Curriculum Vitae
CURRICULUM VITAE
Revised: April 2016
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
RONALD PAUL THOMPSON
University Address: Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
91 Charles Street West, Room 317
University of Toronto, Victoria College
Toronto, Ontario
Canada M5S 1K7
Phone: 416-978-5397Fax: 416-978-3003
E-mail: p.thompson@utoronto.ca
Web site: http://individual.utoronto.ca/paul_thompson/
Born: 14 December 1947Citizenship: Canadian and British
DEGREES
Ph.D. 1979 University of Toronto
Dissertation Title: Genetic Explanation Schemes in Biology
M.A.1972 University of Toronto
B.A.1970University of Toronto (first class honours)
APPOINTMENTS AND AWARDS
CURRENT APPOINTMENTS (University of Toronto):
Professor: • Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
• Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
• Department of Philosophy
Fellow, Victoria College, University of Toronto
Continuing Senior Fellow, Massey College (separate from the University of Toronto: founded by, and with an endowment from, the Massey family), Toronto
PREVIOUS APPOINTMENTS:
Director, Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto, 2004-2009
Vice-President, University of Toronto, 2002-2003, and
Principal and Dean, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1989-June 2003
Chair, Division of Humanities, University of Toronto at Scarborough, 1987-1989
Associate Professor, University of Toronto 1983-1988 (tenure granted 1983).
Assistant Professor, University of Toronto 1978-1983.
VISITING APPOINTMENTS:
Visiting Associate Professor, University of California, Davis, spring term 1983.
Visiting Associate Professor, University of Guelph, fall term 1985.
SPECIAL AWARDS:
Postdoctoral Fellowship (awarded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Canada) 1981-82
SPECIAL HONOURS:
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal (awarded by the Governor General of Canada) (2002): for contributions to education and agricultural sustainability
Inducted as an Honorary Fellow of Centennial College of Applied Arts and Technology (awarded by the Governing Board as its equivalent to an honorary degree) (2003)
Scarborough Business Appreciation Award, City of Scarborough (now amalgamated with City of Toronto) (1996): for contributions to the city’s economic development
RESEARCH SUPPORT:
University of Toronto Research Support $10K per year 2004-present
University of Toronto Research Support $15K per year 1989-2004
Numerous Social Science and Humanities Research Council Awards
SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL WORK
BOOKS:
A Remarkable Journey: The Story of Evolution. London, UK: Reaktion Books, 2015
Evolutionary Biology: Conceptual, Ethical and Religious Issues. (Editor with Denis Walsh) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014.
Agro-Technology: A Philosophical Introduction, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011.
Issues in Evolutionary Ethics, (ed.) New York: State University of New York Press 1995.
The Structure of Biological Theories, New York: State University of New York Press, 1989.
Special Recognition:
•Greek translation (2002) H , Iraklion: University of Crete Press, (Greek translation by K.I. Korthiates and G. P. Stamo)
•Special Session at the Philosophy of Science Association Meeting, 1988
•Special Session at the Canadian Philosophical Association Meeting, 1990
The Moral Question, Toronto: Ontario Educational Communications Authority, 1982
ARTICLES IN REFEREED PUBLICATIONS:
1.“A Study in the Morality of Abortion,” Crux 12, (1975) pp. 9-21.
2.“Is Sociobiology a Pseudoscience?” In P.D. Asquith and R.N. Giere (eds.) PSA
1980 vol.1. East Lansing: Philosophy of Science Association, 1980, pp. 363-370.
3.“The Role of Models in the Medical Explanation of Socially Maladaptive Behavior,” The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy 6, (1981) pp 423-436.
4.“Explaining Complexity in Evolution,” Dialogue 21, (1982) pp. 255-259.
5.“The Structure of Evolutionary Theory: A Semantic Approach,” Studies in History and Philosophy of Science, 14, (1983) pp. 215-229.
6.“Historical Laws in Modern Biology,” Acta Biotheoretica 32, (1983) pp. 167-177.
7.“Tempo and Mode in Evolution: Punctuated Equilibria and the Modern Synthetic
Theory,” Philosophy of Science 50, (1983) pp. 432-452.
8.“Sociobiological Explanation and the Testability of Sociobiological Theory,” In J. Fetzer (ed.) Sociobiology and Epistemology Dordrecht: D. Reidel, 1985, pp. 201-215.
9.“The Interaction of Theories and the Semantic Conception of Evolutionary Theory,” Philosophica 37, (1986) pp. 28-37.
10.“Home Birth: Consumer Choice and the Restriction of Physician Autonomy,” Journal of Business Ethics, 6, (1987) pp. 481-487.
11.“A Defence of the Semantic Conception of Evolutionary Theory,” Biology and Philosophy 2, (1987) pp. 26-32.
