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David Colaço

@davidcolaco.bsky.social
1.6K followers 565 following 269 posts

Philosopher of science/neuroscience/cog science. Postdoc at LMU Munich, MCMP. I make pizza. He/Him sites.google.com/site/colacodavidj

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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
SPAN was a very good conference the first time around, so I encourage scholars to submit to its second meeting. Follow @socphilneuro.bsky.social for their updates:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
John Graham Dalyell said of a planarian worm that it "is privileged to multiply its species in proportion to the violence offered to its otherwise delicate frame. It may almost be called immortal under the edge of the knife." New research addresses neurogenesis during planarian regeneration:
nature.com
Combinatorial mechanisms specify cellular location and neurotransmitter identity during planarian neurogenesis - Nature Communications
During regeneration, new neurons need to be made in a way that reproduces both neuronal diversity and organization. Here the authors show that a combination of factors works cooperatively to direct ne...
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
The International Symposium on the Connection Between Physics and Metabolism in Brain Functions is soon, with talks on: Quantum Biology Physical Approaches to Brain Metabolism Mechanodiseases Clinical Translation and Patient Perspectives And me closing on metabolism and cognition Please share
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Hivemind: does anyone here have experience with (and ideally recommendations for) hosting services for academic podcasts? If so, please respond to this post or contact me directly.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The sign on the back entrance to the office:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
A thread on bacterial learning and memory:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
More popular press on non-neuronal memories from @shilabanerjee.bsky.social. Interestingly enough, Banerjee notes the following: "Using the broadest definition of learning, our findings show that memory and learning can emerge from chemical networks in a cell, with no brain or neurons of any kind"
theconversation.com
Learning without a brain – how bacteria store memories and remember the past like artificial neural networks
Bacteria use strategies similar to artificial neural networks to use the past to adapt to the future.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
The Philosophy of Memory Organization @phomode-vp.bsky.social keeps a set of teaching resources, including sample syllabi, here. www.phomo.org/teaching-res... This includes a course I have taught a couple of terms ago on "Topics in Philosophy of Memory" at LMU Munich. #cogsci #philsky #philsci
phomo.org
Teaching resources | The Philosophy of Memory Organization
A repository of teaching resources for courses that bear on philosophical issues about memory.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
This is the main case I discuss in "Detecting Phenomena in Datasets: Is the Rest Noise?" link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
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Julia M. Rohrer @dingdingpeng.the100.ci · 27/08/2026
Psychological Science special issue call 📣 Ever had your research denigrated bc it's "only descriptive", "what's the mechanism though?" and "but what are the theoretical implications?" Now has come your time to shine. Send your best descriptive work! www.psychologicalscience.org/publications...
Psychological Science invites submissions that advance psychological science through careful description of psychological phenomena. Psychological research often focuses on explaining and predicting phenomena before we have a sufficiently detailed understanding of them. It can be difficult to build strong theories on incomplete empirical foundations of the phenomena themselves. Careful descriptive research helps establish shared empirical reference points developed around well-characterized phenomena. As such, descriptive research contributes to psychological science both by improving our understanding of the phenomena themselves and by providing a stronger foundation for future theory-building, explanation, and prediction.

We are interested in manuscripts that:

