Andreas De Block
@andreasdeblock.bsky.social
Philosopher, book lover, animal enthusiast, and curious wanderer of ideas.
Pinned
PNAS
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans...
www.pnas.org
Research thrives on innovation and the diversity of ideas, yet our funding system often penalizes both. In our new study published in PNAS, we explore the hidden costs of competition in allocating scarce research funds. (1/10) www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
"For instance, randomized controlled trials could explicitly manipulate multilingualism"
November 11, 2025 at 8:28 AM
"For instance, randomized controlled trials could explicitly manipulate multilingualism"
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Pretty much no one can make their ideas clear to others on the 1st attempt. The two main reactions are "let's painstakingly clarify this with some back and forth", and "doesn't matter as long as the various interpretations are themselves interesting", leading to the 2 main branches of philosophy.
November 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
Pretty much no one can make their ideas clear to others on the 1st attempt. The two main reactions are "let's painstakingly clarify this with some back and forth", and "doesn't matter as long as the various interpretations are themselves interesting", leading to the 2 main branches of philosophy.
Reposted by Andreas De Block
In the new #openaccess companion on student notes from Latin Europe (@leuvenup.bsky.social), our own Lorenz Demey, together with collaborators, contributes a chapter arguing that student notes hold great promise as sources for intellectual #history 👇 lup.be/book/student... #HPS #earlymodern #philsky
November 9, 2025 at 6:39 PM
In the new #openaccess companion on student notes from Latin Europe (@leuvenup.bsky.social), our own Lorenz Demey, together with collaborators, contributes a chapter arguing that student notes hold great promise as sources for intellectual #history 👇 lup.be/book/student... #HPS #earlymodern #philsky
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Is the psychology replication crisis (at last) catching up with animal cognition?
"Our results indicate low statistical power and inflated effect sizes in both primary studies and meta-analyses."
Preprint here:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
"Our results indicate low statistical power and inflated effect sizes in both primary studies and meta-analyses."
Preprint here:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
The statistical fragility of animal cognition findings: a meta-meta-analytic reappraisal
ecoevorxiv.org
November 7, 2025 at 6:18 AM
Is the psychology replication crisis (at last) catching up with animal cognition?
"Our results indicate low statistical power and inflated effect sizes in both primary studies and meta-analyses."
Preprint here:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
"Our results indicate low statistical power and inflated effect sizes in both primary studies and meta-analyses."
Preprint here:
ecoevorxiv.org/repository/v...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
*Globalizing Wildlife*, a book edited by @vbateman.bsky.social, Tom Quick, and myself, is now available for pre-order with @uncpress.bsky.social!
Using code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout, you can save 30%
www.uncpress.org/book/9781469...
Using code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout, you can save 30%
www.uncpress.org/book/9781469...
Globalizing Wildlife
Humans have always incorporated wildlife into processes of work, capture, and exchange. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, globalization became t...
www.uncpress.org
November 7, 2025 at 8:43 AM
*Globalizing Wildlife*, a book edited by @vbateman.bsky.social, Tom Quick, and myself, is now available for pre-order with @uncpress.bsky.social!
Using code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout, you can save 30%
www.uncpress.org/book/9781469...
Using code 01SOCIAL30 at checkout, you can save 30%
www.uncpress.org/book/9781469...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
"The Riddle of Organismal Agency" is now available as a paperback version! Edited by @alejandrofabregastejeda.com, Jan Baedke, Guido Prieto and Gregory Radick, the volume puts together reflections from #HistSci and #PhilSci on the topic of organismal agency.
#HPBio
www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o...
#HPBio
www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o...
November 5, 2025 at 2:37 PM
"The Riddle of Organismal Agency" is now available as a paperback version! Edited by @alejandrofabregastejeda.com, Jan Baedke, Guido Prieto and Gregory Radick, the volume puts together reflections from #HistSci and #PhilSci on the topic of organismal agency.
#HPBio
www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o...
#HPBio
www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Research funds are scarce & competition is fierce. A recent paper by @andreasdeblock.bsky.social & colleagues explores how this competition shapes science—its practices, risks & ethics—and proposes ways to make funding fairer & more effective👇 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #AcademicSky #HPS #scipol 🧪
November 2, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Research funds are scarce & competition is fierce. A recent paper by @andreasdeblock.bsky.social & colleagues explores how this competition shapes science—its practices, risks & ethics—and proposes ways to make funding fairer & more effective👇 www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/... #AcademicSky #HPS #scipol 🧪
Reposted by Andreas De Block
"If the groups we rely on for information are, in fact, more ideologically captured than they were fifty years ago, then -- assuming we were right to trust them in the first place -- we are now justified in trusting them less."
