Lisa Dolling

In this work I look at the Copenhagen interpretation of quantum physics, especially as espoused by Niels Bohr, and place it in the context of the so-called "interpretive-turn" contemporary philosophy has taken. From a close reading of the three volumes of philosophical essays written by Bohr, I show how the philosophy that emerges as the result of heeding a variety of what Bohr refers to as "epistemological lessons" is quite consistent with a philosophical hermeneutics one finds in the work of Hans-Georg Gadamer. ;Principally, I show how the three central aspects of Gadamer's thought, namely, Dialogue, Experience, and Bildung , are likewise at the heart of the thought of Bohr. ;After a brief history of hermeneutics, including the understanding/explanation dichotomy as it plays a role in the philosophy of science, I examine the following topics: A brief history of quantum theory; The measurement problem and the subject-object distinction; Language and objectivity; The problem of causality and the breakdown of language; Realism and truth; Complementarity. ;My analysis shows similarities between the way Bohr treats these scientific/philosophical issues and the treatment they are given by Gadamer and modern hermeneutics. ;Most importantly, I show how Bohr's innovative conception of "Complementarity" belongs to philosophical hermeneutics just as much as to quantum theory. Bohr's attempts to apply complementarity outside the domain of physical science--especially to ethnological and anthropological studies--yield an approach to these disciplines that is similar to the more hermeneutic approach found in the work of Peter Winch and Clifford Geertz. ;Finally, I show how Bohr's attempts to propound a theory of a "Unity of Knowledge" contribute to the current rationality debates taking place in the philosophy of science and are further evidence that we have moved beyond the more traditional exclusionary choices of "realism versus anti-realism" and "objectivism versus relativism.".

LISA M. DOLLING reviews Feminist Interpretations of Ayn Rand, edited by Mimi Reisel Gladstein and Chris Matthew Sciabarra. The anthology attempts to re-read Rand's work in light of important feminist issues and to locate it in the context of debates current in feminist discourse. Dolling argues that the book—which contains nineteen articles by philosophers, psychologists, literary theorists, and numerous others—is an important step toward bringing fresh attention to Rand's thought and toward the canon-transformation called for by contemporary scholars

The use of Big Data—however the term is defined—involves a wide array of issues and stakeholders, thereby increasing numbers of complex decisions around issues including data acquisition, use, and sharing. Big Data is becoming a significant component of practice in an ever-increasing range of disciplines; however, since it is not a coherent “discipline” itself, specific codes of conduct for Big Data users and researchers do not exist. While many institutions have created, or will create, training opportunities to prepare people to work in and around Big Data, insufficient time, space, and thought have been dedicated to training these people to engage with the ethical, legal, and social issues in this new domain. Since Big Data practitioners come from, and work in, diverse contexts, neither a relevant professional code of conduct nor specific formal ethics training are likely to be readily available. This normative paper describes an approach to conceptualizing ethical reasoning and integrating it into training for Big Data use and research. Our approach is based on a published framework that emphasizes ethical reasoning rather than topical knowledge. We describe the formation of professional community norms from two key disciplines that contribute to the emergent field of Big Data: computer science and statistics. Historical analogies from these professions suggest strategies for introducing trainees and orienting practitioners both to ethical reasoning and to a code of professional conduct itself. We include two semester course syllabi to strengthen our thesis that codes of conduct can be harnessed to support the development of ethical reasoning in, and a sense of professional identity among, Big Data practitioners

The development of physical theory is one of our greatest intellectual achievements. Its products--the currently prevailing theories of physics, astronomy, and cosmology--have proved themselves to possess intrinsic beauty and to have enormous explanatory and predictive power. This anthology of primary readings chronicles the birth and maturation of five such theories (the heliocentric theory, the electromagnetic field theory, special and general relativity, quantum theory, and the big bang theory) in the words of the scientists who brought them to life. It is the first historical account that captures the rich substance of these theories, each of which represents a fascinating story of the interplay of evidence and insight--and of dialogue among great minds. Readers sit in with Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo as they overturn the geocentric universe; observe the genius of Faraday and Maxwell as they "discover" the electromagnetic field; look over Einstein's shoulder as he works out the details of relativity; listen in as Einstein and Bohr argue for the soul of quantum mechanics in the Completeness Debate; and watch as Hubble and others reveal the history of the universe. The editors' approach highlights the moments of discovery that rise from scientific creativity, and the presentation humanizes the scientific process, revealing the extent to which great scientists were the first to consider the philosophical implications of their work. But, most significantly, the editors offer this as their central thesis: although each was ushered in by a revolution, and each contains counterintuitive elements that delayed its acceptance, these five theories exhibit a continuous rational development that has led them to a permanent place in the worldview of science. Accessible to the general reader yet sufficiently substantive that working scientists will find value in it, The Tests of Time offers an intimate look into how physical theory has been developed, by the brilliant people who have developed it.