Structural realism (SR), and structuralism more generally, has recently received much attention from philosophers of science. There are now as many variants of SR as there are proponents, as well as a range of critiques of both individual variants and the programme as a whole. Over the course of eight weeks, this reading group will explore some of the more recent developments of SR, especially in its ontic variety. We start with an overview of SR in the philosophy of science, and then dive into David Wallace’s popular “math-first” approach that aims to articulate a clear notion of structure suited to modern physics. After considering the strengths and limitations of the math-first approach, we move via a case study on phlogiston into the “real patterns” approach, inspired by Daniel Dennett and advocated by James Ladyman. We end with a connection between SR and recent “effective” realisms. The reading group meets weekly online, on Mondays from 16:30-17:30 (Amsterdam time)/ 15:30-16:30 (UK time), starting on 20th April.

How to join:
If you are interested in joining, please contact one of us to be added to the mailing list (and receive the link to join the meetings). Feel free to reach out to us in case you have any questions.
Thijs Latten (t.m.k.latten@tudelft.nl),
Cameron Dashwood (cdd39@cam.ac.uk),
Costanza Coloni (cc2191@cam.ac.uk).

Practical details:
Frequency: Weekly
Time: Mondays 16h30-17h30 (Amsterdam time) / 15:30-16:30 (UK time)
Duration: 8 sessions, 20 April – 8 June 2026
Location: Online

Schedule: