Lecture
LTP Lecture Machine Learning in Science: Just a toy?
- Date
- Thursday 18 January 2024
- Time
- Series
- Past events 2023/2024
- Location
-
Gravensteen
Pieterskerkhof 6
2311 SR Leiden - Room
- 0.11
The Leiden University Centre Theoretical Philosophy is pleased to announce a lecture by Dr. Emily Sullivan, Utrecht University.
Abstract
More and more sciences are turning to machine learning (ML) technologies to solve long-standing problems or make new discoveries—ranging from medical science to fundamental physics. The ever-growing fingerprint ML modelling has on the production of scientific knowledge and understanding comes with new opportunities and also pressing challenges.
In this talk, I discuss how philosophy of science and epistemology can help us understand the potential and limits of ML used for science. Specifically, I will argue that ML models in science function in a similar way that highly idealized toy models do. Thinking of ML models as toy models can help to shed light on the scope of ML’s potential for scientific understanding.
Attendance at the lectures is free, and there is no need to register. For further questions, please contact Dr. Catharine Diehl at c.e.diehl@phil.leidenuniv.nl
All are welcome!