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Michela Massimi

@michelamassimi.bsky.social
5.6K followers 1.5K following 382 posts

Philosopher of science, University of Edinburgh. More about me here www.michelamassimi.com

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Reposted by Michela Massimi
Matt Haber @profmatthaber.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I made a public copy of my Program-At-A-Glance spreadsheet for the PSA27 contributed papers and symposia. You can make your own copy and customize your path through the program. It's going to be a great meeting, come join us! tinyurl.com/PSA26-Sep25. @philsci.bsky.social (psa26.oa-event.com)
tinyurl.com
PSA26 Program-At-A-Glance--Shared (Sep. 25)
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Anya Plutynski @plutynski.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
bsky.app/profile/ucph...
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Anna Alexandrova @annaalexandrova.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
A writeup abt the special issue of Studies in HPS which @martinkusch.bsky.social and I edited based on a 2022 conference held @crasshlive.bsky.social & @kingscollege.bsky.social The standard of articles is high, my own submission got rejected! So I poured my heart into the introduction. Have a read
hps.cam.ac.uk
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Adrian Currie @adrian-currie.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Methods in the Philosophy of Science: A User's Guide, edited by the inestimable @phieveigl.bsky.social (and me!), has 27 chapters from super-cool philosophers of science explaining how they do their thing, and is now open access! Our baby is free! #philsci direct.mit.edu/books/oa-edi...
direct.mit.edu
Methods in the Philosophy of Science: A User's Guide
A guidebook to methods and methodology, encouraging deeper engagement across the philosophy of science and beyond.The last twenty years have seen multiple
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
A very special book launch 🤩 for the brilliant @astroroyalscot.bsky.social at Dynamic Earth tonight with musical accompaniment by husband Rory! Got the book signed for my son and his friend too — and now time to actually read what promises to be a really good book: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-de...
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Call for Nominations: 2026 Hanneke Janssen Memorial Prize by Radboud University for best work in History &/or Philosophy of Modern Physics, by a student as part of Masters Thesis Prize: 2000 euros Nominations by a supervisor due by October 5, 2026 Qs & submit to sandra.hendriks@donders.ru.nl #HPS ⚛️
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
In beautiful Salzburg for the SOPhiA graduate conference this week sophia-conference.org/programme/ — nice to see some familiar Edinburgh faces (Martin Smith and Giada Fratantonio) appearing on the slides of the first plenary by Philip Ebert on Varieties of Risk.
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Angela Potochnik @apotochnik.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Who counts as a scientist, who gets to decide what counts as scientific, and are academics relevant to public engagement? Check out this Metascience symposium on Public Engagement with Science: Defining the Project. 1/ @mjacquart.bsky.social @metasciencejournal.bsky.social #philsci #scicomm �
link.springer.com
Book symposium: Public Engagement with Science: Defining the Project (Angela Potochnik and Melissa Jacquart)
Angela Potochnik and Melissa Jacquart. 2025. Public engagement with science: defining the project. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. This book is the ...
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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
🔊 #Edinburgh! Join me to celebrate the launch of my new book at Dynamic Earth. With live music from the Sound Rays + a full-dome planetarium experience, we'll be reconsidering what it means to be real! 🔭 Fri 11th Sept 18:30 Bar opens 19:30 Show + Book signing 🎟️: dynamicearth.org.uk/event/how-to...
A massive purple explosion appears to have occurred above Catherine's head (it's a dark matter map) as she gazes off in to the distance while holding her book.  A nice old telescope in propped on the table (not that she'd be able to see the invisible dark matter with it).
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Final Call: PSA Outreach & Engagement Prize Nominations recognizing outstanding work of a scholar or team to engage members of general public about philosophy of science. Recipient will receive a $500 cash prize & recognition at #PSA26 Deadline: September 1, 2026 11:59 pm (anywhere) #philsci
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
#HPS #STS #HPBio Postdoc in history, philosophy & sociology of race & science at Stellenbosch University in South Africa working with fantastic @msimang.bsky.social
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Anna Alexandrova @annaalexandrova.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
Two junior research fellowships @kingscollege.bsky.social opening soon due on Oct 1st. The theme is REPLICATION conceived broadly to encompass different research projects in humanities and social sciences. As a philosopher of science I am esp hoping for applications in #philsci #metascience #hps
kings.cam.ac.uk
Current research opportunities
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Grads, postdocs, & new faculty in PSA's Unerrepresented Philosophy of Science Scholars Mentoring Program: Don't miss this chance to get on the #PSA26 program in San Diego Nov 19-22. Travel funds available. Deadline Aug 15
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Philosophy of Science Association @philsci.bsky.social · 11/08/2026
Register for “Philosophers of Science at Work: Found in Translation.” This session will be focused on the problem of translating your skills and experience to facilitate the development of job application materials. The webinar will be held August 19th from 2pm - 3pm (EDT). forms.gle/a6Zzy9QPKWZA...
forms.gle
Philosophers of Science at Work - Found in Translation
Building on the success of our first webinar in June, “Philosophers of Science at Work: Exploring Non-Academic Careers”, we are excited to announce the second session: “Philosophers of Science at Work...
