Marta Halina
@martahalina.bsky.social
philosophy of science, comparative cognition, animal minds, artificial minds, AI in scientific practice, HPS Cambridge
Reposted by Marta Halina
Book launch for “Methods in the Philosophy of Science: a user’s guide”. Ftf in Exeter and online on the 29th of Sept feat Sophie Veigl, Kerry McKenzie, Hasok Chang, and me. It should be fun! (the book will be open access in July, contact me in the meantime) www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai... #philsci
September 22, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Book launch for “Methods in the Philosophy of Science: a user’s guide”. Ftf in Exeter and online on the 29th of Sept feat Sophie Veigl, Kerry McKenzie, Hasok Chang, and me. It should be fun! (the book will be open access in July, contact me in the meantime) www.exeter.ac.uk/events/detai... #philsci
Reposted by Marta Halina
Excited for this paper to be out, literal years of hard work by Kozzy. Excitingly, my first last author paper!
This work came from joining the Kinds of Intelligence group at Cambridge and being given time by @martahalina.bsky.social to explore and cross disciplines. Hard work but very fun! 🧪 🤖🧠
This work came from joining the Kinds of Intelligence group at Cambridge and being given time by @martahalina.bsky.social to explore and cross disciplines. Hard work but very fun! 🧪 🤖🧠
We find that recurrence confers a significant advantage for learning more complex grammars, but lamination does not.
This work would not have been possible without Matishalin Patel, Colin Klein, Marta Halina, and Andrew Barron. You can check out our preprint here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.13968.
This work would not have been possible without Matishalin Patel, Colin Klein, Marta Halina, and Andrew Barron. You can check out our preprint here: arxiv.org/abs/2509.13968.
Exploring Major Transitions in the Evolution of Biological Cognition With Artificial Neural Networks
Transitional accounts of evolution emphasise a few changes that shape what is evolvable, with dramatic consequences for derived lineages. More recently it has been proposed that cognition might also h...
arxiv.org
September 18, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Excited for this paper to be out, literal years of hard work by Kozzy. Excitingly, my first last author paper!
This work came from joining the Kinds of Intelligence group at Cambridge and being given time by @martahalina.bsky.social to explore and cross disciplines. Hard work but very fun! 🧪 🤖🧠
This work came from joining the Kinds of Intelligence group at Cambridge and being given time by @martahalina.bsky.social to explore and cross disciplines. Hard work but very fun! 🧪 🤖🧠
Reposted by Marta Halina
How can we rigorously investigate the common-sense capabilities of agentic AI systems? How can we build better models of non-human animal cognition?
(Re-)introducing the Animal-AI Environment: A virtual laboratory for comparative cognition and artificial intelligence research!
(Re-)introducing the Animal-AI Environment: A virtual laboratory for comparative cognition and artificial intelligence research!
March 1, 2025 at 11:06 AM
How can we rigorously investigate the common-sense capabilities of agentic AI systems? How can we build better models of non-human animal cognition?
(Re-)introducing the Animal-AI Environment: A virtual laboratory for comparative cognition and artificial intelligence research!
(Re-)introducing the Animal-AI Environment: A virtual laboratory for comparative cognition and artificial intelligence research!
Reposted by Marta Halina
Hey! This is my first post on Bluesky. Researchers be interested in my new paper 'Agnosticism About Artificial Consciousness'. Some say that AI could become conscious. Others say it couldn't. I say we don't know then deal with the moral mess this leaves us in! arxiv.org/pdf/2412.13145 Abstract below
arxiv.org
December 20, 2024 at 10:12 AM
Hey! This is my first post on Bluesky. Researchers be interested in my new paper 'Agnosticism About Artificial Consciousness'. Some say that AI could become conscious. Others say it couldn't. I say we don't know then deal with the moral mess this leaves us in! arxiv.org/pdf/2412.13145 Abstract below
Reposted by Marta Halina
A PhD student at CambridgeHPS has been putting “artwork signs” up all around our department next to “ordinary things” and they are brilliant. They unfailingly make me stop and smile and notice the wonderful strangeness of the world ✨
Best workplace spirit-lift hack I’ve seen in a long time 🙌
Best workplace spirit-lift hack I’ve seen in a long time 🙌
December 19, 2024 at 6:08 PM
A PhD student at CambridgeHPS has been putting “artwork signs” up all around our department next to “ordinary things” and they are brilliant. They unfailingly make me stop and smile and notice the wonderful strangeness of the world ✨
Best workplace spirit-lift hack I’ve seen in a long time 🙌
Best workplace spirit-lift hack I’ve seen in a long time 🙌
Reposted by Marta Halina
My new book, Slime Mould and Philosophy, is now available — and for the next month, you can download it for FREE here: doi.org/10.1017/9781...