12.“Some Puctuationists are Wrong about the Modern Synthesis,” Philosophy of Science, 55, (1988) pp. 74-86.
13.“The Conceptual Role of Intelligence in Human Sociobiology.” In H.J. Jerison and I.L. Jerison (eds.) Intelligence and Evolutionary Biology New York: Springer –Verlag, 1988, pp. 35-44.
14.“Logical and Epistemological Aspects of the ‘New’ Evolutionary Epistemology,”
Canadian Journal of Philosophy 14 (supplementary), (1988) pp. 235-253.
15.“David Hull’s Conception of the Structure of Evolutionary Theory,” In M. Ruse (ed.) What Philosophy of Biology Is Dordrecht: D. Reidel 1989, pp. 275-287.
16.“Philosophy of Biology Under Attack - Stent vs. Rosenberg.” Biology and Philosophy 4 (1989) pp. 345-351.
17.Women and Childbirth: Ethically Responsible Autonomy,” In C. Overall (eds.) The Future of Human Reproduction Toronto: The Women’s Press, 1989, pp. 205-215.
18.“Evolutionary Ethics, Darwinian Ethics and Ethical Naturalism,” Human Evolution 5 (1990) pp. 133-138.
19.“Objectivity of the Concepts of Health and Disease,” Analyse & Kritik 13 (1991) pp. 94-100.
20.“Mathematics in the Biological Sciences,” International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 6 (1992) pp. 241-248.
21.“Managing Complexity and Dynamics: Is There a Difference Between Physics and Biology,” Canadian Journal of Philosophy 20 (supplementary volume) (1995) 275-302.
22.“Evolutionary Ethics and the Evolution of Cognition,” Zygon 34 (1999) 473-484.
23.“Le rôle des modèles mathématiques dans la formalisation des systèmes auto-organisants,” in B. Fletz, M. Crommelinck, Ph. Goujon (eds.) Auto-organisation et Émergence dans les sciences de la vie Bruxelles: OUSIA, 1999, pp. 421-438.
24.“Biology,” in Companion to the Philosophy of Science edited by W.H. Newton-Smith, Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2000, pp.16-25.
25.“The Evolutionary Biology of Evil,” The Monist 85 (2002) 238-258.
26.“The Revival of ‘Emergence’ in Biology: Autocatalysis, Self-Organisation and Mathematical Necessity,” The Croatian Journal of Philosophy 3:9 (2004)
27.“The Accountability of Academic Leaders within and without the Academy,” Journal of Academic Ethics 2 (2005) 187-197
28. “The Role of Mathematical Models in the Formalisation of Self-Organising Systems,” in B. Fletz, M. Crommelinck, Ph. Goujon (eds.) Self-Organisation and Emergence in the Life Sciences Dordrecht: Kluwer (Springer Science), 2005, pp301-313 [English modification of 23].
29.“Formalisations of Evolutionary Biology,” a chapter in Handbook of the Philosophy of Science, Volume 2: Philosophy of Biology , edited by Mohan Matthen and Christopher Stephens, New York: Elsevier 2007, pp. 497-453)
30.(with Philippe Constantineau and George Fallis – I was principal author) “Academic Citizenship,” Journal of Academic Ethics (2006) 1-16.
31.“An Evolutionary Account of Evil,” in Philosophy After Darwin: Classical and Contemporary Readings edited by Michael Ruse Princeton: Princeton University Press 2009 [a significant revision of the argument in (25)]
32. “History of Scientific Agriculture: Animals,” In: Encyclopedia of Life Sciences (ELS). John Wiley& Sons, Ltd: Chichester 2009. DOI: 10.1002/9780470015902.a0020136
33.“Science, Technology and the Future of Food,” African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development 9 (2009) 1-17.
34. “Causality, Mathematical Models and Statistical Association: Dismantling Evidence-Based Medicine,” Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice (2010) 16: 267-275.
35.“Theories and Models in Medicine” in Handbook of the Philosophy of Science, Volume 4, Philosophy of Medicine edited by Frederick Gifford, New York: Elsevier (2011) pp.115-136.
36.“Causality, Theories and Medicine,” in Causality in the Sciences edited by Phyllis McKay Illari, Federico Russo and Jon Williamson, Oxford: Oxford University Press (2011) pp. 25-44
37.“Darwin’s Theory and the Value of Mathematical Formalisation” in R. Paul Thompson and Denis Walsh (eds) Evolutionary Biology: Conceptual, Ethical and Religious Issues. Cambridge University Press (2014)
38."Development of an Evolutionary account of ‘Right Action’ and its application to the Genetically Modified Plants Debate" in Robert Richards and Michael Ruse (eds.) Cambridge Handbook on Evolutionary Ethics, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (in press).
ARTICLES IN NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS
39.(With Michael Ruse) “Neo-Darwinism: Form and Content,” In An Intimate Relation: Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Dordrecht: Kluwer, 1989, pp. 495-512.
