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theramseylab.bsky.social
The Ramsey Lab
@theramseylab.bsky.social
1.2K followers 1.2K following 66 posts
The Ramsey philosophy of biology lab at KU Leuven, Belgium.
https://www.theramseylab.org • #HPbio #philsci #philsky #evosky #paleosky #cogsci
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theramseylab.bsky.social
The Ramsey Lab @theramseylab.bsky.social · Sep 11
Organisms alter selective pressures in many ways. But can they also shape the drift probabilities of their populations? In our recent paper, we argue that they can—and, in doing so, we expand the scope of #nicheconstruction theory 📄👇 link.springer.com/article/10.1... #HPBio #evobio #ecology #HPS
Screenshot of the article header from Synthese, titled ‘Driftability and niche construction,’ authored by Alejandro Fábregas-Tejeda and Grant Ramsey.
theramseylab.bsky.social
Defining non-human #ToolUse remains contested, complicating scientific generalization & inspiring the concept of “tooling.” Our new 📄 @philscijournal.bsky.social proposes a synthetic framework to advance research on 🔧 use & tooling 👇 www.cambridge.org/core/journal... #philsci #cogsci #evosky #HPbio
Screenshot of the first page of a Philosophy of Science journal article titled “Tool Use Beyond Humans” by Gianmaria Dani and Grant Ramsey, published by the Philosophy of Science Association. The authors are affiliated with the Center for Logic and Philosophy of Science at KU Leuven, Belgium. Abstract: The definition of tool use has long been debated, especially when applied beyond humans. Recent work argues that the phenomena included within tool use are so broad and varied that there is little hope of using the category for scientific generalizations, explanations, and predictions about the evolution, ecology, and psychology of tool users. One response to this argument has been the development of tooling as a replacement for tool use. In this article, we analyze the tool use and tooling frameworks. Identifying advantages and limitations in each, we offer a synthetic approach that suggests promising avenues for future research.
November 10, 2025 at 2:15 PM
theramseylab.bsky.social
How did hominins became human? And what is the fate of the "behavioural modernity" concept? Preprint 👇📄

#hpbio #paleosky #philsci
andrameneganzin.bsky.social Andra Meneganzin @andrameneganzin.bsky.social · 2d
Much of the empirical & theoretical landscape on #behaviouralmodernity has changed, and many think it’s high time we ditched the concept altogether. Here’s a minority voice in the choir: I’m skeptical that eliminativism is the panacea it’s often made out to be. 🔜 in Biol Theory

#philsky #evosky🧪🏺
The Fate of Behavioral Modernity - PhilSci-Archive
philsci-archive.pitt.edu
November 8, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
profmatthaber.bsky.social
If you know an undergrad that would like to spend the summer doing research in my philosophy of biology lab, encourage them to apply to the U’s SPUR program. Includes a $5,000 stipend and subsidized housing to work in my lab.

Details and how to apply here:
tinyurl.com/SPUR-PhilBio...
The Philosophy of Biology Lab: Entangled Lineages, Classification, and Individuality - Office of Undergraduate Research
tinyurl.com
November 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
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theramseylab.bsky.social
New Element in the #PhilBio series—free to download until Nov 17! Is disease an objective biological fact or a value-laden construct? Peter Takacs argues for a hybrid view that unites both sides under an evolutionary notion of dysfunction👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #philsky #philsci #evosky
Book cover of “Biology and Medical Theory” by Peter Takacs, in the Cambridge Elements: The Philosophy of Biology series. Against a black background, the title is surrounded by Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of marine organisms—radial, symmetrical forms in vivid blues, oranges, reds, and greens.
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
petinozappala.bsky.social
My paper for the Synthese special issue on Gatekeeping in science is out! 🎉
#PhilSci #HPBio #evobio
Gatekeeping in interdisciplinary fields: the case of paleontology after the Modern Synthesis - Synthese
Setting standards for budding interdisciplinary fields is a crucial step in the acquisition of their identity and in making possible their coalescence and institutionalization. However, negotiating wh...
link.springer.com
November 5, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
profmatthaber.bsky.social
The thematic issue I co-edited with @javiersuarez.bsky.social "Complicating the Concept of Lineage" is online. Includes papers by Javier & @phieveigl.bsky.social, @lucielaplane.bsky.social, François Papale, Kate MacCord and me. See reply for links to articles:
doi.org/10.1007/s137...
Complicating the Concept of Lineage: A Topical Collection - Biological Theory
Biological Theory -
doi.org
November 3, 2025 at 7:35 PM
theramseylab.bsky.social
New Element in the #PhilBio series—free to download until Nov 17! Is disease an objective biological fact or a value-laden construct? Peter Takacs argues for a hybrid view that unites both sides under an evolutionary notion of dysfunction👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element... #philsky #philsci #evosky
Book cover of “Biology and Medical Theory” by Peter Takacs, in the Cambridge Elements: The Philosophy of Biology series. Against a black background, the title is surrounded by Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of marine organisms—radial, symmetrical forms in vivid blues, oranges, reds, and greens.
November 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
grupoanfibio.bsky.social
Conference:
Ciprian Jeler, "The meaning and explanatory roles of selective mechanisms in evolutionary biology"
November 19, at 13:00 (Argentine time)

+info: www.anfibio.com.ar/.../conferen...

Please register here to attend the conference: forms.gle/1xp2q5LSgAvL...
October 28, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
andrameneganzin.bsky.social
Francesco d'Errico, Ivan Colage', and I wrote a paper on the evolution of #collectiveintelligence, epistemic #nicheconstruction, and the material traces of #hominin alterations to informational landscapes.

Forthcoming in PTRS B!

Preprint 🔗👇

osf.io/preprints/so...

🧪🏺 #philsky #paleosky #evosky
October 30, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
alejandrofabregastejeda.com
Each generation seems to rediscover the riddle of organismal agency: are organisms agents that pursue intrinsic goals—and how could we know? Our 📕 gathers historians, philosophers & scientists to explore this debate—now available in paperback!👇 www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o... #philsky #HPS #evobio
Book cover of "The Riddle of Organismal Agency: New Historical and Philosophical Reflections" (Routledge, 2025). The book belongs to the "History and Philosophy of Biology" series. The editors are Alejandro Fábregas-Tejeda, Jan Baedke, Guido I. Prieto, and Gregory Radick. The design features a geometric pattern of interlocking, multicolored triangles and rectangular prisms in shades of red, yellow, teal, white, and pink. The Routledge logo appears in the lower right corner.
October 27, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
freinhard.bsky.social
I have a new paper out in Synthese! It’s about experimental strategies in the historical sciences, using case studies from origins of life research.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Re-construction or re-invention? Experimental strategies in the historical sciences - Synthese
Synthese - Prototypical historical sciences are in the business of reconstructing the past based on traces. Experimental research into the past often seems precluded by the very nature of...
link.springer.com
October 9, 2025 at 1:22 PM
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djnicholson.bsky.social
Last chance to download my book for free! It's still available until tomorrow.
theramseylab.bsky.social The Ramsey Lab @theramseylab.bsky.social · 24d
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
Book cover of “What Is Life? Revisted” by Daniel J. Nicholson, in the Cambridge Elements: The Philosophy of Biology series. Against a black background, the title is surrounded by Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of marine organisms—radial, symmetrical forms in vivid blues, oranges, reds, and greens.
October 23, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
theramseylab.bsky.social
Correlation isn’t causation, as the mantra goes—but statistical noise in correlational data can reveal causal information. When X and Y are causally linked, their noise tends to be asymmetric & this can guide #CausalInference. Check out our 📃👇 doi.org/10.1111/nous... #philsky #philsci #StatsSky #HPS
Screenshot of the first page of a Noûs article titled “Causal Inference from Noise.” Authors: Nevin Climenhaga (Australian Catholic University), Lane DesAutels (Missouri Western State University), and Grant Ramsey (KU Leuven). The citation details read: Noûs 55:1 (2021), pages 152–170, DOI: 10.1111/nous.12300.
October 21, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
luciacneco.bsky.social
Just a reminder that the @ishpssb.bsky.social 2026 Off-Year Workshops CFP is still OPEN! It’s a way to support community members to meet in smaller settings and expand the society’s reach.
Apply below if you’re organizing a workshop before early 2027!
#philsky #philsci #biology #hps #histsci #sts
2026 Off-Year Workshops: Call for proposals - ISHPSSB.org
Welcome to the ISHPSSB.
ishpssb.org
October 21, 2025 at 10:29 AM
theramseylab.bsky.social
Correlation isn’t causation, as the mantra goes—but statistical noise in correlational data can reveal causal information. When X and Y are causally linked, their noise tends to be asymmetric & this can guide #CausalInference. Check out our 📃👇 doi.org/10.1111/nous... #philsky #philsci #StatsSky #HPS
Screenshot of the first page of a Noûs article titled “Causal Inference from Noise.” Authors: Nevin Climenhaga (Australian Catholic University), Lane DesAutels (Missouri Western State University), and Grant Ramsey (KU Leuven). The citation details read: Noûs 55:1 (2021), pages 152–170, DOI: 10.1111/nous.12300.
October 21, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
theramseylab.bsky.social
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
Book cover of “What Is Life? Revisted” by Daniel J. Nicholson, in the Cambridge Elements: The Philosophy of Biology series. Against a black background, the title is surrounded by Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of marine organisms—radial, symmetrical forms in vivid blues, oranges, reds, and greens.
October 17, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
thebjps.bsky.social
Just accepted:

How Do We Know If Animals Remember? Proximal Functions and the Distribution of Episodic Memory
– Arieh Schwartz & Alexandria Boyle

Abstract in alt text or read it here: www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/...

