg Workshop on Theoretical Biology, KLI, June.
  • “The Descent of Knowledge”. University of Ghent, Belgium, April.
  • “Naturalism Socialized: Beyond Reductionism and Scientism” (With Prof. W. Callebaut). University of La Laguna, Tenerife, April.
  • “Evolutionary Epistemology in German and English Tradition. A Comparison with special Focus on Ontogeny und Sociality” (With Prof. W. Callebaut). Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Altenberg, Austria, April.

1996
  • “Cultural Psychology and Genetic Epistemology”. 2nd Conference for Socio-Cultural Research, Vygotsky - Piaget, Munich, Germany.
  • “Knowledge or Wisdom? Critical remarks to Piaget’s Rationalism”. At: "The Growing Mind: Multidisciplinary approaches” - International congress to celebrate the centennial of Jean Piaget's birth, University of Geneva, Archives Jean Piaget.
  • "Die Entwicklung der Sprachkompetenz beim Menschen: Überlegungen zum Zusammenhang von Sprache und Denken". University Vienna, October.
  • "Der Mensch und seine Umwelt: Implikationen zum Problemkreis der Humanökologie". Institute of Human Economy, Department of Landscape Architecture und Human Ecology, Technische Universität Berlin, April.

1995
  • "Systemtheoretische Betrachtungen der kognitiven und sozialen Entwicklung". Biozentrum, University Vienna, October.
  • "Die soziale Dimension der kognitiven Entwicklung unter kritisch-kulturver­gleichender Perspektive". Hamburger Institut für Sozialforschung, Reemtsa-Stiftung, May.
  • "Kultur und Moral: Ausflüge in die soziale Evolution der praktischen Vernunft". Report for the AGEMUS-Seminarprojekt "Kulturation" des Naturhistorischen Museums Vienna, March.

1994
  • "Lernen in der Sozietät", University Vienna.
  • "Wertewandel, Umweltbewußtsein und Konsumverhalten"; 1. Symposium of the "Ursachen des Wachstums", KLI Altenberg.

1993
  • “Ethnological Contributions to Evolutionary Epistemology. 2. International Symposium of Evolutionary Epistemology ("Die Evolutionäre Erkenntnistheorie im Spiegel der Wissenschaften”), Biozentrum Vienna, April.

1991
  • "Die Relevanz der Evolutionären Erkenntnistheorie für die Ethnologie". Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research.


Grants
  • 2007. (with Colin Allen) New Frontiers in the Arts and Humanities Program: New Perspective Grant. Reconciling Nature and Nurture in the Study of Behavior, symposium.
  • 2005. Prinicipal Investigator, REU supplement to NSF award # 0323496, NSF award #6462046
  • 2003-2005, PI, National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Studies and Societal Dimensions of Engineering, Science, and Technology programs (110,000), ”Conceptual Issues in the Dissemination and Reception of Genomics” (Co-PI: Paul Griffiths), NSF award #0323496
  • 2003-2004. (with Paul Griffiths), Supplemental funding for two workshops in “Representing Genes” by University Center for International Studies (UCIS), Pittsburgh ($20,000).
  • 2002-2004, Co-PI, National Science Foundation, Science and Technology Studies Program, ($110,000) “Representing Genes: Testing Competing Philosophical Analyses of the Gene Concept in Contemporary Molecular Biology” (PI: Paul Griffiths), NSF award # 0217567
  • 2001. Steven D. Manners Grant from the University Center for Social and Urban Research Pittsburgh ($7,000) (Principal Investigator: Paul Griffiths), Research Associate in “Testing competing analyses of the gene concept in contemporary molecular biology”.
  • 1999 Large Research Grant, Australian Research Council (Principal Investigator: Paul Griffiths), 1999-2000. Research Associate in “Representing the role of genes in development: improved conceptual tools for interpreting the significance of biological findings”.
  • 1997-8. Research Fellow in “Complexity and Evolution”. Project funded by the National Found of Scientific Research Belgium. Promotors: Prof. G. Van de Vijver, Prof. W. Callebaut, Prof. W. Vaerras, University of Ghent, University of Limburg, Belgium.

Teaching, Student Supervision
Center for Biology, University of Vienna (in German)
  • SS 1994. "Evolution of Cognitive Processes"
  • WS 1994/95. "Systems Theory of Evolution"
  • SS 1995. "Communication and Cognition"
  • SS 1996. "The Origin of Constraints and Complexity"
Institute for History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science, University of Vienna
  • WS 1994/95. "Cognition and Communication" (team teaching)
  • SS 1995. "Cross-Cultural Research on Cognition" (team teaching)
  • WS 1995/96. "Language and Cognition I" (team teaching)
  • SS 1996. “Language and Cognition II" (team Teaching)
Unit for History and Philosophy of Science, University of Sydney
  • S2 1999. “Scientific Controversies: Biologising Psychology” (guest lecturer)
  • S1 2000. “Advanced Philosophy of Science” (guest lecturer)
The School of Science & Technology Studies (now HPS), University of NSW
  • S1 1999. “Philosophy of Biology” (guest lecturer for Nicolas Rasmussen)
Cognitive Science Program, Indiana University Bloomington
  • WS 2006. CogSci Q240 “Cognitive Foundations in Cognitive Science” (Intensive Writing graduate seminar in Cognitve Science)
  • WS 2006. CogSci Q700/Philosophy P540 “The Nature-Nurture Debate in Behavior and Cognition Research” (graduate seminar in Cognitive Science/Philosophical Psychology)
  • WS 2007. CogSci Q700/Philosophy P540 “The Nature-Nurture Debate in Behavior and Cognition Research” (graduate seminar in Cognitive Science/Philosophical Psychology)

Thesis Examination
  • Alexandra Curran, graduate thesis, School of Science & Technology Studies, University of NSW, September 1999
  • Paul Remati, graduate thesis, Unit for History and Philosophy of Science, University of Sydney, March 2000
  • Heather Logue, graduate thesis, Department of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh, August 2003
  • Margeret Heath, Konrad Lorenz Institute Junior fellowship application

Graduate Study Groups
  • COG-X: Reading and discussion group for graduates students (and interested faculty) in new topics in (the philosophy of) cognitive science (Indiana University)
  • ROBOT-X: Reading and discussion group for graduate students in topics related to robotics
  • SPACKLED: Studygroup for the Philosophy/Psychology of Cognition, Knowledge, Learning, Evolution and Development (Indiana University)


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