40.“Explanation in the Semantic View of Theories,” In P.D. Asquith and J. Leplin (eds.) PSA 1988 vol. 2, East Lansing: Philosophy of Science Association, 1989, pp. 286-296.
41.“Probability, Bayes’ Theorem and the Quantitative Analysis of Risk,” (1998) 7 pages (published as Appendix 3 to the Bayer Advisory Council on Bioethics paper “Risks of CJD Transmission Through Plasma Products: A Bioethical Analysis”)
42.“’Organization,’ ‘Population’ and Mayr’s Rejection of Essentialism in Biology,” in Aristotle and Contemporary Science, volume 2, Demetra Sfendoni-Mentzou, Jagdish Hattiangadi and David Johnson (eds.) New York: Peter Lang Press, 2001, pp. 173-183.
43.“Seeds of Hope for the Dry Midwest—and the World,” Wall Street Journal, September 9, 2012 (http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10000872396390444327204577617131256432156)
ARTICLES READY FOR PUBLICATION
“An Alternative Account of the Evolution of Social Co-operation.” (final manuscript available).
MANUSCRIPTS IN PREPARATION
Book (with Ross Upshur: I am the principal author): Philosophy of Medicine. (contract with Routledge, manuscript completed and submitted)
SCHOLARLY REPORTS AND STUDIES
1.“Economic Impact of Population Growth in the Township of Uxbridge,” (1993) 53 pages: commissioned by the Uxbridge Conservation Association.
2.“A Conceptual Plan for Land Use Designation and Management of the Federal and Provincial Public Lands in Pickering, Markham and Uxbridge,” (1994) 39 pages (with Lorne Almack: I was the principal author).
3.“Human and Social Challenges of the New Biology,” (2000) prepared for the Humanities and Social Sciences Federation of Canada
BOOK REVIEWS (over 150 and ongoing; 7 so far in 2015)
SCHOLARLY ACTIVITIES
Current:
Member, Council of Reviewers for Canada Research Chairs Program (A Canadian Federal Government Program funding 2000 research chairs in Canadian Universities; appointments are based on nominations and reviews of nominations by the Council of Reviewers)
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Academic Ethics 2002-present
Previous:
Member, Adjudication Panel for Early Researcher Awards (up to $200,000), Ministry of Research and Innovation, Government of Ontario, Canada (2013 and 2014).
Member, Council of Canadian Academies’ Expert Panel on State and Trends of Biodiversity Science in Canada, 2009-2010 (report released Nov. 2010).
Member, Standing Committee on Ethics, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2007-2014
Member, Research Integrity Committee, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2007-2012
Member “International Bayer Advisory Council on Bioethics,” 2001-2005
Member “Monsanto Biotechnology Advisory Council,” 2001-2005
Member, Expert Panel on Public Health Activities: to REB or not to REB (sponsors: CIHR, Institute of Infection and Immunity, Health Canada, and Public Health Agency of Canada), 2007
Editorial Board Member, Biology and Philosophy 1985-2002
Member “Canadian Bayer Advisory Council on Bioethics,” 1997-2001
Member “Advisory Committee to Minister of Health (Government of Canada) on
Experimentation on Human Embryos”: 1995.
Editor of Canadian Philosophical Monographs 1987-1990
Referee for scholarly journals (numerous and ongoing)
Biology and Philosophy
Canadian Journal of Philosophy
Dialogue
Educational Theory
Environmental Conservation
Journal of Business Ethics
Journal of Theoretical Biology
Philosophy of Science
Synthese
Journal of Academic Ethics
American Journal of Public Health
Referee for Academic Presses, Foundations and Funding Agencies (numerous and ongoing):
Cambridge University Press
Harvard University Press
Canada Council Killam Awards
Medical Research Council
MIT Press
National Science Foundation (USA)
SSHRC
State University of New York Press
University of Chicago Press
Member: Steering Committee for Joint Summer Programme on Theory of Knowledge of
the Association for the Foundations of Science, Language and Cognition and
Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences 1996-
1998.
Member: Various External Review Committees
INVITED LECTURES AND SYMPOSIA PRESENTATIONS (only major ones listed)
“Is Sociobiology a Pseudoscience?” Philosophy of Science Association Meeting, 1980.
“Teleology, Error and the Human Immune System: Matthen and Levy are Wrong,” Canadian Philosophical Association Meeting, 1982
“The Structure of Evolutionary Theory: A Semantic Approach,” University of Western Ontario, March 1981.
“The Historical Development of the Darwinian Theory of Evolution,” University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School, April 1981.
“Tempo and Mode in Evolution: Punctuated Equilibria and the Modern Synthetic Theory,” University of Toronto, December 1981, February 1982 and the University of California, Davis, April 1983.
