UNews - Bryson Brown

Philosophy professor Brown named 2020 Speaker Research Award winner

trevor.kenney — Tue, 20 Oct 2020 19:57:28 +0000

Recognized as one of the world’s most influential contributors to paraconsistent (inconsistency-tolerant) logic, Dr. Bryson Brown has been named the winner of the 2020 ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Speaker Research Award.

Dr. Bryson Brown is regarded as a key contributor to an area of logic called paraconsistent logic.

Brown, professor and Chair in the Department of Philosophy, is regarded as a key contributor to an area of logic called paraconsistent logic, which allows non-trivial reasoning from inconsistent premises; he has also made influential contributions to the application of such logics in the history and philosophy of science.

His contributions to research are manyfold, displaying breadth across areas including philosophy of ecology, the theory of evolution and early (“old”) quantum theory. Brown is a co-author or co-editor of six volumes of scholarly papers and has published 53 research papers in refereed journals and scholarly anthologies — an impressive record for a humanities professor publishing in journals that accept less than 10 per cent of submissions. Brown’s research has also garnered the attention and support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) as he has received five Regular Research Grants over the course of his career, an exceptional accomplishment in the humanities.

Born in Niagara Falls, Ont., Brown earned his BA in Philosophy at Trent ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ before studying at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Pittsburgh, where he earned an MA and PhD in philosophy. His first academic appointment was at Rice ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Houston, Tex., followed by two years as a research assistant and teacher at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ before joining the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, in 1986. At the U of L, he has taught courses in history and philosophy of science, logic, metaphysics, epistemology and philosophy of language.

Brown has a passion for philosophy of science, including the roles of science in understanding our world and as a critical tool for survival in today’s world. A teacher of his, Wilfrid Sellars, described the aim of philosophy as “to understand how things in the broadest possible sense of the term hang together in the broadest possible sense of the term”; Brown hopes that his work has contributed and will continue to contribute to that project.

Understanding our world is essential to coping with critical issues today, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown’s work on paraconsistent logics has explored how logicians and scientists have coped with the inconsistencies that paradoxes and the natural world sometimes seem to impose on us, and developed new ways to carry on constructively.

Brown is being presented with the Speaker Research Award as part of this week’s 2020 Fall Convocation online celebrations.

Book Awards handed out Mar. 19

trevor.kenney — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:48:46 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ will celebrate the 2012 Book Awards on Monday, Mar. 19 from 4 to 6 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100).

This is your opportunity to celebrate the achievements of your colleagues. A wine and appetizer reception will follow the formal portion of the event.

Following is a list of Book Award recipients. Congratulations on your achievement.

Book Awards: Book Listing

Dr. Carly Adams – Queens of the Ice

Dr. Reginald W. Bibby – Beyond the Gods & Back: Religion's Rise and Demise and Why it Matters

Dr. Glenda Tibe Bonifacio – Gender, Religion, and Migration: Pathways of Integration

Dr. Bryson Brown (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Christopher Burton (Editor) – Soviet Medicine: Culture, Practice, and Science

Dr. Craig A. Coburn (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Mary Dyck – Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices

Leanne Elias (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Trevor W. Harrison (Editor) – Against Orthodoxy: Studies in Nationalism

Dr. Harold J. Jansen (Editor) – Money, Politics & Democracy: Canada's Party Finance Reforms

Dr. Bryan Kolb – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior

Dr. Christopher J. Kukucha (Editor) – Readings in Canadian Foreign Policy: Classic Debates and New Ideas

Norman Leach – Passchendaele: Canada's Triumph and Tragedy on the Fields of Flanders

Norman Leach – Broken Arrow: America's First Lost Nuclear Weapon

Norman Leach – Canadian Battles: Canada's Role in Major World Conflicts

Emily Luce (Book Designer) – Science Fiction Science Fair

Dr. Jennifer A. Mather – Octopus: the Ocean's Intelligent Invertebrate

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough (Editor) – World History Encyclopedia v. 3 & 4: Era 2: Early Civilizations, 4000-1000 BCE v. 5 & 6: Era 3: Classical Traditions, 1000 BCE – 300CE

Dr. Kevin M. McGeough – Ugaritic Economic Tablets: Text, Translations and Notes Ancient Near Eastern Studies Supplement 32

Dr. Sheila McManus – Choice & Chances: a History of Women in the U.S. West

Dr. Kent A. Peacock (Editor) – Philosophy of Ecology Handbook of the Philosophy of Science Volume 11

Dr. Derek R. Peddle (Editor) – Proceedings, 30th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing

Dr. Adriana Predoi-Cross (Editor) – 20th International Conference on Spectral Line Shapes

Dr. Thomas A. Robinson – Out of the Mouths of Babes: Girl Evangelists in the Flapper Era

Dr. Hillary P. Rodrigues (Editor) – Studying Hinduism in Practice

Dr. Steven Urquhart (Translator) – Not for Every Eye

Dr. Ian Q. Whishaw – An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, Third Edition

