17-19 July 2024, University of York

The BSPS 2024 Annual Conference will take place on 17-19 July at the University of York. The Conference will be an in-person event only.

The Conference

Conference Registration

Register to attend the BSPS Annual Conference here. Deadline for registration is 26th June 2024. Early Bird rate ends on 31st May 2024.

Registration fees:
Early bird student/unwaged rate: £150.00
Early bird standard rate: £185.00
Student/unwaged rate: £165.00
Regular rate: £200.00

Note: Registration fees include lunch (on 18th & 19th July) and refreshments during the conference and a drinks reception (on 17th July).

Optional Extras:
Conference dinner (7pm, 18th July) at ASK Italian: £28 for a 3-course meal (drinks are available for purchase at the restaurant).
Uncomfortable York walking tour (6.30pm-8pm, 19th July): £7 per person
Bed & Breakfast accommodation on campus: £50 per night

BSPS Membership

Registration is not yet open for the BSPS 2024 Conference.

Note that an active membership of the BSPS is required in order to register for the Conference. To join the BSPS, follow the link. To join the BSPS, follow the link.

An active membership of the BSPS is required in order to register for the Conference. To join the BSPS, follow the link below. 

Join the BSPS

Programme

In addition to selected individual talks and symposia, there will be a presidential address from James Ladyman (Bristol), a keynote from Fiona MacPherson (Glasgow) and a plenary panel discussion on Working with Scientists, featuring Marta Halina (Cambridge), Ann C Thresher (Stanford) and James Wakefield (Exeter), and chaired by Adrian Currie (Exeter).

The conference will officially begin on Wednesday 17th July 2024 with a Welcome and Plenary talk from 3pm, followed by a Drinks Reception. However, there are several events occurring earlier in the day, which attendees may be interested in attending (and therefore, should take into account when planning their travel to York):

  1. All BSPS members are invited to attend the AGM, which will take place as a hybrid event, at 10.30am on 17th July 2024.
  2. All students and ECRs are invited to attend the Graduate Student Workshop, 1.30-3pm, on 17th July 2024. (Details, t.b.a.)

Accommodation Bookings

Conference attendees will be able to benefit from a discounted room rates at four hotels in Bristol’s Clifton area. Please note that these rates are subject to change. Book early to avoid disappointment.

In order to reserve rooms, you will just need to quote the discount code “BSPS2023” at any four of the hotels, which will then apply the discount from the best available daily rate. Please note that this code is available on this website (https://cliftonhotels.com). It can also be used when booking directly with the hotels’ reception, either via phone or email.

The four hotels are:

  • The Berkeley Square Hotel, 0117 925 4000; berkeley.reception@cliftonhotels.com
  • The Clifton Hotel, 0117 973 6882; clifton.reception@cliftonhotels.com
  • The Rodney Hotel, 0117 973 5422; rodney.reception@cliftonhotels.com
  • The Washington Guesthouse, 0117 973 3980; washington.reception@cliftonhotels.com

Call for Symposia

Symposia at the BSPS 2024 Annual Conference

Submission is now open for proposals for symposia to be presented at the BSPS 2024 Annual Conference in York on 17th-19th July 2024. The deadline for submitting symposium proposals is 16th February 2024.

Overview

A symposium should involve several presenters, typically 3-4, organised around a topic of interest. Symposia may be on any topic in the philosophy of science. A maximum of 90 minutes of space on the programme will be allocated to successful symposia. The symposia will be selected by the BSPS committee. The committee will strive for quality, variety, innovation, and diversity on the programme; ideally the programme will reflect the full range of current work in the philosophy of science. Symposia that make connections with, or include, working scientists are warmly invited. We will not be considering ‘Author Meets Critics’ sessions, but topical sessions that build upon recently published books are acceptable.

Instructions

Proposals must include sufficient supporting material to permit the committee to evaluate the quality and interest of the symposium. Proposals for symposia should include:

  • The title of the proposed symposium
  • A short descriptive summary of the proposal (100-200 words)
  • A description of the topic and a justification of its current importance to the discipline (500-1000 words)
  • Titles and abstracts of all papers, with 250-500 words for the title and abstract of each paper
  • A list of participants and either an abbreviated curriculum vitae or short biographical description (not to exceed 1 page) for each participant, including any non-presenting co-authors.
  • Institutional affiliation and e-mail addresses for all participants, including any non-presenting co-authors.

Deadline and dates

The deadline for submitting symposium proposals is 16th February 2024. Authors will be informed of the committee’s decisions around 8th March 2024. Please see important information below on BSPS policy regarding multiple submissions.

Submission

Proposals for symposia should be submitted via email as one pdf file to a.currie@exeter.ac.uk.

Rules for Acceptance

No one will be permitted to present more than once at BSPS 2024. Thus, if a symposium proposal in which you are a presenting author is accepted, you cannot submit a contributed paper for which you are the presenting author. Commentators that are part of symposia are considered to be presenting authors. A scholar may appear as co-author on more than one paper or symposium talk, but may present at BSPS 2024 only once.

Any individual can be part of only one symposium proposal in which he or she is a presenting author. Note that this policy excludes the practice of being a presenting author for more than one symposium proposal and subsequently choosing to present in only one symposium if multiple proposals are accepted.

If an accepted symposium subsequently loses participants, maintaining acceptance will become contingent upon the symposium organiser developing satisfactory alternatives to maintain the quality and coherence of the committee.

All questions about submissions should be directed in the first instance to the programme organiser, Adrian Currie, on a.currie@exeter.ac.uk.

Call for Abstracts

The Call for is now open for papers at the BSPS 2024 Annual Conference in York on 17th-19th July 2024.

Papers may be on a wide selection of topics within the philosophy of science (see list below) and should be suitable for presentation in 20 minutes, which will allow 10 minutes discussion.

Abstracts should be received no later than 15th March 2024 (symposium applicants will have heard back by 8th March). Abstracts should be a maximum of 500 words (not including indicative bibliography). Abstracts will be anonymously refereed by the programme committee, and successful contributors notified by 19th April. Abstracts should include an outline of the central argument of the paper. To ensure full consideration, please also include a short bibliography of 2-5 representative references. We do not anticipate being able to share referees’ comments.

List of Topics:

1. General philosophy of science
2. Philosophy of the physical sciences
3. Philosophy of the life sciences
4. Philosophy of the cognitive sciences
5. Philosophy of the social sciences
6. Formal philosophy of science
7. Integrated history, philosophy, and social studies of science
8. Science and values
9. Philosophy of AI
10. Philosophy of Medicine

Please submit your anonymised abstract via OxfordAbstracts

Questions about submissions should be directed in the first instance to programme organiser, Adrian Currie (a.currie@exeter.ac.uk)