Thanks to everyone who made this book come to life and shared the rather intense journey with me. Enjoy!
Thanks to everyone who made this book come to life and shared the rather intense journey with me. Enjoy!
Slime Mould and Philosophy
Cambridge Core - Philosophy of Science - Slime Mould and Philosophy
doi.org
December 12, 2024 at 3:47 PM
My new book, Slime Mould and Philosophy, is now available — and for the next month, you can download it for FREE here: doi.org/10.1017/9781...
Thanks to everyone who made this book come to life and shared the rather intense journey with me. Enjoy!
Thanks to everyone who made this book come to life and shared the rather intense journey with me. Enjoy!
Reposted by Marta Halina
A lovely review of Peter Godfrey-Smith’s latest book, “Living on Earth: Life,
Consciousness and the Making of the Natural World,” by Alan C. Love in Springer Nature.
https://buff.ly/4fWqFbH
#PhilSci
Consciousness and the Making of the Natural World,” by Alan C. Love in Springer Nature.
https://buff.ly/4fWqFbH
#PhilSci
Great power and great responsibility: how consciousness changes the world | Nature
A vivid account of the evolution of minds will fill readers with wonder — and challenge how they think about their moral responsibility to protect the planet. A vivid account of the evolution of minds...
buff.ly
December 12, 2024 at 4:44 PM
A lovely review of Peter Godfrey-Smith’s latest book, “Living on Earth: Life,
Consciousness and the Making of the Natural World,” by Alan C. Love in Springer Nature.
https://buff.ly/4fWqFbH
#PhilSci
Consciousness and the Making of the Natural World,” by Alan C. Love in Springer Nature.
https://buff.ly/4fWqFbH
#PhilSci
Reposted by Marta Halina
Mona-Marie Wandrey & me on the need to take a precautionary approach towards patients in a so-called "vegetative state" (and the term is part of the problem!). theconversation.com/its-hard-to-...
It’s hard to distinguish conscious from unconscious states in patients – a more precautionary approach is needed
Standard medical exams miss subtle signs of awareness in around 40% of cases.
theconversation.com
December 12, 2024 at 1:31 PM
Mona-Marie Wandrey & me on the need to take a precautionary approach towards patients in a so-called "vegetative state" (and the term is part of the problem!). theconversation.com/its-hard-to-...
Reposted by Marta Halina
Welcome new followers!!
We're a podcast about minds—human, animal, artificial. We explore the diversity of thinking/sensing/learning from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
Recent topics: the "wood wide web," machine culture, genetics of IQ, electroreception, and more!
disi.org/manyminds/
We're a podcast about minds—human, animal, artificial. We explore the diversity of thinking/sensing/learning from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
Recent topics: the "wood wide web," machine culture, genetics of IQ, electroreception, and more!
disi.org/manyminds/
November 14, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Welcome new followers!!
We're a podcast about minds—human, animal, artificial. We explore the diversity of thinking/sensing/learning from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
Recent topics: the "wood wide web," machine culture, genetics of IQ, electroreception, and more!
disi.org/manyminds/
We're a podcast about minds—human, animal, artificial. We explore the diversity of thinking/sensing/learning from a variety of disciplinary perspectives.
Recent topics: the "wood wide web," machine culture, genetics of IQ, electroreception, and more!
disi.org/manyminds/
Reposted by Marta Halina
We are pleased to invite submissions for the 2025 PAMBA Prize essay contest in the philosophy of animal minds for early-career researchers. The winning paper will be published in Biology & Philosophy and presented as a keynote at the meeting in Santa Barbara. For details: www.the-pamba.com/prize
PAMBA Prize — PAMBA
www.the-pamba.com
December 9, 2024 at 4:50 PM
We are pleased to invite submissions for the 2025 PAMBA Prize essay contest in the philosophy of animal minds for early-career researchers. The winning paper will be published in Biology & Philosophy and presented as a keynote at the meeting in Santa Barbara. For details: www.the-pamba.com/prize
Reposted by Marta Halina
Looking forward to reading @cameronbuckner.bsky.social's SEP article about whether subordinate chimpanzees or dominant chimpanzees have better eye-lasers
plato.stanford.edu/entries/anim...
plato.stanford.edu/entries/anim...