Dr. Kelly Williams-Whitt (Editor) – Perspectives in Disability and Accommodation

Dr. Patrick C. Wilson – Federaciones Indígenas, ONG y el Estado: El Desarrollo y la Politizacíon de la Cultura en la Amazonía Ecuatoriana

Walter Wymer – Connected Causes: Online Marketing Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations

Dr. Ying Zheng – Chemistry for the Life Sciences I

Events Calendar

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:31:15 +0000

Convocation
(May 28-29)

Degrees, diplomas, and certificates will be awarded at Spring 2009 Convocation as follows:

Ceremony I
Thursday, May 28, 9:30 a.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degrees
Robert Samuel Best, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Ralph Eugene Himsl, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Doctor of Philosophy
Post-Master's Certificate in Counselling
Master of Arts
Master of Science
Master of Education
Master of Science (Management)
Master of Counselling
Post-Graduate Certificate in Counselling

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts and Science

Ceremony II
Thursday, May 28, 2:30 p.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degree
Samantha Joan Nutt, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Bachelor of Science

Bachelor of Health Sciences
Bachelor of Nursing

Ceremony III
Friday, May 29, 9:30 a.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degrees
Mobina Sherali Bandali Jaffer, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Joan Marie Stebbins, Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa

Professional Diploma in Education
Bachelor of Education

Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Management and Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art) and Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dramatic Arts) and Bachelor of Education
Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education

Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art)
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dramatic Arts)
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Multidisciplinary)
Bachelor of Fine Arts (New Media)
Bachelor of Music

Ceremony IV
Friday, May 29, 2:30 p.m.

Conferral of Honorary Degree
Ross Wade Watson, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting
Bachelor of Management
Certificate in Management
Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Management
Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Management

Lectures

May 14
Brenda Milner Lecture Series
What's Eating Your Brain, presented by Dr. Timothy Schallert, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Texas at Austin | 1 p.m., AH100

May 15
Prentice Dialogue Session
Inevitable Surprises: Demographics and Economics in a Global Context
Dr. David K. Foot, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto | 3 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Performances

May 28
Windy Mountain Music Festival
Pre-concert talk, 7:15 p.m.
Concert, 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Miscellaneous

May 12
Office of Research Services Workshop
Panel Discussion on SSHRC Standard Research Grant Applications
Dr. Bryson Brown, Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske and Dr. David Gregory
9 a.m., Room B543

May 12
Alberta Introductory Biology Association Conference
Dealing With Change in Introductory Biology

June 12
John Gill Memorial Golf Tournament
Shotgun start, 1 p.m. Picture Butte Golf Club
Register by calling 403-317-2825 or e-mail Jaime.morasch@uleth.ca

Shining a light on logic

trevor.kenney — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:19:19 +0000

Just as a scientist places a sample beneath a microscope lens to understand its subtlest parts, philosophers minutely examine an argument to determine how its components work together.

Logics that can cope with inconsistent premises are the focus of Dr. Bryson Brown's most recent work. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge philosophy professor has recently earned a $95,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant to pursue his research program, titled Preservationism: Applications and Extensions.

His research, a collaboration with Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Dr. Peter K. Schotch and Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Dr. Raymond E. Jennings, examines preservationism – a philosophical approach to logic that prioritizes preserving desirable formal properties of premises when we draw conclusions from them.

"We already have a large body of work on two forms of preservationist logic and a number of other side-projects with published results," says Brown.

With this newest project, Brown hopes to look into applications of the logic (to philosophy of science and mathematics, for instance).

"Broadly, we're trying to make more people in the field aware of the work and the logical tools we've produced."

To disseminate the work, Brown, Schotch and Jennings are creating a series of books to be published by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto Press (the first will be published early in 2009), as well as presenting their research at a number of international conferences.

"Given that we're trying to produce a book and attend several major conferences over the next few years, this help from SSHRC is essential to keeping up the pace of the project," says Brown.

Shining a light on logic

trevor.kenney — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:05:04 +0000

Just as a scientist places a sample beneath a microscope lens to understand its subtlest parts, philosophers minutely examine an argument to determine how its components work together.

Logics that can cope with inconsistent premises are the focus of Dr. Bryson Brown's most recent work. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge philosophy professor has recently earned a $95,000 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) grant to pursue his research program, titled Preservationism: Applications and Extensions.

His research, a collaboration with Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Dr. Peter K. Schotch and Simon Fraser ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Dr. Raymond E. Jennings, examines preservationism – a philosophical approach to logic that prioritizes preserving desirable formal properties of premises when we draw conclusions from them.

"We already have a large body of work on two forms of preservationist logic and a number of other side-projects with published results," says Brown.

With this newest project, Brown hopes to look into applications of the logic (to philosophy of science and mathematics, for instance). "Broadly, we're trying to make more people in the field aware of the work and the logical tools we've produced."

To disseminate the work, Brown, Schotch and Jennings are creating a series of books to be published by the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto Press (the first will be published early in 2009), as well as presenting their research at a number of international conferences.

"Given that we're trying to produce a book and attend several major conferences over the next few years, this help from SSHRC is essential to keeping up the pace of the project."

UNews - Bryson Brown

Philosophy professor Brown named 2020 Speaker Research Award winner

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