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Janet D. Stemwedel (whose nom de blog is Dr. Free-Ride) is an assistant professor of philosophy at San Jose State University. Before becoming a philosopher, she earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry. Email her at dr.freeride@gmail.com.

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Disciplinary boundaries:

Simon Blackburn on 'the myth of the scientist'.

Via Crooked Timber, I see that philosopher Simon Blackburn would like to dispel some myths. (He does this in the inaugural article of a Times Higher Education series "in which academics range beyond their area of expertise".) Of the ten...

Who has the biggest snakepit?

Are some scientific disciplines more populated with shady characters than others?

A few thoughs on conferences.

It's been pretty quiet here. Not only have I been engrossed in preparations for the Spring semester (classes start today), but I also went to the 2008 NC Science Blogging Conference. So it seems like a good time to ruminate...

The line between chemistry and physics during the chemical revolution.

Following up on the earlier discussion here and at Chad's about the "fundamental difference" between chemistry and physics, I wanted to have a look at a historical moment that might provide some insight into the mood along the border between...

Drawing lines between chemistry and physics.

Over at Uncertain Principles, Chad Orzel tries to explain the fundamental difference between physics and chemistry: My take on this particular question is that there's a whole hierarchy of (sub)fields, based on what level of abstraction you work at. The...

Questions I have for Paul Davies after reading his NYT op-ed.

This New York Times op-ed, to be precise. My questions for Paul Davies can be boiled down to these two: What kinds of explanations, precisely, are you asking science to deliver to you? Just why do you think it is...

Book review: Storm World.

When I was growing up in New Jersey, hurricanes were "on the radar" for us, one of many possible (if infrequent) weather patterns during summer and fall. Later, in my first semester of college in Massachusetts, the morning of my...

Science in the courtroom: is 'made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar' false advertising?

The July 9 issue of Chemical & Engineering News (alas, behind a paywall -- but worth checking to see if your library has an institutional subscription) has an interesting piece [1] on the recently-settled trial in which the makers of...

Does writing off philosophy of science cost the scientists anything?

Who cares what philosophers of science think?

Is it science envy, or science gluttony?

David Ng at the World's Fair has some questions: 1. What's your current scientific specialty? 2. Were you originally pursuing a different academic course? If so, what was it? 3. Do you happen to wish you were involved in another...

Is medicine an art or a science?

In his book Generation Rx: How Prescription Drugs Are Altering American Lives, Minds, and Bodies (reviewed in the last post), Greg Critser includes a quotation from a physician (in a self-help book [1]) that I found really striking: In your...

Where do you want scientists to learn ethics?

Because I am engaged in a struggle with mass quantities of grading, I'm reviving a post from the vault to tide you over. I have added some new details in square brackets, and as always, I welcome your insight here....

What would it be like to be an engineer?

It has recently transpired that I will be teaching (and before that, designing and constructing) a brand new ethics module in the large introduction to engineering class at my university that all the freshman who are majoring in any of...

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