“The Nature and Importance of Philosophy of Biology,” Arizona State University, March 1982.
“Childbirth in North America: Patient Autonomy and Medical Control,” York University, November 1983 and Waterloo University, December 1983.
“Ruse on Species: Natural Kinds vs. Individuals,” Natural Kinds Conference, Vancouver 1983.
“In Defence of Kitcher on Genes and Reduction,” Canadian Philosophical Association Meeting, 1985.
“Are Theories in Biology like Theories in Physics?” University of Toronto March 1986.
“The Conceptual Role of Intelligence in Human Sociobiology,” NATO Advanced Study Institute, Italy, July 1986.
“Brooks, Wiley and Collier on an Information Theoretic Approach to Evolution,” Canadian Philosophical Association Meeting, 1986.
“Logical and Epistemological Aspects of the ‘New’ Evolutionary Epistemology,” Biology and Philosophy Conference, University of Alberta, May 1987.
“Culture and the Evolutionary Process,” York University, March 1987.
“The Structure of Evolutionary Theory,” Canadian Society of Theoretical Biology, May 1988 (keynote speaker)
“Holism and Reduction in Genetics,” 16th International Congress of Genetics, Toronto, 1988. (I organized and chaired this session on Holism and Reductionism in Genetics)
“Evolution and Epistemology,” Canadian Philosophical Association, May 1988.
“Explanation in the Semantic View of Theories,” Philosophy of Science Association Meetings, October 1988 (session on my book, The Structure of Biological Theories, along those of two others).
“Theory Structure in Evolutionary Biology” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, Yugoslavia, April 1989.
“Syntax, Semantics and Evolutionary Theory,” Academy of Sciences, Moscow, USSR, December 1989.
“Ethical Naturalism and Evolutionary Ethics,” Human Behavior and Evolution Society Meeting, Chicago, 1989.
“Conflicting Views on the Structure of Evolutionary Theory” and “Can Evolution Help us Understand Ethics?” Washington and Jefferson College March 1990.
Special Session at the Canadian Philosophical Association Meetings on my book, The Structure of Biological Theories, May 1990.
“Theory, Mathematics and the Differences Between Sciences,” Biology, Behaviour and Society Conference, University of Alberta, May 1991.
“The Role of Mathematics in the Biological Sciences,” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, April 1992.
“The Subjectivity of Physical Illness,” Department of Philosophy, McMaster University, November 1992.
“Set-Theoretical and Topological Approaches to Explanation in the Biological Sciences,” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, April 1994.
“A Role for Theoretical Models of Self Organising Systems,” International Conference of Self-organisation, University of Leuvan, Belgium, 1995
“Some Problems with Ruth Millikan’s Evolutionary Views on Cognition,” Cognition Conference, York University, October 1996.
“Complexity in Biology and the Inadequacy of Empiricism.” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, April 1997.
“Evolutionary Ethics: It Origins and Current Issues,” Conference: The Evolution of Morality, Star Island, New Hampshire, July 1997.
“‘Organization,’ ‘Population’ and Mayr’s Rejection of Essentialism in Biology,” International Conference on Aristotle and Contemporary Science, Thessaloniki, Greece (September 1-4, 1997).
“Complexity and Mathematical Methods in Biology,” York University, Toronto (February 1998).
“Models in Biology: Artificial Life and Cellular Automata,” Distinguished Lecturer Series, Faculty of Engineering, University of Toronto (April 1999).
“A View of Life: Cellular Automata and Emergence,” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 2000.
“The Baldwin Effect in Contemporary Evolutionary Theory,” Philosophical Society of South Africa Conference, Durban South Africa, January 2001.
“BSE and a New Model of Infectious Disease," International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 2001.
“Culture and Cognition in Evolutionary Theory,” Toronto Humanist Society, March 2002
“Embedding the Baldwin Effect into the Calculus of Population Genetics," International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 2002.
“The Role of Cognition and Culture in Population Genetic Dynamics,” Western Canadian Philosophical Association Conference, Calgary, October 2002.
“Payment for Blood, Plasma and Body Parts,” Department of Philosophy, University of Cape Town, S.A., April 2004
“The Evolution of Human Social Behaviour: A Population Genetic Account,” Department of Zoology, University of Cape Town, S.A., April 2004
“The Rights and Wrongs of the Commercialization of the Human Body” South African College of Family Practice, Claremont General Hospital, Cape Town, S.A., April 2004.