Hrishikesh Joshi, Politics and Public Discourse - PhilPapers
This Element surveys some of the problems in modern public discourse, drawing from recent work in political philosophy and social epistemology, supplemented with empirical results from the social scie...
philpapers.org
November 1, 2025 at 1:34 PM
"If the groups we rely on for information are, in fact, more ideologically captured than they were fifty years ago, then -- assuming we were right to trust them in the first place -- we are now justified in trusting them less."
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Why are so many professors so afraid to speak their minds? @amnauncensored.bsky.social & I discuss this question with UPenn historian of education Jon Zimmerman. Inspired by "Why Aren't Professors Braver?" by @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social in @chronicle.com.
banished.substack.com/p/are-too-ma...
banished.substack.com/p/are-too-ma...
Are Too Many Professors Excellent Sheep?
Amna & Jeff talk to Jon Zimmerman about why some profs are afraid to speak their minds
banished.substack.com
October 29, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Why are so many professors so afraid to speak their minds? @amnauncensored.bsky.social & I discuss this question with UPenn historian of education Jon Zimmerman. Inspired by "Why Aren't Professors Braver?" by @paulbloomatyale.bsky.social in @chronicle.com.
banished.substack.com/p/are-too-ma...
banished.substack.com/p/are-too-ma...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
De combinatie lage kost voor de student en zeer brede toegang is gewoon vreemd (problematisch). HO in Scandinavië is gratis voor student maar wel (erg) selectief. Vgl. bijv. deze cijfers voor Zweden met VL waar bijna iedereen met diploma secundair aan HO start.
More upper-secondary school graduates chose higher education studies during the pandemic
The proportion of those who started higher education studies within one year increased considerably among pupils who graduated from a higher education preparatory upper secondary programme in spring 2...
www.scb.se
October 30, 2025 at 12:09 PM
De combinatie lage kost voor de student en zeer brede toegang is gewoon vreemd (problematisch). HO in Scandinavië is gratis voor student maar wel (erg) selectief. Vgl. bijv. deze cijfers voor Zweden met VL waar bijna iedereen met diploma secundair aan HO start.
Reposted by Andreas De Block
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
October 27, 2025 at 12:41 PM
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
Reposted by Andreas De Block
1-11% success rates for arts, humanities, and social science grant applications in the UK. What a monumental waste of time and energy.
Given that people is asking me for the numbers, here the table provided by UKRI:
October 27, 2025 at 3:59 PM
1-11% success rates for arts, humanities, and social science grant applications in the UK. What a monumental waste of time and energy.
Reposted by Andreas De Block
"The decline in success rates is absolutely not satisfactory, because it sometimes borders on a lottery”
Nature 17 October 2025
Well, an honest lottery would IMHO be far better. For the reasons outlined here:
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Nature 17 October 2025
Well, an honest lottery would IMHO be far better. For the reasons outlined here:
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Funding competition sabotages science - Impact of Social Sciences
Research funding competitions seem fair but are often flawed. Gerald Schweiger, Adrian G. Barnett and Stijn Conix argue lotteries may support better science.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
October 27, 2025 at 7:45 AM
"The decline in success rates is absolutely not satisfactory, because it sometimes borders on a lottery”
Nature 17 October 2025
Well, an honest lottery would IMHO be far better. For the reasons outlined here:
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Nature 17 October 2025
Well, an honest lottery would IMHO be far better. For the reasons outlined here:
blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsoci...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
The academic publishing industry is an oligopoly, an inefficient market. Oligopoly actors force us to buy a long list of crap so we can read the dozen journals we want. Anti-trust action would be rational. Let's hope at least that exploitative bundle deals are refused. We can walk away!
'New proposals by Elsevier, Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, Wiley and Sage were sent to universities this week after their initial offers were decisively rejected by institutions in a sector-wide consultation run by Jisc,...negotiating jointly with Universities UK on behalf of universities.' 1/3
New offers from big five ‘still too costly’ for UK universities
‘Significant’ number of institutions predicted to drop deals with main scholarly imprints, leaving journal access much reduced
www.timeshighereducation.com
October 23, 2025 at 7:30 AM
The academic publishing industry is an oligopoly, an inefficient market. Oligopoly actors force us to buy a long list of crap so we can read the dozen journals we want. Anti-trust action would be rational. Let's hope at least that exploitative bundle deals are refused. We can walk away!
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Fully-funded 4-year #PhD in Cultural Evolution! Join my @erc.europa.eu project exploring how compression & compositionality drive cultural innovation: hmc-lab.com/ERCPhDCultur...
Apply by Nov 12!
Maybe of interest to folks from #COSMOS2025 or @eslr.bsky.social? Please feel free to share! 🙏
Apply by Nov 12!
Maybe of interest to folks from #COSMOS2025 or @eslr.bsky.social? Please feel free to share! 🙏
ERC funded PhD position on Cultural Evolution
ERC funded PhD position on Cultural Evolution
posted on October 16, 2025
We are currently seeking a highly motivated individual for a ful...
hmc-lab.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Fully-funded 4-year #PhD in Cultural Evolution! Join my @erc.europa.eu project exploring how compression & compositionality drive cultural innovation: hmc-lab.com/ERCPhDCultur...