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Franz Berto @franzberto.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Philosophers, spread the word! The next Special Issue of The Philosophical Quarterly will be 'Philosophy and Climate Change' - Guest Editor Stephen Gardiner, call for papers here: academic.oup.com/pq/pages/cal...
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Lynette Reid @lynettereid.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The July issue of Public Health Ethics is online, including many gems. @vmywang.bsky.social 's paper "On the unfairness of the 'fair-share principle'" challenges the assumption that distributing research funding based on global burden of disease is an adequate approach. Don't neglect distal causes!
academic.oup.com
On the Unfairness of the ‘Fair-share Principle’ for Health Research
Abstract. How ought scarce health research resources be allocated, where health research spans basic, translational, clinical, health systems and public he
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Anya Plutynski @plutynski.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Interesting conversation with public health folks at Wash u… enjoyed our meeting to discuss ways of knowing. complicatingthenarrative.podbean.com/e/the-inhere...
complicatingthenarrative.podbean.com
The inherent values of science and public health with Anya Plutynski | Complicating The Narrative
How do values shape the actions and agenda of public health science?   Anya and Salma begin their conversation by discussing how values are inherently embedded in every decision that scientists make, ...
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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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Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 26/07/2026
This w/end's little snippet from my new book is from Chpt1 where we're asking "What is light?" Dear 🇺🇸US friends hoping you have a good chuckle at me attempting an American accent, rather than being affronted! #BookSky 🔭 📖: www.bloomsbury.com/uk/how-to-de... 📽️: www.youtube.com/shorts/-RIPE...
youtube.com
Chapter 1: Light Available to Preorder now!
YouTube video by Astronomer Royal Scotland Prof Catherine Heymans
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Philosophy of Science Association @philsci.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Check out our July Newsletter! Including a letter from the PSA president, more info about PSA26 San Diego, PSA election results, call for volunteers, and more! mms.philsci.org/msg_detail.p...
mms.philsci.org
Philosophy of Science Association
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Anna Alexandrova @annaalexandrova.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Check out this diamond #openaccess press of very high scholarly quality. Consider it for your #philsci monographs and check out the excellent books they already published
thebsps.org
BSPS Open - BSPS
World-class philosophy of science monographs published Open Access at no cost to authors: a collaboration between the BSPS and University of Calgary Press.
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Ellen Clarke @ellenclarke.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
@thebsps.bsky.social BSPS Leeds 2026 is go! Opening with a presidential address by Robin Hendry ‘Metaphysics & Science: A call for History’ sites.google.com/view/bsps202...
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
⏰ Encourage eligible UPSS mentees to submit their PSA abstract by August 1st! Great opportunity to get on PSA'26 program & get feedback on their project #philsci
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Philosophy of Science Association @philsci.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Registration for PSA26 San Diego is open! 🎟️ The early bird phase will end on September 1, at which point prices will increase. Visit the event site for more details and to register. As always, the most economical solution to registration is to be a member of the PSA! psa26.oa-event.com
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Read the @philsci.bsky.social reply to the US Office of Management and Budget’s May 29 proposed revisions to the Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance. Signed by President Craig Callender, President-Elect Alan Love and yours truly (Past President): www.regulations.gov/comment/OMB-...
regulations.gov
Regulations.gov
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Rebekah Higgitt @rhiggitt.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
We have made the news! #eshs-hss (overlooking the blandly sweeping statements made about Edinburgh and #histSTM) www.heraldscotland.com/news/2627512...
