Beyond Scenarios: Testable Models of the Evolution of Norms. The aim of this project is to investigate the evolution of social norms, and their causal role in social life and its breakdown. It expects to generate new knowledge in this area through the application of new formal techniques to existing hypotheses; especially causal analysis, evolutionary game theory, and phylogenetic cross-cultural testing for empirically plausibility. Expected outcomes include theory development, improved research ....Beyond Scenarios: Testable Models of the Evolution of Norms. The aim of this project is to investigate the evolution of social norms, and their causal role in social life and its breakdown. It expects to generate new knowledge in this area through the application of new formal techniques to existing hypotheses; especially causal analysis, evolutionary game theory, and phylogenetic cross-cultural testing for empirically plausibility. Expected outcomes include theory development, improved research infrastructure and training in collaboration with international partners, and theoretical recommendations for policy intervention. This should allow greater insight and control over the levers of peaceful social life, both in traditional societies, and in large, open, multi-cultural nations like Australia. Read moreRead less
The Buddhist roots of neo-Confucian philosophy. This project will: show for the first time how Buddhist philosophy shaped the intellectual construction of neo-Confucian philosophy; demonstrate that Chinese philosophy owes far more to its engagement with other philosophical traditions than has hitherto been demonstrated; and enable us to view Chinese philosophy as part of a global enterprise.
The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual tra ....The Formation and Development of Chinese Philosophy as an Academic Discipline in Twentieth Century China. It is in Australia's national interest to pay close attention to the orientation of intellectual and political currents in China and to how these currents are increasingly merging and interacting. This project will enhance our capacity to interpret and engage with our regional environment by contributing to a clearer understanding of the changing relationship between Chinese intellectual traditions and cultural identity. A commitment to understanding what Chinese philosophy means to China's educated elite also demonstrates a willingness to foster dialogue and communication that is sensitive to the intellectual and cultural traditions which are a source of pride and identity for several of our major regional partners. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101770
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$327,841.00
Summary
Secularism and Philosophy: The Challenge of Spinozism. With the resurgence of religious conflict throughout the world, the question of secularism has acquired renewed importance. Nowhere has the plausibility of a secular worldview been more rigorously debated than within the history of philosophy, and no philosopher has aroused more controversy on this subject than Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677). This project will result in the first history of Spinozism's pivotal role in the history of secular ....Secularism and Philosophy: The Challenge of Spinozism. With the resurgence of religious conflict throughout the world, the question of secularism has acquired renewed importance. Nowhere has the plausibility of a secular worldview been more rigorously debated than within the history of philosophy, and no philosopher has aroused more controversy on this subject than Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677). This project will result in the first history of Spinozism's pivotal role in the history of secularism, focusing on three distinct episodes of philosophical conflict generated by Spinoza's thought from the late eighteenth century to the present. The study will make clear that secularism is not simply a social and political phenomenon, but a philosophical conundrum, thus far irresolvable.Read moreRead less
Evolvability and the Evolution of Complexity. Anyone engaging in a moment's reflection on the striking richness, diversity, and complexity of the biological world is faced with the question: how did it get here? Though natural selection is central to answering this question, important new work has identified various conditions that make some lineages of organisms "evolvable": capable of changing in ways that radically expand the range of further possible changes. This project will clarify and in ....Evolvability and the Evolution of Complexity. Anyone engaging in a moment's reflection on the striking richness, diversity, and complexity of the biological world is faced with the question: how did it get here? Though natural selection is central to answering this question, important new work has identified various conditions that make some lineages of organisms "evolvable": capable of changing in ways that radically expand the range of further possible changes. This project will clarify and integrate these various conditions using empirical examples and simple models. The resulting work from this project will provide a clearer general understanding of what biological complexity is, and how science has compelling candidates for understanding how it evolves.Read moreRead less
Changing your mind by changing your brain: An interventionist perspective on cognitive neuroscience. Functional neuroimaging provides a tremendous amount of information about the brain, but what it shows about the mind is less clear. Addressing this fundamental philosophical question requires developing a detailed account of theory-testing in cognitive neuroscience. This project aims to connect neuroimaging to theories of explanation that focus on the way one variable can make a difference to an ....Changing your mind by changing your brain: An interventionist perspective on cognitive neuroscience. Functional neuroimaging provides a tremendous amount of information about the brain, but what it shows about the mind is less clear. Addressing this fundamental philosophical question requires developing a detailed account of theory-testing in cognitive neuroscience. This project aims to connect neuroimaging to theories of explanation that focus on the way one variable can make a difference to another. By linking neuroimaging to facts about manipulable relationships between the brain and the mind, it will also provide a bridge between neuroimaging and complementary technologies for directly intervening on the brain. This, in turn, will provide a platform from which to explore the theoretical and ethical consequences of direct brain manipulation.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL130100141
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,996,807.00
Summary
The origins of inequality, hierarchy, and social complexity. Despite obvious failures, humans cooperate far more than other mammals. This project explains how we came to be so unlike other animals; how our cooperative practices transformed us; and how those practices changed, as human societies became increasingly complex after the invention of farming.
