JEFFRY LEE RAMSEY
CIRRICULUM VITAE

Department of Philosophy
Smith College
840 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01063
840 Florence Road
Florence, MA 01062
Tele: 541-737-4335
Tele: 413-587-0811
E-Mail: jramsey@email.smith.edu

EDUCATION

University of Chicago. Ph.D., with Honors. Conceptual Foundations of Science. May 1990.
University of Chicago. M.A., Chemistry (Inorganic/Physical). December 1986.
Kansas State University. B.A., Chemistry. May 1984.

AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION

Philosophy and history of the physical and biological sciences; Models and Metaphors

AREAS OF COMPETENCE

History of Philosophy (17th - 20th centuries); Science, Policy and Values; Introductory and Symbolic Logic

PUBLICATIONS IN REFEREED JOURNALS

Of Parameters and Principles: Producing Theory in 20th Century Physics and Chemistry,” forthcoming in Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Winter 2000

"Between the Phenomenological and the Fundamental: The Challenge of a Semi-Empirical Method," Philosophy of Science 64 (1997): 627-653

"Molecular Shape, Reduction, Explanation and Approximate Concepts," Synthese 111 (1997): 233-251

"Construction by Reduction," Philosophy of Science 62 (1995): 1-20.

"Ideal Types and the Reactions of Real Alloys," in A. Fine and M. Forbes (eds.), PSA 1994, vol. 1. East Lansing, MI: Philosophy of Science Assoc., pp. 149-159

"When Reduction Leads to Construction: Design Considerations in Scientific Methodology," International Studies in the Philosophy of Science 7 (1993): 239-251

"Towards an Expanded Epistemology for Approximations," in K. Okruhlik, A. Fine and M. Forbes (eds.), PSA 1992, vol. 1. East Lansing, MI: Philosophy of Science Assoc., pp. 154-164.

"On Refusing to be an Epistemologically Black Box: Instruments in Chemical Kinetics in the 1920s and 1930s," Studies in History and Philosophy of Science 23 (1992): 285-304.

"Beyond Numerical and Causal Accuracy: Expanding the Set of Justificational Criteria," in A. Fine and M. Forbes (eds.), PSA 1990, vol. 1. East Lansing, MI: Philosophy of Science Assoc., pp. 485-499.

BOOK CHAPTERS

Realism, Essentialism and Intrinsic Properties: The Case of Molecular Shape,” forthcoming in N. Bhushan and S. Rosenfeld (eds), Of Minds and Molecules: Philosophical Perspectives on Chemistry. Oxford University Press, 2000.

"A Philosopher's Perspective on the 'Problem' of Molecular Shape," in E. Kryachko and T. Joergenson (eds.), Conceptual Perspectives in Quantum Chemistry, Boston: Kluwer, 1997, pp. 319-336

REVIEWS

Recent Work in History and Philosophy of Chemistry,” essay review of 6 books, Perspectives on Science 6 (1999): 409-427

Review of J. Schummer’s Realismus und Chemie, Foundations of Chemistry 2 (2000): 79-84

LECTURES AND COMMENTS

Neither a Primary nor a Secondary Property Be,” Symposium Paper, Central Division American Philosophical Association. Chicago, IL. April 2000

Interpreting the ‘Mona Lisa’ of Chemical Reactions: Explanation, Mechanism, and Methodological Values,” History of Science Society. Pittsburgh, PA. November 1999

Realism, Essentialism and Intrinsic Properties: The Case of Molecular Shape,” Boston Colloquium for the Philosophy of Science. November 1997

"On Using the Golden Rule to Preserve Sub-Species," co-author: Roberta Millstein. Confluences II, Program for Ethics, Science and the Environment. Newport, OR. May 1997

"The Molecular Shape Controversy," American Chemical Society National Meetings. San Francisco. April 1997

"Interpreting the 'Mona Lisa' of Chemical Reactions: the Hydrogen-Chlorine Gas Reaction 1910-1940," American Chemical Society National Meetings. San Francisco. April 1997

"Principled Cautiousness about Rejecting the Precautionary Principle," Risk Analysis and Policy Association Biennial International Meeting. Alexandria, VA, March 1997

Paper Comment: William Rottschaefer's "Evolutionary Adaptational Functional Explanation," Northwest Conference on Philosophy. Portland OR, October 1996