heraldscotland.com
Thousands of academics descend on Scottish capital for 'landmark' event
The five-day conference is being held at Edinburgh University, the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), and the National Museum of…
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
🎉🎉🎉Many congrats to Dr Chryssi Malouchou Kannellopoulou who graduated today with a PhD thesis on Reassessing selective realism. Chryssi is currently doing a postdoc in France on models and philosophy of astrochemistry. 🥳🎊
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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
As a big conference week opens tomorrow in the UK, with our session on the history of openness first up tomorrow at #HSS in Edinburgh and various sessions later in Cambridge for #SPSP, we opened the call for the 2027 ISHPSSB meeting in Buenos Aires - congressin.com/e/ishpssb202... #HPS #philsci
congressin.com
ISHPSSB 2027 | CongressIn
ISHPSSB 2027
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Cailin O’Connor @cailinmeister.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Philosophers! Craig Callender and I are circulating an open letter calling for better COI disclosure in our journals. If tech companies fund and employ philosophers working on AI, we need to know and to be thinking about the impacts 1 docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
Open Letter about Industry Funding and Disclosure in Philosophy
*For full list of signatories, updated every few hours, please click here.* In recent years, philosophical writing on areas such as climate change, technology, misinformation, and artificial intellige...
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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
And it’s out - our homage to the inimitable John Dupré, a giant of contemporary philosophy, from his loving colleagues and a stellar cast of contributors link.springer.com/book/10.1007... : #philsci
link.springer.com
Life Beyond Human Boundaries: John Dupré’s Philosophy and the Interdisciplinary Study of the Life Sciences
This open access book is self-standing as the only substantive anthology of writings centered on John Dupre’s work.
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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Supporting UK colleagues is part of an existential effort to strengthen social connections and meaning-making strategies in the face of growing inequities and crises. Please support @bspsuk.bsky.social @bshsnews.bsky.social @easst.bsky.social @epsaphilsci.bsky.social @hpspodcast.bsky.social
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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
This is a key node in the battle for democracy and the survival of our planet - fostering education and research on HOW humans assign meaning to facts, how we create and contextualise information, how we infuse knowledge into everyday decisions and interventions.
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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
I am heartbroken by University of Exeter’s decision to endanger the majority of staff in philosophy and qualitative social science, including #Egenis @exeterspspa.bsky.social No warning, no consultations, just an email dropped into inboxes announcing redundancy. c.org/zKbPJFDwBq #philsci #sts #hps
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Eran Tal at Society for Study of Measurement Conference on "When is Measurement Good? Evidence, Validity, and Values" comparing competing vales & standard tradeoffs in measurement evaluation with examples of UTC time & patient well being. #philsci
Eran in conference room with arm raised in frint of title slide Slide "Relations Among Values in Measurement
Compatible Values
Some values can be pursued simutaneously. For example, the dual pursuit of coherence and "precision when measuring fundamental physical constants (saac 2022).
Value Trade-Offs
Balancing competing goods such as accuracy vs. cost in thermometer design. Measuring "Ballung" concepts involves navigating value trade-offs (Cartwright & Runhardt 2015).
Clashing Values
Recognizing X as a value stands in tension with recognizing Y as a value (Ohnesorge 2025, Jackson 2025, Tal &
Truijens 2025)
When should we expect values to clash? or trade off? or be compatible?Slide "is UIC a Good Measure of Time?
#o
Interactive
Knowledge-First
Good when the calculated intervals mark equal duration in accordance with General Relativity (Terrestrial Time).
Values-First
Good when it provides stable international coordination and identifies the clocks that are best suited to achieve it.
Good when it sets optimal incentives for nations to
continually adjust their clocks to a common timescaleLimits of Knowledge-first Evaluations
Meaning Plurality
Depression is a Ballung concept, its meaning depends on the purpose of measuring
Patient Autonomy
Treating patients as passive sources of information clashes with individualized, co-created care
Noise is Signal
Clinicians care about the idiosyncratic variance that psychometrics attempts to eliminate
哈
Centrality of Ethics
Measuring intervenes on respondents, transmits values regarding relevance and normality
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Brilliant talk on biodiversity metrics by my former PhD @federicabocchi.bsky.social #philsci
Federica in front of slide "Virtues & Trade offs
in Selecting Biodiversity Metrics
within a
Global Institutional Framework
FEDERICA BOCCHI
federica.bocchi@ind.ku.dk
W JOERI WITTEVEEN & ARNE MOERSslide: WHAT IS
BIODIVERSITY?
fiat ptm 8.0
witti presto hitader
GENETIC DIVERSITY
• VARIETY OF GENES AND INHERITED TRAITS WITHIN A SINGLE POPULATION OR SPECIES, OR BETWEEN SPECIES CAPTURES SPECIES ADAPTABILITYEDGE METRIC
PLOS. On
即外一
the EDGE: Conservation Priorities Based onl
SIMPLICITY
relies en already-avallable data
COMMUNICABILITY
save the branches of the Tree of Life.
