<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=Windows-1252">
<style type="text/css" style="display:none;"> P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} </style>
</head>
<body dir="ltr">
<div class="elementToProof" style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<br>
</div>
<div style="direction: ltr;"> </div>
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px;">
<div style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); margin: 0px;">
<table data-e2ma-color="#e64626, #000000, #3f7ab9, #eeeeee" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="vertical-align: top;">
<table id="x_template_container" style="width: 640px; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="vertical-align: top;">
<table style="width: 640px; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="background-color: rgb(230, 70, 38); padding: 25px; vertical-align: top;">
<table align="center" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table align="center" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<div style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
School of History and Philosophy of Science</div>
<div style="text-align: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 20px;">
<b>RESEARCH SEMINAR</b></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
<td align="center" style="width: 150px;">
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><img alt="The University of Sydney" width="150" height="52" style="width: 150px; height: 52px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/8c/9b/e0/27/9f98e4c779985cb365ac9f5d_300x104.png"></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); vertical-align: top;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table id="x_block_zrftjbxu" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="padding: 1px; vertical-align: top;">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center; vertical-align: top;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><img width="638" height="425" style="width: 638px; height: 425px; display: block;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/a1/8c/a4/9f/84602c72f4c731609c6d3e61_1276x850.jpg"></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table id="x_block_jfviesog" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="line-height: 1.5; vertical-align: top;">
<table style="line-height: 1.5; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="line-height: 1.5; padding: 20px; vertical-align: top;">
<h1 style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: rgb(230, 70, 38);">
Brownian motion, theory confirmation and the stratification of scientific knowledge</h1>
<div style="text-align: center; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">
<b>Alan Chalmers</b><br>
<br>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left; line-height: 21px; margin-bottom: 10px; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">
<b>Dates: </b>Monday, 22 April 2024<br>
<b>Time: </b>5:30pm<br>
<b>Venue: </b>New Law Building (F10), Level 3, Room 344<br>
<b>How to register: </b>Free, no registration required.<br>
<br>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">
<b>Abstract: </b>Jean Perrin’s experiments on Brownian motion are typically seen as providing especially decisive evidence for the reality of molecules. Research in the area has been raised to a new level of sophistication by George Smith and Raglan Seth in
their book Brownian motion and molecular reality. In this paper I draw out and elaborate on key consequences of that work that are of general interest. I use the case of Brownian motion to argue (i) That there is more to the confirmation of scientific theories
than the validation of their predictive and explanatory power. The concordance of alternative measures of a physical quantity offers a stronger kind of confirmation. Those scientists who saw Perrin’s and associated research as bringing an end to the hypothetical
status of molecular-kinetic theory had a point. (ii) Perrin established knowledge of Brownian motion at various levels, some involving no theory, some assuming that the motions of Brownian granules is governed by Newton’s laws of motion and some invoking the
molecular-kinetic theory. Knowledge at each level was vindicated by appeal to concordant measures of physical quantities, implying that knowledge at each level has a similar epistemological status. It is not the case that knowledge necessarily gets more speculative
the further it gets from what is directly observable to the senses nor is it the case that knowledge at the atomic and molecular level is superior to that at the observable level because it can in principle explain the latter and render it redundant. Knowledge
at the various levels and the relationship between them are all key elements of scientific knowledge and its mode of progress. (iii) An appreciation of the various levels of knowledge of Brownian motion helps to dispel any puzzles that arise from an alleged
clash between the time asymmetry of many physical processes and the time symmetry of the laws governing the micro-processes that give rise to them.<br>
<br>
<br>
<b>Bio: </b>Alan Chalmers received a PhD in HPS from the University of London in 1971. He then came to the University of Sydney as a Post-doctoral Fellow in the Department of Philosophy . He remained at that institution until his 'retirement' in 1999. In 1985
he took up the position of Senior Lecturer in HPS in the Science Faculty and started the process of converting the one-person outfit it then was into the School of History and Philosophy of Science that it has now become. His most important books are What
is this thing called science? The scientist's atom and the philosopher's stone and One hundred years of pressure: Hydrostatics from Stevin to Newton. He is the author of some 70 or so articles in history and philosophy of the physical sciences.</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td data-e2ma-styles="background, border-left, border-right"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table id="x_block_xhufyrrr" style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="line-height: 1.5; vertical-align: top;">
<table style="line-height: 1.5; width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="line-height: 1.5; vertical-align: top;">
<div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 10px; display: block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">
<br>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="background-color: rgb(230, 70, 38); vertical-align: top;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><img width="30" height="30" style="width: 30px; height: 30px; display: block;" src="https://images.e2ma.net/0/images/templates/spacer.gif"></span></td>
<td style="line-height: 0px; background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); width: 2px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px;"><img width="2" height="30" style="width: 2px; height: 30px; display: block;" src="https://images.e2ma.net/0/images/templates/spacer.gif"></span></td>
