1. Consortium for Socially Relevant Philosophy of/in Science and Engineering (SRPo/iSE) Carla Fehr Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy, Department of Philosophy carla.fehr@uwaterloo.ca

2. Overview Mission History Goals and approaches How to get involved

3. SRPo/iSE Mission “This consortium supports, advances, and conducts philosophical work that is related to science and engineering and that contributes to public welfare and collective wellbeing. “We aim to improve the capacity of philosophers of all specializations to collaborate and engage with scientists, engineers, policy-makers, and a wide range of publics to foster epistemically and ethically responsible scientific and technological research.” www.srpoise.org

4. SRPo/iSE Mission Address complex social and environmental problems Facilitating effective collaborative research across the disciplines Training graduate students and postdocs Partnering with other groups in Philosophy and Science Studies Committed to be diverse, welcoming and collegial

5. History Many tributaries Missed opportunities to do good in the world Dr. Plaisance was a driving force instigating conferences and workshops associated with the APA and PSA Marginalized in philosophy: “concerned for the success of our students”

6. History Systematically: What is this work, and how can we do it well? Reflexively: What is it about Philosophy that makes it difficult to do this work? Started out as SRPOS

7. Synthese, December 2010, 177(3) Socially relevant philosophy of science: an introduction Carla Fehr and Kathryn S. Plaisance Engagement for progress: applied philosophy of science in context Heather Douglas Feminist philosophy of science: history, contributions, and challenges Sarah S. Richardson Questions asked and unasked: how by worrying less about the ‘really real’ philosophers of science might better contribute to debates about genetics and race Lisa Gannett Scientific and lay communities: earning epistemic trust through knowledge sharing Heidi E. Grasswick Trust, expertise, and the philosophy of science Kyle Powys Whyte and Robert P. Crease In favour of a Millian proposal to reform biomedical research Julian Reiss Conceptual analysis and special-interest science: toxicology and the case of Edward Calabrese Kristin Shrader-Frechette Leading with ethics, aiming for policy: new opportunities for philosophy of science Nancy Tuana

8. Goals and Approaches Motivating Goal: Develop and support practices and theories in Philosophy that improve public welfare, scientific practice and philosophical work. Missed opportunities: –Social Epistemic/ethical consequences of methodological choices –Scientific Identify background assumptions, offer epistemic resources –Philosophical Raise new questions or new perspectives on old questions Fehr and Plaisance 2010

9. Goals and Approaches SRPOS entails at least one of the following: –Research topics Gender/race and genomics; trust; expertise –Engage stakeholder groups Scientists; policy makers; broader publics –Broad dissemination Science labs, conferences, journals; policy; popular media An inclusive and pluralistic approach Fehr and Plaisance 2010

10. Overcoming barriers and the formation of a consortium “Just applied ethics, or applied POS” “Not real philosophy” Marginalization of some disciplines where it already happens (feminist POS) Perceptions among practitioners that there is less of it out there than there actually is These barriers are difficult to surmount because they are institutionalized in philosophy culture. There was a need to organize.

11. SRPo/iSE Mission “This consortium supports, advances, and conducts philosophical work that is related to science and engineering and that contributes to public welfare and collective wellbeing. “We aim to improve the capacity of philosophers of all specializations to collaborate and engage with scientists, engineers, policy-makers, and a wide range of publics to foster epistemically and ethically responsible scientific and technological research.” www.srpoise.org

12. How to get involved http://srpoise.org –Individual memberships –Institutional memberships News Events Research Teaching Resources

13. Consortium for Socially Relevant Philosophy of/in Science and Engineering (SRPo/iSE) Carla Fehr Wolfe Chair in Scientific and Technological Literacy, Department of Philosophy carla.fehr@uwaterloo.ca