ROBUSTNESS
scalatue across anylorenes
EDGE =In(l+ED)+GE + In(2)
FIT FOR ZSL PURPOSES
assigns high scores to relatively forgotten species
INSTITUTIONAL
INTEROPERABILITY
with CBD & IUCN...
ACTIONABILITY
usefulCRITICISMS
EDGE does not capture what it is supposed to capture
EDGE METRIC
SOURCES OF THE INADEQUACY
• EDGE did not adequately represent phylogenetic diversity.
• ED component:
• treats phylogenetic uniqueness as a property of individual species
• but phylogenetic uniqueness is a relational property
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Alisa Bokulich @alisabokulich.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Alan Love on "Measuring Biological Function in Biomechanics: Observations and Consequences" at Society for Study Measurement Conference. #philsci
Alan Love in front of slide "Measuring Biological Function in Biomechanics: Observations and Consequences
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
Summer conference season begins for Philosophy at Edinburgh with this conference this week organised by my excellent colleague Dr Jo Wolff with a fantastic line-up of talks on history and philosophy of measurement 🤩. Welcome everyone to Scotland. #philsci
measurementsociety.org
2026 – Second Biennial Conference – The Society for the Study of Measurement
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Mark Eli Kalderon @markelikalderon.bsky.social · 18/06/2026
Open letter about philosophy job losses at Nottingham. Please consider signing docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
docs.google.com
Open Letter: Opposing Compulsory Redundancies in the Department of Philosophy, University of Nottingham
We, the undersigned, call on the University of Nottingham to reverse its plans to impose compulsory redundancies on its staff in the Department of Philosophy. The University threatens to cut around o...
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Philosophy of Science Association @philsci.bsky.social · 15/06/2026
Deadline extended to July 1, 2026! Complete details here - mms.philsci.org/msg_detail.p... PSA Philosophy of Science and Race Prize (Jul 1) - docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F... PSA26 UPSS Session (Aug 1) - docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
mms.philsci.org
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 13/06/2026
And it is a wrap! Many thanks @daianbica.bsky.social and Adrien Avramoglou for bringing us together. Au revoir Sorbonne.
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Fascinating talk by @daianbica.bsky.social on levels and scales and what binds them together. #philsci
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
Adrien Avramoglou presents a new pluralist take on the Best System Analysis of Laws building on Cohen and Callender’s seminal paper #philsci
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 11/06/2026
This great 2-day conference on the metaphysical challenge of scientific pluralism is happening now in Sorbonne — so grateful to the organisers and wonderful hosts @daianbica.bsky.social and Adrien Avramoglou— with @msuarez.bsky.social Anjan Chakravartty, Andrea Hüttemann and many more speakers.
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
In Paris where this afternoon I present jointly authored work with @abbeaberdeen.bsky.social and Marcel Jaspars on local knowledge and the law of the sea from our academic.oup.com/book/62270/c... at the Law Faculty in Sorbonne.
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Philosophy of Science Association @philsci.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Bas van Fraassen receives the Rolf Schock Prize 2026 with other laureates in mathematics, music, and visual arts in recognition for creativity in humanities, arts, and science. And tomorrow a symposium will celebrate Bas’s lifelong achievements 🎉 #philsci
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Michela Massimi @michelamassimi.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
If you work in phil science and never sent your paper to a generalist journal (because worry your readership isn’t there), Philosophy and Phenomenological Research intends to bring more Phil science to its pages, and I have just joined as one of the editors. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research
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unsrclimatehrights.bsky.social @unsrclimatehrights.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
🏵️ Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay! My new report on #Food Systems, #ClimateChange #HumanRights benefitted enormously from consultations with #Children and #Youth whose voices and clear views are amplified in🔗 tinyurl.com/2s4h8wkc 📘 Full report at tinyurl.com/497pkm44
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I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
Very much looking forward to reading a few pages from my story ‘Awd Goggle’ - which has just been published by @carnyxpress.co.uk in the anthology Oaths and Offerings - at The Hyde Park Book Club tomorrow as part of the Leeds Literary Festival! www.leedslitfest.co.uk/events/oaths...
leedslitfest.co.uk
Oaths and Offerings with Carnyx Press
Join Carnyx Press for a captivating evening of folklore-inspired short fiction. Six writers from across the North of England read
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Jo Wolff @jowolff.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Very pleased to see my 'What could a human right to participate in science be?' in Royal Society Open Science (open access) This paper certainly would not exist had it not been for the gentle persuasion and strong support of @michelamassimi.bsky.social royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article...
royalsocietypublishing.org
What could a human right to participate in science be?
Abstract. At first sight, the idea of a human right to participate in science may seem absurd. Many assume science must be the preserve only of those with
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