December 5, 2024 at 9:22 PM
Looking forward to reading @cameronbuckner.bsky.social's SEP article about whether subordinate chimpanzees or dominant chimpanzees have better eye-lasers
plato.stanford.edu/entries/anim...
plato.stanford.edu/entries/anim...
Reposted by Marta Halina
how this bird real?
December 5, 2024 at 8:53 PM
how this bird real?
Excited to be co-organizing this workshop with Mariel Goddu (Stanford) and colleagues at the MPI EVA!
Join us in Leipzig, Dec 17-18th -> Free registration: bit.ly/intuitive-ph...
#intuitivephysics #cognition #development #comparativepsychology #Leipzig
Join us in Leipzig, Dec 17-18th -> Free registration: bit.ly/intuitive-ph...
#intuitivephysics #cognition #development #comparativepsychology #Leipzig
Intuitive Physics Across Species and Development
A workshop exploring intuitive physics in humans and animals, with insights from animal cognition, developmental psychology, and philosophy.
bit.ly
December 4, 2024 at 6:36 PM
Excited to be co-organizing this workshop with Mariel Goddu (Stanford) and colleagues at the MPI EVA!
Join us in Leipzig, Dec 17-18th -> Free registration: bit.ly/intuitive-ph...
#intuitivephysics #cognition #development #comparativepsychology #Leipzig
Join us in Leipzig, Dec 17-18th -> Free registration: bit.ly/intuitive-ph...
#intuitivephysics #cognition #development #comparativepsychology #Leipzig
Reposted by Marta Halina
I'm chairing this wonderful panel at the Department of HPS in Cambridge on the 9th of December, open to all (though there is a maximum room capacity of 60 people...). Should make for a very fun discussion on science and art!
November 22, 2024 at 4:43 PM
I'm chairing this wonderful panel at the Department of HPS in Cambridge on the 9th of December, open to all (though there is a maximum room capacity of 60 people...). Should make for a very fun discussion on science and art!
Reposted by Marta Halina
"These conversations are the focus of fierce debate, not because scientists lack authority, but because these are the intellectual battles worth fighting"
Today's guest is one of our favourite HPS scholars @emilam.bsky.social talking about how colloquial science matters
#hps #histSTM #philsci 🧪
Today's guest is one of our favourite HPS scholars @emilam.bsky.social talking about how colloquial science matters
#hps #histSTM #philsci 🧪
S4 Ep 10 - Erika Milam on 'Colloquial Science' - The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science
"These conversations are the focus of fierce debate, not because scientists lack authority, but because these are the intellectual battles worth fighting. These are the stakes on which modern society ...
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com
November 20, 2024 at 10:36 PM
"These conversations are the focus of fierce debate, not because scientists lack authority, but because these are the intellectual battles worth fighting"
Today's guest is one of our favourite HPS scholars @emilam.bsky.social talking about how colloquial science matters
#hps #histSTM #philsci 🧪
Today's guest is one of our favourite HPS scholars @emilam.bsky.social talking about how colloquial science matters
#hps #histSTM #philsci 🧪
Reposted by Marta Halina
Exciting! I'll be in Santa Barbara for the 2nd PAMBA meeting. How about you? @ldanon.bsky.social @richardmoore.bsky.social @susanamonso.com @wileyprof.bsky.social @lgruen.bsky.social
PAMBA 2025 in Santa Barbara is inching closer!
April 24-26 will be here before you know it, with keynote speakers
Dorit Bar-On
Laura Danón
Simon Fitzpatrick
Mark Rowlands
Stay tuned for the CFP and exciting news!
April 24-26 will be here before you know it, with keynote speakers
Dorit Bar-On
Laura Danón
Simon Fitzpatrick
Mark Rowlands
Stay tuned for the CFP and exciting news!
December 4, 2024 at 1:22 AM
Exciting! I'll be in Santa Barbara for the 2nd PAMBA meeting. How about you? @ldanon.bsky.social @richardmoore.bsky.social @susanamonso.com @wileyprof.bsky.social @lgruen.bsky.social
Reposted by Marta Halina
Animals—from bees to butterflies, porcupines to primates—medicate themselves. They seek out bitter plants, they treat wounds, they amputate limbs, they eat clay. How do they know what they know?
Our latest episode—a chat with @jaapderoode.bsky.social & M. Huffman!
Listen: disi.org/animal-heal-...
Our latest episode—a chat with @jaapderoode.bsky.social & M. Huffman!
Listen: disi.org/animal-heal-...
November 26, 2024 at 4:57 PM
Animals—from bees to butterflies, porcupines to primates—medicate themselves. They seek out bitter plants, they treat wounds, they amputate limbs, they eat clay. How do they know what they know?
Our latest episode—a chat with @jaapderoode.bsky.social & M. Huffman!
Listen: disi.org/animal-heal-...
Our latest episode—a chat with @jaapderoode.bsky.social & M. Huffman!
Listen: disi.org/animal-heal-...
Reposted by Marta Halina
My recent book, 'Evolution Evolving. The Developmental Origins of Adaptation and Biodiversity', by Kevin Lala, Tobias Uller, Nathalie Feiner, Marcus Feldman and Scott Gilbert, is now available
@princetonupress.bsky.social
Find out more at evolutionevolving.org
@princetonupress.bsky.social
Find out more at evolutionevolving.org
November 24, 2024 at 3:12 PM
My recent book, 'Evolution Evolving. The Developmental Origins of Adaptation and Biodiversity', by Kevin Lala, Tobias Uller, Nathalie Feiner, Marcus Feldman and Scott Gilbert, is now available
@princetonupress.bsky.social
Find out more at evolutionevolving.org
@princetonupress.bsky.social
Find out more at evolutionevolving.org
Very excited that BSHS is coming to Cambridge this summer! Cambridge is a lovely, walkable city - perfect for exploring between sessions.
November 23, 2024 at 3:39 PM
Very excited that BSHS is coming to Cambridge this summer! Cambridge is a lovely, walkable city - perfect for exploring between sessions.
Reposted by Marta Halina
Have another cube of cheese and keep going @cameronbuckner.bsky.social please.
I promised to post some threads with summaries of chapters of my book. Though it's still the holidays, we find ourselves with time on our hands during the "eating cheese, unsure what day of the week it is" slump before New Year's, so I'll go ahead and start.
December 28, 2023 at 7:34 AM
Have another cube of cheese and keep going @cameronbuckner.bsky.social please.
Reposted by Marta Halina
Our 1st Book Launch Ep with @msuarez.bsky.social on Modelling, Inference & Representation
"Models are about enabling scientists to draw inferences about their target, to learn something new. But those inferences can be many & varied & valid to many different standards"
#philsci #histsci #sts 🧪
"Models are about enabling scientists to draw inferences about their target, to learn something new. But those inferences can be many & varied & valid to many different standards"
#philsci #histsci #sts 🧪
BOOK LAUNCH - Mauricio Suárez on 'Inference and Representation' - The HPS Podcast - Conversations ...
Today on the podcast, Mauricio Suárez talks with Samara about his new book - Inference and Representation: A study in Modelling Science.Mauricio is Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the...
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com
December 27, 2023 at 11:44 PM
Our 1st Book Launch Ep with @msuarez.bsky.social on Modelling, Inference & Representation
"Models are about enabling scientists to draw inferences about their target, to learn something new. But those inferences can be many & varied & valid to many different standards"
#philsci #histsci #sts 🧪
"Models are about enabling scientists to draw inferences about their target, to learn something new. But those inferences can be many & varied & valid to many different standards"
#philsci #histsci #sts 🧪
Reposted by Marta Halina
What can philosophers of science bring to interdisciplinary teams? "By virtue of being outside the community, philosophers often make observations that others don't because it is the water they swim in." From S1 E3 with Alan Love.
#PhilSci
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2180146/1303...
#PhilSci
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2180146/1303...
S1 Ep 3 - Alan Love on Purpose in Biology - The HPS Podcast - Conversations from History, Philosophy...
Does nature have a purpose? The simple scientific answer is no, but the fuller story is, of course, more complicated than that. Concepts like goal directedness, directionality, and even purpose are us...
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com
September 19, 2023 at 7:25 AM
What can philosophers of science bring to interdisciplinary teams? "By virtue of being outside the community, philosophers often make observations that others don't because it is the water they swim in." From S1 E3 with Alan Love.
#PhilSci
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2180146/1303...
#PhilSci
thehpspodcast.buzzsprout.com/2180146/1303...