Sign in

David Colaço

@davidcolaco.bsky.social
1.6K followers 583 following 275 posts

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

PostsRepliesMedia
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
@phaueis.eurosky.social and my BBS response: "Giving metabolism its due"
050
Reposted by David Colaço
Nobel Prize @nobelprize.org · 05/10/2026
Learn more about the 2026 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Press release: bit.ly/4rgMBol Popular information: bit.ly/4xBghhH Advanced information: bit.ly/4j2v4OM
010740
Reposted by David Colaço
Nature @nature.com · 05/10/2026
BREAKING: The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Karl Deisseroth, Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel “for their discoveries concerning light-gated ion channels and optogenetics.” More to follow.
A photo of the Nobel medal
222554
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Sometimes you put such nice bait on the hook that you yourself become the fish
010
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It turns out that discovering, articulating, and describing phenomena is pretty complicated, actually
130
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
@stephanpohl.bsky.social @jtheriault.bsky.social @caitlinmace.bsky.social @brendanfg.bsky.social
020
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Commentators who I follow on bsky (and thus can tag) include: @khoudary.bsky.social @meganakpeters.bsky.social @olivia.science @irisvanrooij.bsky.social @okaydaniellle.bsky.social @sarahrobins.bsky.social @zoedrayson.bsky.social @jonathannajenson.bsky.social @wikror.bsky.social @laukas.bsky.social
140
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
The complete version of @phaueis.eurosky.social and my BBS target article, "Metabolic considerations for cognitive modeling," is now available. It includes 32 commentaries and our response. Please share #philsci #philsky #cogsci
cambridge.org
Metabolic considerations for cognitive modeling | Behavioral and Brain Sciences | Cambridge Core
Metabolic considerations for cognitive modeling - Volume 49
15325
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The fact that this category permits inference and can score bonus points yet very realistically might not be the biggest is disturbing
000
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Did you have to nerf the category
001
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Do emails in category C have to actually say this, or is reasonable inference sufficient
210
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
(Serial Experiments Lain, 1998)
010
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:
001
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...
030
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
030
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.
011
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
The sign on the back entrance to the office:
030
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
It would be more Catholic if you incorporated shame
020
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
A thread on bacterial learning and memory:
0198
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
My work on broad definitions and their roles in science: www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
cambridge.org
010
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Research article here: journals.aps.org/prxlife/abst...
journals.aps.org
Multi-Timescale Adaptation and Emergent Learning in Single Bacterial Cells
E. coli integrate environmental history through scale-free memory, performing recurrent, neural-like computation to balance growth and survival in fluctuating nutrient conditions.
100
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.
161
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Other contributed syllabi include those from @felipedebrigard.bsky.social @sarahrobins.bsky.social @jomahr.bsky.social @beckocopenhaver.bsky.social @openshaw.bsky.social @nazimkeven.bsky.social @martacarava.bsky.social and others (I think?) are not on bsky (tag them if they are)
020
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.
182
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...
000
Reposted by David Colaço
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.
7244128
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
Catholic Coded
010
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
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...
140
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 08/08/2026
My chapter in this anthology deals with this case: #philsci
2153
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Their noise book comes up a little bit in an earlier article of mine: link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com
When remediating one artifact results in another: control, confounders, and correction - History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences
Scientists aim to remediate artifacts in their experimental datasets. However, the remediation of one artifact can result in another. Why might this happen, and what does this consequence tell us abou...
110
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 06/08/2026
Here is the abstract:
000
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...
391
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
#philsci #philsky
010
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.”--
160
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
It is certainly a relevant topic. Some social media topics were left on the cutting room floor, as (1) too little time, (2) I like my courses to have a narrative from topic to topic, and (3) I didn't have enough accessible readings. Thank you; I will keep this for another round of the course.
000
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:
020
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Hopefully the character of the course will be clearer to you when you have had a chance to go through the syllabus. The course addresses topics pertinent to scientific communication, which link (sometimes obviously, sometimes not) to topics in PoS.
100
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Feel free to send me a message, as I am not following what it is that you are asking. Perhaps topic and discipline are being conflated here
100
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
This is principally a philosophy of science course
100
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Aside from the authors and publication venues of many of the readings, communication allows accessible entry points into values in science, science/pseudoscience, abstraction, inductive risk, (social) epistemology of science, Bayesian etwas, and other topics.
110
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
We do have the apothecary diaries
010
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
@kjephd.bsky.social this is the course we discussed
000
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
#philsci #philsky
110
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 03/08/2026
Thanks to @haicinnamon.bsky.social for some of the readings
120
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
35921
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
0138
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
0121
Reposted by David Colaço
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
155
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.
083
David Colaço @davidcolaco.bsky.social · 27/07/2026
Incidentally, this documentary was (to the best I can determine with receipts) directed and produced by Mel Stuart, who would go on to direct the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971. If you ever felt that Willy Wonka had a documentary feel, this is probably in part why.
020