“An Alternative Account of the Evolution of Social Co-operation,” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, April 11-16, 2005
“Genetically Modified Food and Food Security in the Future,” March 10, 2005, U of T Senior Alumni Lecture Series
“Evolution: Medium, Message and the Interplay of Genes and Culture,” McLuhan Lecture Series, University of Toronto, June 2005
“Biotechnology and the Developing World,” Western University of Science and Technology, Kenya August 2005
“The Evolution of Social Cooperation,” University of Nairobi, Kenya, August, 2005
“Poverty Relief and GM Plants in Africa,” University of Guelph, October, 2005
“Genetically Modified Foods: Ethical Issues,” Senior Alumni Lecture Series November, 2005
“Complexity and Reductionism in Artificial Life Modelling,” Complexity Conference, University of Montreal, May 2006
“Principles of Sustainable Development’ Sustainable Development Conference, University of Montreal, May 2006
“Novel Prediction: A Case Study of Mendel and the Development of Population Genetics,” Canadian Society for History and Philosophy of Science. June 2006
“The Development of Evolutionary Biology: 1800 to the present” University of Nairobi and Western University of Science and Technology, Kenya, July 2006
“The Development of Contemporary Physics: Aristotle to Relativity” University of Nairobi and Western University of Science and Technology, Kenya, July 2006
“The Quantitative Analysis of Risk and Genetically Modified Plants” University of Nairobi and Western University of Science and Technology, Kenya, July 2006
“Historical and Philosophical Perspectives on Scientific Revolutions” Western University of Science and Technology, Kenya, July 2006
“Biotechnology, Risk and Inevitability,” Canadian Jacques Maritain Society, Ottawa, October 2006
“The Evolution of Social Co-operation” Royal Canadian Institute, March 2007
“Intersection of Science and Philosophy: Values, Ethics and Public Policy,” Monsanto, St Louis, September 2007
“History of Science and Philosophy of Science: A Symbiotic Relationship,” Werkmeister Conference/Workshop, Florida State University, Tallahassee, March 2008
“Evidence-Based Medicine: Randomised Controlled Trials - the Gold Standard or Dross?” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, April 2008
“Understanding GMO Rejection in Kenya” Masinda Maliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya, August 2008
“Biotechnology and Food Security in sub-Saharan Africa,” University of Nairobi, Kenya, August 2008 (delivered twice: Dept. of Philosophy and Education, and Centre for Biotechnology)
“Science, Technology and the Future of Food in Europe,” Université de Paris 1, Paris, September 2008
“Darwin’s View on, and Arguments Against, Species as Natural Kinds,” Western Canadian Philosophical Association, University of Edmonton, October 2008
“Domestication in Agriculture: Origins, Perils and Prospects,” York/Toronto Annual History and Philosophy of Science Conference, May 2009.
“Contemporary Evolutionary Theory: The Conceptual Foundation of Modern Biology,” Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science, November 2009.
“Consilience and Explanation in Evolutionary Biology,” International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik (Croatia), April 2010.
“Randomized Controlled Trials: Gold Standard or Methodological Chaos?” University of Alabama, Department of Philosophy, February 23, 2011.
“In Defense of Genetically Modified Food,” University of Alabama “Philosophy Today” Series, February 24, 2011.
“Evolutionary Ethics: The Strong Programme” Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, March 5, 2011.
“Ethical Issues in Agriculture: Organic, Locavore and Genetic Modification,” Dalhousie University & Canadian Centre for Ethics in Public Affairs, Halifax, January 25, 2012
“Genetically Modified Food and Organic Agriculture,” Exeter University, February 10, 2012.
“Are RCTs the Gold Standard of Evidence?” Université Paris 1 – Panthéon-Sorbonne, February 9, 2012. AND Joint Centre for Bioethics, University of Toronto, March 28, 2012 AND IHPST Colloquium Series, Toronto 2015.
“The Development of Population Genetics in the 1920s: First Step in the Modern Synthesis,” Société de Philosophie des Sciences, Montreal June 4, 2012.
“Genetic Modification in Agriculture” Senior College, University of Toronto, February 13, 2013
“Ethical Issues in Agriculture” Department of Philosophy, McMaster University, March 15, 2013
“Water, Food Security and Agro-technology: Current Challenges Placed in Historical Context,” Carroll R. Pauley Memorial Lecture, University of Nebraska, October 3, 2013
“Genetically Modified Plants are Essential to Sustainable Food Security” Keynote speaker, Centre SÈVE annual meeting (http://centreseve.org/activites/JCS13/Accueil_2013.html), Quebec City, November 8, 2013
“The Evolutionary Biology of Evil: A Naturalised Ethical View”. International Philosophy of Science Conference, Dubrovnik, April 2014.