#philsci #philsky
ABSTRACT. Which animals have episodic memory? One reason this is difficult to answer is that episodic memory could be expected to vary across species, making it hard to give a principled account of what ‘counts’ as an episodic memory system. In this article, we propose that the investigation of episodic memory in animals should be guided by an account of its proximal proper functions: its most basic selected effects. In short, an animal has episodic memory if it has a memory system with the proximal functions of episodic memory. While there are many accounts of episodic memory’s distal functions, little attention has been paid to its proximal functions. To remedy this, we develop a preliminary account of episodic memory’s proximal functions and use this to evaluate existing evidence about episodic memory in animals.
October 20, 2025 at 9:15 AM
theramseylab.bsky.social
New Element in the Philosophy of Biology series—free to download until Oct. 24! @djnicholson.bsky.social uncovers Schrödinger’s motivations for writing "What Is Life?", revisits its central arguments & examines the book’s lasting impact on cell & molecular biology👇 www.cambridge.org/core/element...
Book cover of “What Is Life? Revisted” by Daniel J. Nicholson, in the Cambridge Elements: The Philosophy of Biology series. Against a black background, the title is surrounded by Ernst Haeckel’s illustrations of marine organisms—radial, symmetrical forms in vivid blues, oranges, reds, and greens.
October 17, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
alejandrofabregastejeda.com
We are excited to share our latest paper contributing to the debate on the representational status of model organisms! Drawing on and refining the DEKI account of scientific representation, we argue that MOs are best understood as 'model carriers' 👇📃 link.springer.com/article/10.1... #philsci #HPBio
Screenshot of a journal article header from Synthese titled “Representing with model organisms: a refined DEKI account” by Guido I. Prieto and Alejandro Fábregas-Tejeda. The article is marked as Original Research, published in 2025 (volume 206, article 209), with DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-025-05267-1
October 16, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
theramseylab.bsky.social
Are you curious about what computational methods can offer to #HPS? Then check out the edited volume by Grant Ramsey & @andreasdeblock.bsky.social, published by @upittpress.bsky.social, showcasing key tools, questions, and investigative perspectives 👇📕💻 upittpress.org/books/978082... #philsky #DH
Book cover of "The Dynamics of Science: Computational Frontiers in History and Philosophy of Science" (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022), edited by Grant Ramsey and Andreas De Block (KU Leuven). The design features a circular, data-inspired visualization with red and blue network patterns radiating from the center, suggesting computational and dynamic structures in science.
October 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
qrb.bsky.social
The Quarterly Review of Biology turns 100! We are celebrating our anniversary with free-to-read articles from the archives, through 2026. Learn more: ow.ly/xXli50X7Z5B
The Quarterly Review of Biology: QRB 100th Anniversary
ow.ly
October 9, 2025 at 11:41 AM
theramseylab.bsky.social
Are you curious about what computational methods can offer to #HPS? Then check out the edited volume by Grant Ramsey & @andreasdeblock.bsky.social, published by @upittpress.bsky.social, showcasing key tools, questions, and investigative perspectives 👇📕💻 upittpress.org/books/978082... #philsky #DH
Book cover of "The Dynamics of Science: Computational Frontiers in History and Philosophy of Science" (University of Pittsburgh Press, 2022), edited by Grant Ramsey and Andreas De Block (KU Leuven). The design features a circular, data-inspired visualization with red and blue network patterns radiating from the center, suggesting computational and dynamic structures in science.
October 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
modeltransfer.bsky.social
Our team member Edoardo Peruzzi organizes a workshop together with @karimbaraghith.bsky.social:

"Scientific Progress via Model Transfer? The Case of Cultural Evolution"

📍 Leibniz Universität Hannover
📅 April 9–10, 2026

Below you’ll find more information about the workshop and the CfP 👇
October 13, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Reposted by The Ramsey Lab
bartoszradomski.bsky.social
I am amazed that our Basic Principles of Cognition conference was met with such enthusiasm and attended by dozens of people both in person and online. It’s not too late to join! Register at basicprinciplesofcognition.wordpress.com/registration/ #Cognition #Mind #Philosophy #CogSci #Online #Biology
October 9, 2025 at 8:02 PM
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paulbrainey.bsky.social
Could major evolutionary transitions arise "from within" -- through internal innovation rather than merger? The case for autogenic transitions in individuality is developed here: philsci-archive.pitt.edu/26847/
Autogenic transitions in individuality - PhilSci-Archive
philsci-archive.pitt.edu
October 8, 2025 at 12:18 PM