Mechanism, Function, and Philsophy of Science with Lauren Ross

Mechanism, Function, and Philsophy of Science with Lauren Ross

What is a mechanism? Are claims about function doomed to fail? And why are explanations in psychology and human behavior so fraught and contested? We pose these and other mysteries to one the shining stars in modern philosophy of science, Lauren Ross (UC Irvine). Other topics include how philosophers are kind of like therapists, how modern philosophy of science thinks about grand explanations of everything, reductionism, and why what's happening in psychology is reassuringly not new under the scientific sun.  More about Lauren Ross: https://sites.socsci.uci.edu/~rossl/ [https://sites.socsci.uci.edu/~rossl/] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MR__Y0AAAAAJ&hl=en [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=MR__Y0AAAAAJ&hl=en]

Producing Belief with Pascal Boyer

Pascal Boyer (St. Louis) is one of the greats! We talk about his shifting thinking in terms of belief selection to belief production, and why this is a subversive idea. Other topics include birthdays, shamanism and magic, and why we should remain optimistic about the future of science.  More about Pascal Boyer: http://www.pascalboyer.net/ [http://www.pascalboyer.net/] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7OaZg10AAAAJ&hl=en [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7OaZg10AAAAJ&hl=en] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal_Boyer [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal_Boyer]

Health and the Shuar Project with Josh Snodgrass

Is leaving a hunter horticultural lifestyle for a more westernized, market economy good or bad for one's health? And what does it take to run a field site? In this episode we talk to Josh Snodgrass (Oregon), one of the co-directors of the Shuar Project, and an expert on the consequences of transitioning from a more traditional to market subsistence on one's existence and health. Turns out: it's complicated! More about Josh Snodgrass: https://www.pinniped.net/snodgrass.html [https://www.pinniped.net/snodgrass.html] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EADPtvQAAAAJ&hl=en [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=EADPtvQAAAAJ&hl=en] https://cas.uoregon.edu/directory/profiles/all/jjosh [https://cas.uoregon.edu/directory/profiles/all/jjosh]

Cooperation in the field with Kris Smith

Do we choose how we choose others? Kris Smith gives us a tour of his fieldwork in across Tanzania, from the arid plains of Hadza Land to the shores of village fisheries, Kris explains what he's learned about understand partner choice, levels of cooperation, and how the local way of making a living. Kris also explains what mistakes new students often make in the field, the effects of social mobility, the difficulties of abstract measures across cultures, and how not to avoid mosquitos in the field.    More about Kris Smith: https://anthro.wsu.edu/faculty/wsu-profile/kristopher.m.smith/ [https://anthro.wsu.edu/faculty/wsu-profile/kristopher.m.smith/] https://www.kristophermsmith.com/ [https://www.kristophermsmith.com/] https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AXOcqSIAAAAJ&hl=en [https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=AXOcqSIAAAAJ&hl=en]

Pathogens with Josh Ackerman

How does our evolved psychology deal with pathogens? Can other people tell when you're sick? What's the relationship between worrying about sickness and your social network? Do you stay in or go out when you're sick? Love 'em or hate 'em, pathogens are a part of life and an extreme selection pressure, and our guest Josh Ackerman (UMichigan) gives us the in's and out's of how our minds deal with and are dealt with by this tiny microscopic critters.  More about Josh Ackerman: https://lsa.umich.edu/psych/people/faculty/joshack.html https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=w3nbv6UAAAAJ&hl=en