COURSES TAUGHT
UNDERGRADUATE:
Biology Courses:
Evolution and Ecology
Foundations of Epidemiology
Population Genetics
Theoretical Foundations of Biology I
Theoretical Foundations of Biology II (senior seminar: mathematical modelling)
Introduction to Genes, Genetics and Biotechnology
Philosophy Courses:
Science and Values
Foundations of Mathematics (senior seminar)
Biomedical Ethics
Philosophy of Biology
Philosophy of Science
Social Issues
Advanced Philosophy of Biology (senior seminar)
Introductory Philosophy of Science
History and Philosophy of Science Courses:
Introduction to History and Philosophy of Science (Aristotle to Galileo & the Darwinian Revolution)
Theories, Methodology and Ethics in the Life Sciences
GRADUATE:
Historiography 2012
Fundamentals of the Philosophy of Biology, 2010
Special Topics in the Philosophy of Biology: Philosophies of the Body, 2008 (advanced seminar)
Fundamentals of the History and Philosophy of Science, 2008
Philosophy of Medicine, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
Introduction to Philosophy of Science, 2005
Philosophy of Biology 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2002
Seminar in Philosophy of Science: Emergence and Non-reductive Physicalism in Recent Biological Theorizing, 2001 (advanced seminar)
Seminar in Philosophy of Science: Chaos and Complexity in Biology, 1998, 2006 (advanced seminar)
Philosophy of Science, 1994, 2005, 2007
Methodology in Evolutionary Biology, 1986
Bioethics, 1982
On average, two supervised reading courses per year
THESIS COMMITTEES:
Ph.D.:
In Progress:
Primary supervision (supervisor):
Ioan (Chris) Dragos (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Craig Knox (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Don Borrett (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Secondary supervision (advisor)
Rachel Bryant (Philosophy)
Michael Cournoyea (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Completed:
Primary supervision (supervisor):
Dr. Katherine Browne Reason, Evolution, and the Possibility of Cooperation (Dept. of Philosophy) (awarded 2011)
Dr. Robin Nunn (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology) (awarded 2009)
Dr. Edward Everson (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology) Genetics and Health in Context: The Political Economy of Public Health Genomics (awarded 2006)
Dr. Joseph Millum (Philosophy) The Adaptation of Morality (awarded 2005)
Dr. Scott Woodcock (Philosophy) The Geneology of Moral Memes (awarded 2001)
Dr. Scott Woodcock (Philosophy) “The Geneology of Moral Memes” (awarded 2001
Dr. Tara Abraham (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology) “Microscopic Cybernetics”: Mathematical Logic, Automata Theory, and the Formalization of Biological Phenomena, 1936-1970 (awarded 2000)
Co-supervision:
Dr. Pamela Courtney Hall (Co-supervisor) (Philosophy)
Dr. Lily Lum (Co-supervisor) (Institute of Medical Science)
Secondary Supervision (advisor):
Dr. Rebecca Moore (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Anna Stoklosa (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Eugene Earnshaw-White (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Charissa Varma (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Darrin Durrant (Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Keynyn Brysse (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Sara Scharf (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Gillian Gass (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Jill Lazenby (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Andrew Potter (Philosophy)
Dr. Karen Detlefsen (Philosophy)
Dr. Gordon McOuat (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Dr. Peter Turney (Philosophy)
Dr. Connie Sharp (Philosophy)
Dr. Patricia Lee (Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology)
Numerous: Ph.D. oral examination committees in Philosophy, Zoology (now, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology), and Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology
Numerous: external examiner for other universities
ADMINISTRATIVE POSTIONS
Academic Administrative
2004-2009: Director, Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), University of Toronto
IHPST is an interdisciplinary graduate and research unit within the Faculty of Arts and Science. The Director has the powers and responsibilities of a departmental chair. IHPST, during my term, had 10.67 faculty positions (10 full positions plus a .5 position shared with the Department of Philosophy and a .17 position shared with the Department of Classics) and two administrative staff positions. The Institute offers a small number of undergraduate courses and an undergraduate major program.
2002-2003: Vice-President, University of Toronto
Vice-President (reporting directly to the President) responsible for University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC)
Summary Information about the University of Toronto
•The University of Toronto is Canada’s largest and most research-intensive university.
•It has three campuses in the Greater Toronto Area.
•In 2001-02 it had 35,250 full-time and 12,032 part-time undergraduate students
•In 2001-02 it had 8,391 full-time and 2,386 part-time graduate students (it has 85 doctoral programmes).
•In addition to three arts and science Faculties (one on each campus), it has 12 professional Faculties: Applied Science and Engineering, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, Dentistry, Education, Law, Library and Information Science, Management, Medicine, Music, Nursing, Physical and Health Education, and Social Work.
•It has a faculty and staff complement of 10,301
•Its annual operating budget is approx. $1 billion (CND)
•Its research grant and contract support is approx. $500 million (CND)
•Its Library has 15 million holdings and is one of the top 5 research libraries in North America
1989-2003: Principal and Dean, University of Toronto at Scarborough (UTSC) (reappointed 1 July 1997)
Important Features of UTSC
Status of UTSC within the University of Toronto:
UTSC is a separate campus and, since 1972, has been a separate academic division (Faculty) within the University of Toronto (i.e., it is a full constituent Faculty of the University which is separate from the Faculty of Arts and Science on the other two campuses). All the policies, procedures, practices, standards and governance approvals of the University of Toronto apply UTSC exactly as they apply to other Faculties of the University. All academic faculty hold their appointments and tenure in the University of Toronto.