<td><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="padding-top: 15px; padding-bottom: 40px;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 30px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></td>
<td style="vertical-align: top; width: 150px;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td align="center">
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><img alt="The University of Sydney" width="150" height="52" style="width: 150px; height: 52px; display: block;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/8c/9b/e0/27/9f98e4c779985cb365ac9f5d_300x104.png"></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="left" style="padding-top: 20px; vertical-align: bottom;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">
Keep in touch</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="padding-top: 8px;">
<table align="center" style="width: 150px; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(63, 122, 185);">
<u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/MIx8CmO5glu11k2X9s3sOse?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWAb8567f53-d76c-162e-54bf-ddab26c07727" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><img alt="Facebook" width="18" height="15" style="width: 18px; height: 15px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/c0/6b/cc/93/475be56800c37143b2dc1d93_36x30.png"></a></u></div>
</td>
<td>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(63, 122, 185);">
<u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/-Ha7Cnx1jnillr5wkHvDvrO?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWA27d0edf4-1af2-f9d2-286e-ae724e04ef44" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><img alt="Twitter" width="18" height="15" style="width: 18px; height: 15px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/11/f9/d6/e3/286d5ce938f1405a89ed1c98_36x30.png"></a></u></div>
</td>
<td>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(63, 122, 185);">
<u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/BzioCoV1kpfll649QH5DAhR?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWAbc33d681-8f59-831b-2d20-c077dc7922a4" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><img alt="Instagram" width="17" height="15" style="width: 17px; height: 15px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/07/6b/c2/9f/30542dfab3087119743e8d49_34x30.png"></a></u></div>
</td>
<td>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(63, 122, 185);">
<u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/7i16Cp81lrtQQpDk7IVOBjh?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWA07faa178-e4c2-7bbc-303d-602dd4867836" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><img alt="LinkedIn" width="18" height="14" style="width: 18px; height: 14px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/a7/84/9e/85/bfccb3578fc999d3d6077b60_36x28.png"></a></u></div>
</td>
<td>
<div style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: rgb(63, 122, 185);">
<u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/LBCSCq71mwfLLJWBVIoHq7X?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" id="OWA022f79a2-f5c7-d9e1-3a30-607408d7c443" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly"><img alt="YouTube" width="20" height="15" style="width: 20px; height: 15px;" src="https://d31hzlhk6di2h5.cloudfront.net/20240416/99/05/83/95/ba6602527f8be6bbdaba9d3f_40x30.png"></a></u></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: top;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; padding-left: 50px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
<div style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">
Copyright © 2024 The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia<br>
Phone +61 2 9351 2222 ABN 15 211 513 464 CRICOS Number: 00026A<br>
<br>
Please add hps.admin@sydney.edu.au to your address book or senders safe list to make sure you continue to see our emails in the future.<br>
<br>
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/e9oHCjZ1N7illZ9EVH14Coy?domain=app.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="Manage" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWAeeedfba0-0d11-9b61-7095-92d6f015a4ad" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">Manage</a></u></span> your
preferences | <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/7f3LCk81N9tYYoNlPc8uaRc?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="Opt out" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWA02b69ef0-4446-ab13-acb1-42db65dfd900" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">Opt
out</a></u></span> using TrueRemove®<br>
Got this as a forward? <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/jrx8Clx1NjiOO67GjuVWb6Q?domain=app.e2ma.net/" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="Sign up" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWA44d02cf7-eca7-c497-1212-a13c464bd6c7" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">Sign
up</a></u></span> to receive our future emails.<br>
View this email <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/TNtXC81V0PTOOBr3EunPtf8?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="online" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWA6b3d239a-2bc3-2a8c-9f18-570fb7acaac2" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">online</a></u></span>.</div>
<div style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">
<br>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left; line-height: 160%; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/sMwECr81nytww49MWhmMb-o?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="Disclaimer" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWA8fbb894c-57a9-f6ab-3321-78194c59c464" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">Disclaimer</a></u></span> |
<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/YsbgCvl1rKiOOrX1RuZVMqH?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="Privacy statement" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWA8f73edf5-2daf-3ac1-4eef-bbb7530b25f6" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">Privacy
statement</a></u></span> | <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><u><a href="https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/I_lmCwV1vMf00gp62IBnC7Y?domain=t.e2ma.net" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-name="University of Sydney" data-type="url" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" id="OWAb34c24ed-0acc-de2f-88f7-70f13b6494b9" class="OWAAutoLink" data-loopstyle="linkonly">University
of Sydney</a></u></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
<td style="vertical-align: bottom; width: 30px;">
<table style="width: 100%; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; box-sizing: border-box;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="line-height: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); height: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 0px;"><img width="1" height="2" style="width: 1px; height: 2px; display: block;" src="https://images.e2ma.net/0/images/templates/spacer.gif"></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<img width="1" height="1" style="width: 1px; height: 1px;" src="https://t.e2ma.net/track/gaoy7v/090r5ucb"></div>
</body>
</html>