Apply by Nov 12!
Maybe of interest to folks from #COSMOS2025 or @eslr.bsky.social? Please feel free to share! 🙏
Apply by Nov 12!
Maybe of interest to folks from #COSMOS2025 or @eslr.bsky.social? Please feel free to share! 🙏
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Latest by my colleague Tim Lewens. Most envious of people who manage to pack in arguments into 3000 words, especially such meaty arguments as this one #philsci #philsky
Values as Evidence in the Sciences
Abstract. Ethical statements can sometimes serve as legitimate evidence for purely descriptive hypotheses. This role for ethical statements need involve ne
academic.oup.com
October 16, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Reposted by Andreas De Block
🚨 Deadline to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December has been extended to 31st October 2025
🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
We are delighted that our Winter Meeting 2025 in Leuven 🇧🇪 is approaching!
Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Date: December 18-19
Abstract deadline: October 15
Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven
Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
Abstract submissions now open: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Date: December 18-19
Abstract deadline: October 15
Host: Laboratory of Socioecology and Social Evolution at KU Leuven
Plenary: Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
October 16, 2025 at 1:43 PM
🚨 Deadline to submit an abstract for our IUSSI winter meeting in beautiful Leuven, 18-19 December has been extended to 31st October 2025
🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
🚨 Please register at: www.iussi-nweurope.org/meetings
Come and join us - will be great fun & great lineup of speakers! Plenaries by Ido Pen & @rmash.bsky.social
“96% of statistical errors directionally supported scientists’ hypotheses, suggesting credulity among scholars toward favorable outcomes.”
October 16, 2025 at 1:38 PM
“96% of statistical errors directionally supported scientists’ hypotheses, suggesting credulity among scholars toward favorable outcomes.”
Reposted by Andreas De Block
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
October 13, 2025 at 2:15 PM
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
Reposted by Andreas De Block
Next time an institution tells you how seriously it takes research misconduct, ask them if it's *this* seriously. www.bmj.com/content/297/...
October 13, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Next time an institution tells you how seriously it takes research misconduct, ask them if it's *this* seriously. www.bmj.com/content/297/...
Reposted by Andreas De Block
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts
Crossbow bolts, sandals, slingshots, and more.
www.popsci.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
super cool study found human artifacts in Bearded vulture nests, incl. "weaponry like a crossbow bolt and wooden lance, decorated sheep leather, and parts of a slingshot....a shoe made from twigs and grass is ~675-years-old." link to paper: doi.org/10.1002/ecy..... www.popsci.com/environment/... 🧪🌍🦉
Reposted by Andreas De Block
If you’re not yet using ChatGPT, you’re missing out, argues @victorckumar.
Used wisely, it’s an invaluable tool—not necessarily for your job, your art, or for social companionship—but for everyday life management, just like Google… only much more so:
buff.ly/njVdHjD
Used wisely, it’s an invaluable tool—not necessarily for your job, your art, or for social companionship—but for everyday life management, just like Google… only much more so:
buff.ly/njVdHjD
October 3, 2025 at 4:35 PM
If you’re not yet using ChatGPT, you’re missing out, argues @victorckumar.
Used wisely, it’s an invaluable tool—not necessarily for your job, your art, or for social companionship—but for everyday life management, just like Google… only much more so:
buff.ly/njVdHjD
Used wisely, it’s an invaluable tool—not necessarily for your job, your art, or for social companionship—but for everyday life management, just like Google… only much more so:
buff.ly/njVdHjD
Reposted by Andreas De Block
#AcademicSky I'm trying to compile a list of academic conferences (> 1.000 participants) that were supposed to be organised in USA in 2025/2026 but that were canceled or made hybrid. (I saw some such instances here I think, but hard to find them again)
Let me know if you know of such conferences.
Let me know if you know of such conferences.
October 3, 2025 at 8:18 AM
#AcademicSky I'm trying to compile a list of academic conferences (> 1.000 participants) that were supposed to be organised in USA in 2025/2026 but that were canceled or made hybrid. (I saw some such instances here I think, but hard to find them again)
Let me know if you know of such conferences.
Let me know if you know of such conferences.
zag hier een aantal smalende posts over Stijn Baert en zijn stelling dat moral hazard een goede verklaring is voor het grote aantal langdurig zieken in België. Ze kregen veel likes en kwamen van mensen die vermoedelijk nog nooit van moral hazard gehoord hebben.
October 2, 2025 at 10:53 AM
zag hier een aantal smalende posts over Stijn Baert en zijn stelling dat moral hazard een goede verklaring is voor het grote aantal langdurig zieken in België. Ze kregen veel likes en kwamen van mensen die vermoedelijk nog nooit van moral hazard gehoord hebben.