Naturalism, Functionalism and the Metaphysics of Science

Explore a thought-provoking talk on the intersection of naturalism, functionalism, and the metaphysics of science delivered by Alison Fernandes from Trinity College Dublin. Delve into the concept of methodological naturalism and its implications for metaphysical theories in scientific contexts. Examine the explanatory demands placed on these theories, including the need to elucidate why we reason using specific posits and the roles of posited entities. Discover how this naturalistic functionalist approach impacts current debates in the foundations of physics, particularly regarding temporal asymmetry and modal relations. Gain insights into the challenges of explaining concepts like causation and the direction of time within a naturalistic framework. Engage with critical discussions on ontological methodological naturalism, epistemic demands, and the unity of science throughout this comprehensive seminar from the Foundations of Physics @Harvard series.

Introduction
Outline
Metaphysics
Ontological methodological naturalism
Methodological naturalists
Naturalism vs metaphysics
Why are we doing this
What will we regret doing
Epistemic demands
The direction of time
Premier direction
Tim Maudlin
Matthias Mller
Temporal asymmetries
epistemic and appearance demands
approaches to explaining concepts
explanatory demands
antimetaphysics
function of concepts
causation
Modal relations
Modal discoveries
Issues of the form
Breaking the Unity of Science
Conclusion