Size of UTSC:
UTSC, as a constituent part of the University of Toronto, is currently larger than 40% of the universities in Canada (in 2002-3, UTSC had 8,500 students and over 500 faculty+staff). It has an annual budget of approximately CND$70 million. An additional CND$15 million of services are provided to UTSC by the central administration of the University.
Degrees Awarded:
Honours Bachelor of Arts (four year B.A.)
Honours Bachelor of Science (four year B.Sc.)
Bachelor of Business Administration (four year B.B.A.)
UTSC no longer offers three-year degrees. Many of it programmes have co-op streams (student go on one or more work terms during their four years of study. Currently, approximately, 35% of students are in co-op programmes.
Other Administrative Experience
1987-1989Chair, Division of Humanities, University of Toronto at Scarborough
Faculty Association:
1985-87Member of the Executive of the University of Toronto Faculty Association
1986-87Chair, External and University Relations Committee, University of Toronto Faculty Association
1986-1987Member (of the Board and the Executive) of Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA).
University Committees:
1975-77Member, Academic Affairs Committee, Scarborough College, University of Toronto.
1979-1981Member (and Chair for 1988-89), Sub-Committee on Standing Scarborough College, University of Toronto, (This committee adjudicates student petitions on academic matters)
1982-85Chair, Logic and Philosophy of Science Colloquium Committee, Graduate Department of Philosophy, U of T
1983-85Member, Principal’s Advisory Committee on Space, Scarborough College,
University of Toronto
1984-85Member, Personnel Committee, Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto.
1986-88Member, Vice-Presidential (Research) Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Animal Use and Care, University of Toronto.
1986-87Member, Sub-Committee to Investigate Establishing a Graduate Bioethics Centre, University of Toronto.
1986-87Member, Executive Committee, Institute for History and Philosophy of Science and Technology, University of Toronto.
1986-87Member, Admissions and Awards Committee, Scarborough College, University of Toronto.
1987-89Member, Health Sciences Board, University of Toronto.
1987-89Member of the University of Toronto Negotiating Team for renegotiating the memorandum of agreement with the Toronto School of Theology.
1988Member, Search Committee for a Chair of the Department of Philosophy Department, University of Toronto.
1988Member, Search Committee for a Chair of the Division of Life Science, Scarborough College, University of Toronto.
1988-89Member, Special Committee of the Academic Board to develop policies and procedures for revising policies which are “frozen” under the Memorandum of Agreement with the Faculty Association.
1988-presMember of the Academic Board, University of Toronto
1988-89Member, Agenda Committee of the Academic Board
1989-91Member, Special Committee of the Academic Board to revise the “Policies and Procedures on Academic Appointments”.
1989-93Member, Provost’s Advisory Group
1989-1994Member, President’s Advisory Committee (committee discontinued in 1994)
1990-91Member, Vice-Presidential Task Force on Mandatory Retirement
1990-92Member, Planning and Priorities Committee of the Academic Board.
1991-92Member, Committee to Review University of Toronto Library System
1991-92Member, Selection Committee for Vice-Provost
1993-94Member, Committee to Develop an International Strategy
1993-94Member, Committee to Review Institute for International Programmes
1993-94Member, Advisory Committee on the Appointment of a Status of Women Officer
1993-1994Member, Advisory Committee on the Appointment of two Vice-Provosts
1994-1998Member, Budget and Planning Committee, University of Toronto
1994-2000Alternate Academic Colleague on Council of Ontario Universities
1995-2003Member, Computing Management Board
1997-1998Member, University of Toronto Salary and Benefits Negotiating Team: negotiations with the University of Toronto Faculty Association
1997Member, Search Committee for Dean of Faculty of Arts and Science
1997Member, Search Committee for Vice-Provost: Students
1997-2003Member, Human Resources Management Board
2000-2001Chair, Provost’s Task Force on Academic Computing and New Media
2001Member, Search Committee for Vice-Provost: Faculty
2001-2002Member, Provost’s Task Force on Technology Assisted Learning
2001-2003Member, President’s Council of Deans on Undergraduate Education
2001-2003Member, Provost's Working Group on Enrolment Expansion
2002-2003Member, President and Vice-Presidents Group
2004-2008Academic Colleague on Council of Ontario Universities
2004-2005Member, Task Force to Review Museum Studies Program at U of T
2004-2010Member, Board of Regents, Victoria University, Toronto
2004-2010Member, Finance Committee, Victoria University, Toronto
2005–2007Chair, Senior Common Room Committee, Victoria University, Toronto
2006-2007Chair, Collections Committee (Committee of the Vice-President Research), University of Toronto
2007-2008Member, Working Group on Renewal of the Memorandum of Agreement between University of Toronto and the Federated Universities
2007Member, Decanal Advisory Committee on CRC Renewal Policy
2007Member, Dean’s Advisory Committee on the Appointment of a Chair of Philosophy
2008Member, Committee to Review the Office of the Bursar, Victoria University
2007-2010Member, Selection Committee for Junior Fellows, Massey College
2007-2011Member, Connaught Humanities Review Panel
2008-2009Member, Curriculum Renewal Steering Committee
2005-presWiegand Memorial Lecture Committee, Faculty of Arts and Science
2010-2014Director of Graduate Studies, IHPST
SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Involvement in National Health Issues
•Member, Standing Committee on Ethics of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research 2006-present.
