Research

Research Priorities: History and philosophy of science, causal inference, objectivity in science, modelling in physics and economics, the role of natural laws, evidence-based policy

The philosopher and philosopher of science Nancy Cartwright commits herself mainly to questions on objectivity and evidence, in particular evidence-based policy. Her research concentrates on political decision-making in the public sector whose effectiveness is proven and verified using objective and scientifically collected data.

Since the publication of “How the Laws of Physics Lie” in 1983, Nancy Cartwright has been ranked among the most important philosophers of science of our times. She is associated with the “Standford School”, a group of philosophers of science who repudiate the concept of the unity of science. Nancy Cartwright challenges the universal validity of the theoretical laws of physics. According to her, these laws should only be applied to models rather than reality. From her perspective, the material world resembles a “patchwork blanket” rather than a universal order (see “The Dappled World. A Study of the Boundaries of Science”, 1999).

Career

• since 2012 Professor of Philosophy, Durham University, UK
• since 1998 Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, USA
• 1991-2012 Professor of Philosophy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK
• 1973-1991 Assistant Professor and Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
• 1984 Visiting Professor of Philosophy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
• 1976 Visiting Associated Professor of Philosophy, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
• 1974-1985 Visiting Assistant Professor, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
• 1971-1973 Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
• 1971 PhD, University of Illinois, Chicago, USA
• 1966 Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA

Functions

• 2009 Consultant, Measuring Research Impact: Special Problems, Consortium of Institutes of Advanced Study for the REF (Research Excellence Framework), UK
• 2008-2009 President, Pacific Division, American Philosophical Association, USA
• 2007-2012 Member, Committee on Developing a Research Agenda for Social Science Evidence for Use, US National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences (NAS), USA
• 2008-2010 President, Philosophy of Science Association (PSA)
• 2007 Member, Search Committee for a Senior Research Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford, USA
• 2006-2008 Director, Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics, London, UK
• 2002-2003 Vice-President, British Association for the Advancement of Science, UK
• 2001-2002 President, History of Science Section, British Association for the Advancement of Science, UK
• 1997 Member, Ad Hoc Appointments Committee, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, USA
• 1993-2001 Director, Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics, London, UK
• 1993-1997 Member, Wissenschaftlicher Rat (Science Council), Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Bielefeld, Germany
• 1991-1996 Member, Academic Advisory Board, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin – Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin, Germany
• 1989-1990 Member, Oversight Committee for History and Philosophy of Science, National Science Foundation (NSF), USA
• 1986-1987 President, American Association of University Professors, Stanford Chapter, USA
• 1985-1987 Member, Award Panel, History & Philosophy of Science, NSF, USA
• 1985 President, Society for Exact Philosophy (SEP), University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

Projects

• since 2009 “God’s Order, Man’s Order and the Order of Nature” Project, John Templeton Foundation, Philadelphia, USA
• 2010-2012 “Choices of Evidence: Tacit Philosophical Assumptions in the Debates within the Campbell Collaboration” Project, Arts and Humanities Research Council, UK
• 2009-2011 “A Theory of Evidence for Use” Project, British Academy Research Development Award, British Academy, UK
• 2007-2008 “Evidence for Use: Prolegomena to a Theory of Evidence-Based Education Policy” Project, Spencer Foundation, Chicago, USA
• 2005-2009 “Contingency and Dissent in Science” Project, Arts and Humanities Research Board, UK
• 2004-2005 “Methods for Causal Inference: Status and Health” Project, British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies, UK
• 2001-2004 “Causality: Metaphysics and Methods” Project, Arts and Humanities Research Board, UK
• 1998-2000 “Causality in Economics” Project, Latsis Foundation, Athens, Greece
• 1993-1999 “Modelling in Physics and Economics” Project, Latsis Foundation, Athens, Greece
• 1986-1987 “Causes and Capacities” Project, NSF, USA

Honours and Memberships

• 2018 Carl Gustav Hempel Award, PSA
• 2014 Tsing Hua Honorary Chair, University of Taiwan, Taipeh, Taiwan
• 2013 Honorary Doctorate, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
• 2012 Honorary Doctorate, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, USA
• 2009 Chancellor’s Associates Faculty Excellence Award for Excellence in Research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of California at San Diego, San Diego, USA
• since 2007 Titular Member, Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences (A.I.P.S.)
• 2007 Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study, Durham University, Durham, UK
• 2005 Senior Visiting Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
• 2004 Fellow, American Philosophical Society (APS), USA
• 2002-2014 Associate Member, Nuffield College, Oxford, UK
• since 2001 Foreign Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Science (AAA&S), USA
• since 1999 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 1996 Fellow, British Academy for the Promotion of Historical, Philosophical and Philological Studies, UK
• 1996 Old Dominion Fellow, Philosophy, Princeton University, Princeton, USA
• 1995-2001 Long-term Member of Common Room, Wolfson College, Oxford, UK
• 1993-1998 Fellow, MacArthur Foundation, Chicago, USA
• 1987-1988 Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin – Institute for Advanced Study, Berlin, Germany
• 1984 Fellow, Philosophy of Science Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
• 1982-1983 Fellow, Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF), Bielefeld, Germany
• 1976-1977 Fellow, Philosophy of Science Center, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
• 1971-1972 Postdoctoral Fellow, NSF, USA, University of Cambridge, UK