Book Comment and Discussion Leader: Andrew Pickering's The Mangle of Practice, History and Philosophy of Science Section, Oregon Academy of Science. Portland, OR, March 1996

"The Senses and Reducibility of Molecular Shape," 10th International Congress for the Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science. Florence, Italy. August 1995 Book Comment: Mary Jo Nye's From Chemical Philosophy to Theoretical Chemistry, History and Philosophy of Science Section, Oregon Academy of Sciences, March 1995 (Lectures and Comments continued) "Time for less Essence? Intrinsic Properties, Time Dependent Measurement and the Concept of Molecular Structure," Studies in Science and Technology Lecture Series, University of Minnesota, October 1994 "Construction by Reduction," Studies in Science and Technology Lecture Series, Univ. of Minnesota, March 1993 "Of 'Fundamental' Interest: Research in Mid-20th Century Academic and Industrial Chemical Sciences," Joint Meeting of the British, American and Canadian History of Science Societies. Toronto, Canada. July 1992 "Ideal Reaction Types and the Reactions of Real Alloys," 9th International Congress for the Logic, Methodology and Philosophy of Science. Uppsala, Sweden. August 1991 "Strategies of Approximation in Theory Construction," Belgian Society for Logic and Philosophy of Science. Brussels, Belgium. January 1991 "On Refusing to be a Black Box: Instruments in Chemical Kinetics in the 1930s," Instrument Commission of the International Union for the History and Philosophy of Science. The Smithsonian, Washington, D.C. September 1990 "The Epistemic Status of a 'Semi-Empirical Method," Conceptual Foundations of Science and Fishbein Center Lecture Series. University of Chicago. January 1990 "Cyril Hinshelwood's 'Simple' Collision Theory: From Exact to Approximate Science," Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry. Philadelphia, PA. November 1989 "Genderized Distortions in and of the Scientific Knowledge Process," Conceptual Foundations of Science and the Fishbein Center Lecture Series. University of Chicago. November 1987 "Theory and Practice in Paracelsian Philosophy," Midwest Junto for the History of Science. DeKalb, IL. April 1987 EMPLOYMENT HISTORY Institution: Department: Years: Rank: Smith College Philosophy ’00- Assistant Professor Oregon State University. Philosophy '94-‘00 Assistant Professor. University of Minnesota. Philosophy 1994 Instructor Rice University. Philosophy '92-'93 Visiting Asst. Professor University of North Carolina Philosophy and '91-'92 Visiting Asst. Professor at Wilmington. Religion University of Chicago. History, Philosophy '88 Instructor and Social Studies of Science and Medicine Roosevelt University. History '88-'89 Instructor COURSES TAUGHT Critical Reasoning Introduction to Philosophy Philosophy of Science Introductory Logic History of Modern (Descartes to Kant) Environmental Ethics Symbolic Logic History of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy Science, Policy and Society Scientific Reasoning Models and Metaphors in Science Science and Feminism Physics and Philosophy of Time Instruments and Theories SERVICE ACTIVITIES Board of Editors, Foundations of Chemistry Oregon Academy of Sciences, Section Co-Chair, History and Philosophy of Science, 1995-1997 Advisory Board, Center for the Humanities, Oregon State University, 1999- Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), OSU, 1995-present IACUC Chair, March 1999-present Undergraduate Adviser, Department of Philosophy, Oregon State University, 1996-1997 Steering Committee, Program for Ethics, Science and the Environment, OSU, 1996-1999 MEMBERSHIPS American Philosophical Association Philosophy of Science Association History of Science Society Risk Assessment and Policy Association HONORS Phi Beta Kappa Phi Lambda Upsilon Chemistry Honorary LANGUAGES German FELLOWSHIPS AND GRANTS Oregon State University research grant, OSU Research Office, Winter Quarter 2000 Oregon State University, Center for the Humanities, fellowship, Fall Quarter 1997 Oregon State University research grant, OSU Research Office, Spring Quarter 1995 Post-doctoral Fellow, Minnesota Center for the Philosophy of Science, 1993-1994 Post-doctoral Fellow, Verbund für Wissenschaftsgeschichte, 1990-1991 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship 1984-1987