•Member, Research Integrity Committee, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 2007-present
•Member, Expert Panel on Public Health Activities: to REB or not to REB (CIHR, Institute of Infection and Immunity, Health Canada, and Public Health Agency of Canada), 2007
•Advisory panel on embryo research – advisory to the Minister of Health.
•This was a follow-up to the report of the Royal Commission on New Reproductive Technologies.
•Report of the Advisory Committee was used to shape Bill C-47 (1996) and the regulatory guidelines document New Reproductive and Genetic Technologies: Setting Boundaries, Enhancing Health (June 1996)
•Bayer Advisory Council on Bioethics (1996-2004) [became Bayer International Council of Bioethics in 2001: http://www.bayer-bioethics.org/ ] (I was a member until 2004 when it was discontinued).
•Was established as an added-value component to the Bayer contract with Health Canada to supply plasma products to Canada
•Was independent of Bayer – funded through the Bayer Foundation and mandated to make its advice public at the same time as it delivered it to Bayer and Health Canada
•Issued advice on issues such as: vCJD risks to the safety of blood and plasma products and potential ways to mitigate the risks, paying contributors of plasma to ensure a self-sufficient supply of health-care products, the use of model viruses in plasma validation.
Environmental Protection
•Member, Expert Panel on the State and Trends of Biodiversity Science in Canada, Council of Canadian Academies, 2009-present.
•Past President of the Green Door Alliance Inc. (President:1994 to 2010) (a registered charity devoted to preserving green-space and farmland, and reducing urban sprawl: http://www.thegreendooralliance.ca/index1.html ).
•One aspect of its work is as a think-tank organisation producing documents on relevant issues. I have been principal author on documents related to land planning, the economic costs of urban sprawl, the extent of subsidies from public funds to developers through municipal infrastructure costs (schools, roads, sewers, etc.)
•It successfully preserved, through agricultural easements farmland in Pickering.
•It has ongoing success in getting owners of farmland and environmentally sensitive land to allow easement to be registered on the land to ensure it remains as farmland or is protected as green-space; the easements are held by the Ontario federation of Naturalist.
•Under its auspices a hiking trail system has been constructed from the southern Boundary of Uxbridge Township to the urban area of Uxbridge. This required getting landowners to register conservation easements on the portion of their land to be used for the trail. Work with landowners is now taking place to extend the trail to the northern boundary of Uxbridge.
Poverty Relief in Developing Countries
•Working with Rural Outreach Program (http://www.ropkenya.org/ ) in Western Kenya raising money for clean water, school buildings, agricultural enhancement (e.g., getting dairy cows to women’s collectives, promoting indigenous vegetable growing and use).
•Research in Western Kenya on the viability of planting GM soybeans in place of sugar cane.
•Spent time during four summers in Kenya on research, and on educational and poverty-relief initiatives.
•Principal author of a proposal to the Gates Foundation on behalf of Rural Outreach Program.
•Formed a Canadian organisation, “African Poverty Alleviation Fund” and am in the process of applying for charitable status.
Agricultural Biotechnology
•Advisor, along with a small number of international opinion leaders, to the President of Monsanto (one of the largest developers and producers of genetically modified plants).
•Advice was mainly on corporate responsibility, understanding environmentalists’ concerns, agricultural practices in the developing world, especially Africa and Monsanto’s programs of poverty alleviation in Africa.
Cultural Preservation
•Board and executive member of the Canadian Foundation for the Preservation of Chinese Cultural and Historical Treasures (for other executive members see: http://www.chineseheritage.ca/exec.html).
•This is a registered charity which has engaged in projects in China with the cooperation of Heritage Canada to preserve Chinese treasures (see: http://www.chineseheritage.ca/index.html for its home page).
•Most recently, several million dollars was raised to purchase 3D laser-scanning equipment and hire a technician. This was used in the 3 Gorges in China to record historical treasures in the Gorge before it was flooded for a massive hydro-electric project.