Talk Cancelled: Catherine Herfeld (Hannover)

Title:

Challenges to Model Transfer in Science

Abstract:

In the current literature, model transfers are often assumed to be progressive, and most studied cases focus on successful transfers. However, model transfers can encounter significant challenges that hinder their ability to generate epistemic benefits for the target domain. In this talk, we identify four kinds of challenges, examine their implications for scientific progress, and propose strategies to address them. Specifically, we discuss ways in which those challenges can prevent what Shan (2019) has called 'functional progress' and instead can lead to epistemic harms within a scientific community (Fleisher/Šešelja 2023). We then propose a set of strategies that act as precautionary measures to mitigate those epistemic harms such that model transfers can result in progress after all.

References:

• Fleisher, Will, Šešelja, Dunja (2023): Responsibility for Collective Epistemic Harms. Philosophy of Science, 90 (1): 1-20.
• Shan, Yafeng (2019): A New Functional Approach to Scientific Progress, Philosophy of Science, 86 (4): 739-758.