[FOM] CfP Symposium Mathematics and Computation: Historical and epistemological issues [from Liesbeth De Mol]

[Liesbeth De Mol]

The Centre for Logic and Philosophy of Science of 
Ghent University was founded in 1993. On the 
occasion of its 20th anniversary the Centre 
organises an international Conference on Logic 
and Philosophy of Science (CLPS13) on the themes 
that are central to its research:

- Logical analysis of scientific reasoning processes
- Methodological and epistemological analysis of scientific reasoning processes

Conference dates: 16-18 September 2013

Keynote talks will be given by Diderik Batens 
(the founder of the Centre), three logicians 
(Natacha Alechina, Graham Priest and Stephen 
Read) and three philosophers of science (Hanne 
Andersen, Hasok Chang, and Jim Woodward).

We will also schedule parallel sessions with 
contributed papers and special symposia with a 
limited number of papers. I organise the symposium (#2) on

Mathematics and Computation: Historical and epistemological issues

Traditionally, mathematics is the home of 
computation. This is one of the reasons why ``eo 
ipso computers are mathematical machines'' 
(Dijkstra, 1985). Therefore, it is not surprising 
that when the first electronic computers were 
being developed it was to study and solve 
mathematical problems. It was partly by way of 
(applied) mathematics, viz. through the 
simulation of mathematical models, that the other 
sciences like biology, physics, etc started to feel the impact of the computer.
While several mathematicians have, in the 
meantime, embraced massive computation, this 
almost natural relation between computation and 
mathematics is not always evaluated positively, 
as witnessed, for instance, by some of the 
commotion that still surrounds computer-assisted 
proofs like the four-color theorem. Such 
commotion lays bare some fundamental issues 
within (the philosophy of) mathematics and 
challenges our understanding of notions such as 
proof, mathematical understanding, abstraction, 
etc.  Because of this natural and problematic 
relation between computation, computers and 
mathematics, the impact of computation and 
computers on mathematics, and vice versa, is far from trivial.

The aim of this special session is to bring 
together researchers to reflect on this relation 
by way of a historical and/or epistemological 
analysis. We welcome contributions from 
mathematicians, computer scientists, historians 
and philosophers with a strong interest in 
history and epistemology. Topics include but are not restricted to:
     •    discrete vs. continuous mathematics
     •    time and processes in mathematics
     •    mathematical software systems (e.g. Mathematica, Maple, etc)
     •    computer-assisted proofs (e.g. Hales' proof)
     •    "experimental" mathematics
     •    computation before or without the electronic computer
     •    numerical tables
     •    role of programs in mathematics
     •    on-line mathematics (e.g. Polymath or Sloane's encyclopedia)
     •    mathematical style(s)


If you want to present a paper at this symposium, 
please upload an abstract in PDF format (between 500 and 1000 words) to:

<https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=clps13>https://www.easychair.org/conferences/?conf=clps13 
before 1 April 2013.

You will be asked to choose between one of the following submission categories:

- Logical analysis of scientific reasoning processes

- Methodological and epistemological analysis of scientific reasoning processes

- Symposium submission

Select the last option and mention the symposium 
number in the title of your abstract.

If you do not have an EasyChair account you can create one here:

<https://www.easychair.org/account/signup.cgi>https://www.easychair.org/account/signup.cgi

Unfortunately, we cannot offer any financial 
support for symposium speakers. Neither can we waive the registration fee.

All abstracts for symposia will be refereed by 
the organisers and other members of the programme 
committee. Notification of acceptance will be given by 15 May 2013.

All further information (e.g. accommodation, 
registration, maps) can be found at the 
conference website: <http://www.clps13.ugent.be/>http://www.clps13.ugent.be/.

The programme will be available on the website by 1 July 2013.