The Indian Roots of Modern Chinese Thought. The Project will strengthen Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with our regional and global environments by demonstrating the need for greater understanding of the nationalistic appeal that Yogâcâra thought has held for Chinese intellectuals; and the rise of New Confucianism as a philosophical movement associated with robust expressions of cultural nationalism. It will also further enhance Australia's international intellectual profile by bri ....The Indian Roots of Modern Chinese Thought. The Project will strengthen Australia's capacity to interpret and engage with our regional and global environments by demonstrating the need for greater understanding of the nationalistic appeal that Yogâcâra thought has held for Chinese intellectuals; and the rise of New Confucianism as a philosophical movement associated with robust expressions of cultural nationalism. It will also further enhance Australia's international intellectual profile by bringing together leading researchers to forge innovative research networks and methodologies to advance the knowledge bases of Chinese intellectual history, Chinese Philosophy and Buddhist Studies, and contribute to building Australian research capacity in these three key areas.Read moreRead less
The Empire of New Idealism?: Civilisation and Australian New Idealism, 1850-1950. Philosophies, like people and commodities, travel the globe. This project traces the movement of British 'New Idealist' philosophy to Australia in the mid-nineteenth century, its transformation into 'Australian New idealism', and return to Britain. It shows how the hopes of these first Australian philosophers for a global community overlapped with politicians and policy makers, and uncovers their shaping role in th ....The Empire of New Idealism?: Civilisation and Australian New Idealism, 1850-1950. Philosophies, like people and commodities, travel the globe. This project traces the movement of British 'New Idealist' philosophy to Australia in the mid-nineteenth century, its transformation into 'Australian New idealism', and return to Britain. It shows how the hopes of these first Australian philosophers for a global community overlapped with politicians and policy makers, and uncovers their shaping role in the formulation of many social policies that remain with us today. It places Australian history and research at the heart of a new global vision of New Idealist studies and offers scholars, policy makers and educators the necessary background to more fully articulate Australian understandings of citizenship and civilisation.Read moreRead less
Fundamentality. Australia is a world leader in metaphysical research. This project aims to strengthen the tradition of Australian metaphysics, by studying fundamentality, or the notion of being fundamental. It revives the classical monistic worldview on which we are interdependent and interrelated fragments of a greater whole. It thus connects the philosophical tradition of Plotinus, Spinoza, and Hegel to the physical picture of the cosmos as a single entangled quantum system, and so promises to ....Fundamentality. Australia is a world leader in metaphysical research. This project aims to strengthen the tradition of Australian metaphysics, by studying fundamentality, or the notion of being fundamental. It revives the classical monistic worldview on which we are interdependent and interrelated fragments of a greater whole. It thus connects the philosophical tradition of Plotinus, Spinoza, and Hegel to the physical picture of the cosmos as a single entangled quantum system, and so promises to deepen our understanding of our place in nature—while strengthening Australian leadership in the field.Read moreRead less