James
Robert Brown
Department
of Philosophy
University
of Toronto
Toronto
M5R 2M8
Canada
<Philosophy Department Home Page>
_________________________________________________________
Courses (2011-12)
·
PHL346
F Philosophy of Mathematics (Wednesdays
6:30 – 9 pm)
·
PHL 2196 F (Grad)
Thought
Experiments (Thursdays 9:30 – 12)
·
PHL
356 S Philosophy of Physics ((Wednesdays 6:30 – 9 pm)
·
PHL
415 S Science & Values (Thursdays 9:30 – 12:00)
Books
·
The Rational and the Social (Routledge 1989)
·
The Laboratory of the Mind: Thought
Experiments in the Natural Sciences
(Routledge 1991, second edition 2010) <NOTES> New edition
·
Smoke and Mirrors: How Science Reflects
Reality (Routledge 1994) <NOTES>
·
Philosophy of Mathematics: An
Introduction to the World of Proofs and Pictures (Routledge 1999, second edition 2008) <NOTES>
·
Who Rules in Science? An Opinionated
Guide to the Wars (Harvard
2001) <LINK to HUP> , <NOTES>
·
Platonism, Naturalism, and Mathematical Knowledge (Routledge 2011) LINK
to Amazon New
·
Philosophy of Science: The Key Thinkers
(edited) (Continuum 2011) LINK
to Amazon New
·
Thought Experiments in Philosophy, Science, and the Arts (ed. with M. Frappier and L. Meynell ) (Routledge 2011) LINK
to Amazon New
Forthcoming Books
·
Seismology: Bringing Idealization Down to Earth (with Michael Slawinski) (World Scientific 2012)
·
Subtle Matter
(Oxford 2012)
·
Philosophy of Science (Plenum
2013)
Interests & Projects
·
Philosophy
of Science (including thought experiments, scientific realism, methodology, the
relation of modern science to traditional and indigenous knowledge)
·
Philosophy
of Mathematics (including Platonism, naturalism, nature of applied mathematics,
diagrams and visual reasoning)
·
Foundations
of Physics (space & time, quantum mechanics, the nature of symmetry)
·
Social Relations
of Science (including social constructivism and objectivity, science and
religion, the effects of commercialization on research, science and politics)
Activities
·
Co-Director
(1985 - ) of the Annual
Philosophy of Science Conference in Dubrovnik, Croatia <Poster>
·
Editor
(1996 - 2001) of the journal, International Studies in the Philosophy of Science <ISPS>
·
Co-Editor
(1990 - 2000) of the book series, Toronto Studies in Philosophy <TSP>
·
Associate
Editor (2005 - 08 ) Episteme (A journal of social epistemology) <Episteme>
Articles & Audio/Video Lectures on the Internet
·
“Privatizing the
University - The New Tragedy of the Commons” (Science) <connect>
·
“Thought Experiments” (Stanford
Encyclopaedia of Philosophy) <connect>
·
Video:
“Proofs and Pictures” (Perimeter Institute) <connect>
·
Video: “Thought
Experiments” (Perimeter Institute) <connect>
·
Audio:
“Why Einstein Matters” Panel discussion on Quirks & Quarks CBC Radio <connect>
·
Video: Debates
on TVO (1) Science
and Religion, (2) Assault
on Science