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Nancy Cartwright 24 June 1944-Present
Nancy Cartwright is a Professor of Philosophy and Durham University born 24 June 1944. She specialized in the philosophy of natural science and physics before transitioning to philosophy and methodology of the social sciences. She is the co-founder of Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science as well as the Centre for Humanities Engaging Science and Society. -
Notable Contribution
In 1983 Nancy Cartwright first became well known with her thesis: How the Laws of Physics Lie. In this collection of essays, she put forth that the fundamental laws of physics did not state truths about the world. This stand point naturally flew in the face of standard philosophical thinking. in 1999 her book The Dappled World attacked the idea fundamentalism, the concept that there is one set of laws that apply to everything. -
Notable Achievments
In 2017 Nancy Cartwright was awarded Dr. Martin R. Lebowitz and Eve Lewellis Lebowitz Prize for Philosophical Achievement and Contribution and deemed one of the most influential living philosophers. This award is presented to a pair of philosophers with contrasting views on an important philosophical question. In 2017 it was presented to Nancy Cartwright and Elliott Sober: Is There Such a Thing as The Scientific Method? -
Why should we trust science?
In 2020, Nancy Cartwright gave a talk on why should we trust science. In the talk she gives a list of why people tend to trust science but she does not believe that it is enough. In her personal experience, she speaks on how she blindly trusted the science behind laser eye surgery.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx9KSlxReAs