Evelyn Fox Keller: Paradigm Shifts and Revolutions in Biology

Network Node: 
Date: 
Tue., Oct. 30, 2012, 7:00pm

The Situating Science Strategic Knowledge Cluster, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, and its partners are pleased to announce a special public evening lecture by Dr. Evelyn Fox Keller as part of her activities as Situating Science Visiting Scholar in Halifax Oct. 15-Nov. 7th, 2012.

PARADIGM SHIFTS AND REVOLUTIONS IN CONTEMPORARY BIOLOGY
Dr. Evelyn Fox Keller,
Professor Emerita of History and Philosophy of Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
TUESDAY OCTOBER 30TH 7 PM
Alumni Hall, New Academic Building at the University of King’s College,
6350 Coburg Road., Halifax, NS
Join the Facebook event                   HERE

Streamed live on livestream.com/situsci

Video available soon!
Podcast available at http://situsci.podomatic.com/entry/2012-11-15T23_23_46-08_00

 

91 Fifty years ago, Thomas Kuhn irrevocably transformed our thinking about the sciences with the publication of The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. For all his success, debate about the adequacy and applicability of his formulation persists to this day. Are there scientific revolutions in biology? Molecular genetics, for example, is currently undergoing a major transformation in its understanding of what genes are and of what role they play in an organism's development and evolution. Is this a revolution? More specifically, is this a revolution of the sort that Kuhn had in mind? How is language used? What implications can we draw from this?

Dr. Keller is the recipient of the prestigious MacArthur 'Genius' Award and author of many influential works on science, society and modern biology such as: A Feeling for the Organism: The Life and Work of Barbara McClintock(1983), Reflections on Gender and Science (1985), Secrets of Life, Secrets of Death: Essays on Language, Gender, and Science (1992), The Century of the Gene(2000), Making Sense of Life: Explaining Biological Development with Models, Metaphors and Machines (2002) and The Mirage of a Space Between Nature and Nurture (2010).


(Download high resolution poster below)

FREE PUBLIC EVENT
RECEPTION TO FOLLOW

From Oct. 15th to Nov. 7th, Dr. Keller will conduct research on genomic plasticity and developmental stability. She will be housed jointly at the University of King’s College and the Biology Department at Dalhousie University and will also engage in various disciplinary and interdisciplinary sessions with students, faculty and the public.

Click for HERE for more information on her activities as Cluster Visiting Scholar.

THIS EVENT AND VISIT ARE SUPPORTED BY:

Situating Science Strategic Knowledge Cluster; Evolution Studies Group (funded with assistance from Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, CIFAR); Canadian Institutes of Health Research Institute of Genetics Institute Community Support Program; Dalhousie University Department of Biology, Department of Philosophy and Health Law Institute; University of King’s College President’s Office, History of Science and Technology Programme, Contemporary Studies Programme, and Centre for Interdisciplinary Research; Nova Scotia Institute of Science; Saint Mary’s University Department of Philosophy and Faculty of Science;  Mount Saint-Vincent NSERC Atlantic Chair for Women in Science and Engineering, Dean of Arts, and Science and Institute for Women, Gender and Social Justice.