Deepen our understanding of psychological phenomena, including what they look like, how they vary, and how they unfold;
Draw on a variety of sources of evidence and methods, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches; research conducted in naturalistic settings; intensive, longitudinal, or small-sample designs; and open or large-scale datasets; 
Provide necessary context for interpreting what is being described, including who is represented in the data, the settings and circumstances in which phenomena occur, and the broader social contexts in which they are situated; and/or
Make a substantive contribution to psychological science through the quality, depth, or significance of the description provided.
The deadline for submitting regular manuscripts is April 15, 2027. Registered Reports will also be considered. The deadline for submitting Stage 1 Registered Reports is November 15, 2026. Authors should indicate in the “Comments to Editor” box during submission that the manuscript is intended for the “Descriptive Research in Psychological Science” special issue.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
My chapter in the book "Scientific Mistakes and Mistaken Science: Malfunction, Error, Failure" is now available online: My chapter is titled: "Detecting Phenomena in Datasets: Is the Rest Noise?" (This is microwave oven case) #philsci #philsky link.springer.com/chapter/10.1...
link.springer.com
Detecting Phenomena in Datasets: Is the Rest Noise?
When detecting scientific phenomena, researchers often aim to separate datasets into signal and noise. This signal-noise distinction captures that not all data one collects are relevant to this phenom...
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
New work by Héloïse Athéa and Guillaume Montagnac on memory definitions and concepts. From their abstract (and relevant to me): --We argue that cellular memory is heuristically productive and can be understood as a “definition as a hypothesis.”--
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
If anyone is interested in what data centers, this work provides first- and second-hand experiences of it, along with historical, social, and political context for the building of AI infrastructure:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
The syllabus for my course Philosophy of Scientific Communication is now available here. Please share to anyone who might be interested in teaching a course like this (and kindly give me an acknowledgment if you use it): drive.google.com/file/d/1LDKY...
drive.google.com
Colaco Philosophy of Scientific Communication Syllabus.pdf
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
My @lmu-mcmp.bsky.social colleauges have launched a new diamond open access journal, The Journal of Mathematical Philosophy: mathematicalphilosophy.org/mathphil/abo... If you have work in areas of mathematical philosophy (broadly understood), consider submitting:
mathematicalphilosophy.org
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
I had a good time speaking as an MCMP fellow on metabolism, cognition, and computation. The Summer School Students have things to say about cognition, computation, and computationalism. #philsci, #cogsci, #philsky
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Melissa Jacquart @mjacquart.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Philosophers of the PSA #philsci @philsci.bsky.social: 2 reminders of deadlines on August 1st from the PSA Outreach and Engagement Committee! PSA Outreach & Engagement Prize, and AAAS | SciLine Workshop!... 1/4
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
October 9th, I will give the closing lecture at the 3rd International Symposium on the Connection Between Physics and Metabolism in Brain Functions. It will take place in Barcelona. Registration is open. Junior scholars can apply for travel scholarships #philsci, #cogsci, #neuroskyence, #philsky
formacion.sjdhospitalbarcelona.org
International Symposium on the Connection Between Physics and Metabolism in Brain Functions
Discover emerging research on quantum biology, mechanobiology and cognition through expert-led sessions connecting science, medicine and innovation.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
For those interested in memory transfer (the topic of my book): #16mmfilmography (avgeeks.bsky.social) hosts The Way Out Men, a documentary that features James V. McConnell studying his cannibal worms (featured at 9:45): 16mmfilmography.org/film/the-way... #hps #philsky
16mmfilmography.org
The Way Out Men (Part One) — 16mm Filmography
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
This Friday, I will be helping with the @lmu-mcmp.bsky.social Summer School for Widening Participation in Mathematical Philosophy. I will speak on "Thinking about metabolism when modeling cognition":
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
More works coming out about the relation between brain energy efficiency and AI. @meganakpeters.bsky.social is also a contributor to quite a nice commentary for @phaueis.eurosky.social and my BBS target article on "Metabolic considerations for cognitive modeling".
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Stephan Hartmann @stephanhartmann.bsky.social · 23/06/2026
Congratulations to my LMU Munich colleague Alyssa Ney on her ERC Advanced Grant for MetaQ: The Nature of Reality According to Quantum Physics. A wonderful and well-deserved achievement. Looking forward to seeing the results of this exciting project! #ERC #LMU #QuantumPhysics
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
I am organizing a symposium accepted for #PSA26 titled: A "metabolic turn" in studying cognition and computation With: @khoudary.bsky.social @jtheriault.bsky.social Mazviita Chirimuuta Myself (presenting work with @phaueis.bsky.social) #philsci, #cogsci, #philsky See yinz in San Diego
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
My keynote from #IPM5, on "Conflict over and resistance to how we conceptualize memory." Taken by @sarahrobins.bsky.social
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
For @gershbrain.bsky.social, if you don't have it already: (I can provide more context if need be)
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
www.quantamagazine.org/are-memories... Next week, I will speak on some of this history at IPM5. It is weirder than you likely could imagine.
quantamagazine.org
Are Memories Transferable — or Edible? | Quanta Magazine
In the 1960s, worm-training experiments and their strange implications captivated the nation. Columnist Claire L. Evans follows the neuroscientists who attempted to recapture the magic.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Tomorrow, I give a talk on "Metabolism and the Medium of Cognition" at this event: This is work with @phaueis.bsky.social #philsci, #cogsci, #neuroskyence, #philsky www.uantwerpen.be/en/research-...
uantwerpen.be
| Centre for Philosophical Psychology | University of Antwerp
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
To promote my work on the Problem of Explaining Shifting Targets (PEST), I have written a post for the New Work in Philosophy Substack. I talk about turmeric. Check it out here: #philsci #philsky
newworkinphilosophy.substack.com
"The problem of explaining shifting targets" - David Colaço (LMU Munich)
European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 2026
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The Philosophy of Memory Organization @phomo.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
The IPM 5 program is available to view! We're very excited for the fantastic conference that @sarahrobins.bsky.social has put together and looking forward to everyone's talks at Purdue in just a couple of weeks! www.phomo.org/event-detail...
phomo.org
Issues in Philosophy of Memory 5 | The Philosophy of Memory Organization
Explore how memory shapes identity
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
I will give a talk at "Beyond Neuro-computationalism: the philosophy and science of biological brains." My talk is titled "Metabolism and the Medium of Cognition" More information and registration information in the repost. Consider attending:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/05/2026
IPM5 is coming up soon, and here is a Memory Palace post about it. The program is now available through the post. My keynote talk is titled: "Conflict Over and Resistance to How We Conceptualize Memory."
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
This event starts tomorrow. I speak on Wednesday. The event can be attended virtually: contact the organizers for more details: phil-mem.org/events/2026-...
phil-mem.org
Centre for Philosophy of Memory
Centre for Philosophy of Memory, Centre de philosophie de la mémoire
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Philipp Haueis @phaueis.eurosky.social · 04/05/2026
I had a great time presenting my work on comparing biological and artificial cognitive systems at the PAIR (Philosophy and AI Research) at FAU Erlangen Nürnberg today! Based on the joint BBS target article with @davidcolaco.bsky.social, I ask (1/2)
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
I have put in my proofs for my chapter in "Scientific Mistakes and Mistaken Science: Malfunction, Error, Failure," which is due out later this year. My contribution is titled: "Detecting phenomena in datasets: Is the rest noise?"
link.springer.com
Scientific Mistakes and Mistaken Science
This book shows that the understanding of science is somewhat biased, and error, failure and mistake play a more substantial role than usually conceived
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
I will speak at "Atypical Cases of Memory: From Minimal Agents to Human Development" May 13th. My talk is titled: "What type of memory should concern us? Assessing the viability of taxonomic retreat"
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Borut Trpin @boruttrpin.bsky.social · 05/04/2026
New paper in Philosophical Studies (with @stephanhartmann.bsky.social): We answer recent critiques of probabilistic measures with a coherence-based approach: explanatory power = how well the explanatory package coheres with the explanandum vs its negation. doi.org/10.1007/s110...
doi.org
Coherence-based measures of explanatory power - Philosophical Studies
Philosophical Studies - Recent critiques have cast doubt on the viability of probabilistic measures of explanatory power. We respond by developing a coherence-based family of measures that...
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Sam Gershman @gershbrain.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
New work w/ Zach Kelso and @madeleinecsnyder.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6... Our negative results on classical conditioning in planarian flatworms. This was surprising, given the long history of work (including sensational findings of memory transfer and retention through decapitation).
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
Several people seemed interested in my Philosophy of Scientific Communication course, so here is my schedule of readings. Thanks to everyone for their help; I hope to get to additional topics mentioned using these as the anchors:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
What are we explaining, and is it what we are trying to explain? (Available open access)
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Catherine Herfeld @cherfeld.bsky.social · 09/04/2026
🔥 This wonderful workshop on Scientific Progress via Model Transfer perfectly organized by Karim Baraghith and our own Edoardo Peruzzi started. 2 days of talks and posters that discuss the case of cultural evolution as a case of model transfer. But is it also progressive? @modeltransfer.bsky.social
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Sometimes we try to explain one thing but end up explaining something else. In this paper, I address when this is a problem, which I call the “Problem of Explaining Shifting Targets” (PEST). #philsci #cogsky (Available open access)
link.springer.com
The problem of explaining shifting targets - European Journal for Philosophy of Science
European Journal for Philosophy of Science - Sometimes we try to explain one thing but end up explaining something else. In this paper, I address when this is a problem, which I call the...
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Philipp Haueis @phaueis.eurosky.social · 17/03/2026
Academic events in Berlin (1/2): Integrating explanatory paradigms in neuroscience at TU Berlin , organized by @beakr.bsky.social, with talks by @francesegan.bsky.social @gualtiero.bsky.social , @tonychemero.bsky.social, @okaydaniellle.bsky.social my collaborator @davidcolaco.bsky.social and more
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Matthew Sims @philosobio.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Pre-peer reviewed study by Sam Gershman's lab (Harvard) suggesting associative learning in the protozoan S. coeruleus. Let the debates regarding whether the necessary controls to establish "true" AL were used begin. This is top notch experimental design. Good on them! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
biorxiv.org
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 13/03/2026
I will be a speaker at "Atypical cases of memory" this may. I intend to make my talk weird:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
I am preparing a course on "Philosophy of Scientific Communication" for the LMU summer term. I have worked out much of what I want to teach (which I will share once I finalize), but hivemind please let me know what readings or topics would interest you for a course like this. #philsci #philsky
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Luis Lopez @lglopez.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Philosophy of machine learning at the MCMP www.philosophie.lmu.de/mcmp/en/rese...
philosophie.lmu.de
Philosophy of machine learning at the MCMP
We investigate machine learning and artificial intelligence in the tradition of scientific philosophy embodied by the MCMP.
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Starting tomorrow: I'll talk about impediments to relating explanatory paradigms. It will involve both explananda and explanantia:
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Last November, I took part in a workshop on Minimal Cognition at the University of Valencia. Now, there is a Special Issue in Biology & Philosophy on Minimal Cognition. Check out the call:
link.springer.com
Minimal cognition
Description of the collection: Research on minimal cognition seeks to identify the minimal organizational, functional, or normative conditions under which ...
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 17/02/2026
My paper, "The problem of explaining shifting targets," has been accepted for publication in European Journal for Philosophy of Science. The preprint is currently available on PhilSci-Archive (final version to follow when its online): philsci-archive.pitt.edu/28211/
philsci-archive.pitt.edu
The Problem of Explaining Shifting Targets - PhilSci-Archive
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David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
I am getting excited for this workshop in Berlin at the end of the month:
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