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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · 28d

The book itself is available open-access here:

link.springer.com/book/10.1007...

Thanks so much to Carrie Figdor for the interview—I had a great time chatting!

Presentist Social Functionalism: Bringing Contemporary Evolutionary Biology to the Social Sciences

This open access book presents and defends a new approach towards social functionalism: Presentist Social Functionalism.

link.springer.com

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · 28d

What is purpose of firms? What is the purpose of a social institution in general? If you are interested in these sorts of these questions, check out the New Books Network podcast on my "Presentist Social Functionalism:"

newbooksnetwork.com/armin-w-schu...

Armin W. Schulz, "Presentist Social Functionalism: Bringing Contemporary Evolutionary Biology to the Social Sciences" (Springer, 2025) - New Books Network

newbooksnetwork.com

awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Aug 5

I had a great time at UCLA for the New Directions in Philosophy of Social Science workshop! Thanks Kareem Khalifa for putting it on, and I look forward to seeing folks at the next Philosophy of the Social Sciences Roundtable at Virginia Tech!

awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jul 29

Also, this thing just came out:
www.tandfonline.com/eprint/HU4AP...
It's my attempt to think through the implications for human economics from work on non-human animals. Thanks to Nadia Ruiz and her collaborators for putting together the conference at Stanford University that this paper grew out of!

Comparative economics for model choice

Brosnan and Wilson recently defended a new kind of ‘comparative economics,’ which rests on studies of economic decision-making in non-human animals. What is not yet clear, though, is exactly what r...

www.tandfonline.com

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 26

So apparently my book on social functionalism is now also out in hard copy! I thought this was going to be online only open access - but apparently, if that floats your boat, you can also read the old fashioned way. (Old Fashioned optional.)

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 26

This looks amazing... get your copy!

Evan Westra @evanwestra.bsky.social · Jun 26

Somebody* Should Do Something**
*You
**Pre-order @dryan149.bsky.social's new book!

MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · Jun 26

"Somebody Should Do Something" paints a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others. Out Sep. 16, 2025: mitpress.mit.edu/978026204978... @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social @dryan149.bsky.social‬

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Evan Westra @evanwestra.bsky.social · Jun 26

Somebody* Should Do Something**
*You
**Pre-order @dryan149.bsky.social's new book!

MIT Press @mitpress.bsky.social · Jun 26

"Somebody Should Do Something" paints a new picture of how social change happens, arguing that our most powerful personal choices are those that springboard us into working together with others. Out Sep. 16, 2025: mitpress.mit.edu/978026204978... @michaelbrownstein.bsky.social @dryan149.bsky.social‬

Graphic of "Somebody Should Do Something: How Anyone Can Help Create Social Change" by Michael Brownstein, Alex Madva, and Daniel Kelly. The cover is white with colorful text, the word "somebody" repeating down the cover six times.

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 19

Here is an old econ chestnut for you: are interpersonal utility comparisons possible? I say: a gene-culture-technology co-evolutionary perspective suggests the answer is yes—in some contexts, and if you understand the question correctly.

More here (open access):

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Intraspecific economics: interpersonal utility comparisons, evolution and culture | Behavioural Public Policy | Cambridge Core

Intraspecific economics: interpersonal utility comparisons, evolution and culture

www.cambridge.org

Reposted

Marshall Abrams @marshall0i.bsky.social · Jun 13

My book Evolution and the Machinery of Chance came out two years ago; I haven't posted a summary here 'til now. It's for philosophers of science and biologists interested in questions about the nature and role of #probability in evolutionary processes, esp. #naturalselection. 🐋🌱 #philsci #evobio 1/9

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 13

My book “Presentist Social Functionalism”—now out OPEN ACCESS: nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com?url=https%3A...

Check it out if you are into (social) functionalism, functions, or interdisciplinary inquiry! Many thanks to Alan Love (and the JTF) support during the publishing process!

Presentist Social Functionalism: Bringing Contemporary Evolutionary Biology to the Social Sciences

This open access book presents and defends a new approach towards social functionalism: Presentist Social Functionalism.

nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 2

On a (more) personal note, lest somebody gets confused: this is is the second book I have coming out this year - the other being “It’s Only Human” (global.oup.com/academic/pro...). If you are interested in how to link evolutionary biology to the cognitive and social sciences, both may be relevant!

global.oup.com

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 2

“Presentist Social Functionalism” is an outgrowth of my participation in the Templeton grant on Agency, Directionality, and Function. I want to thank Alan Love for his frequent, kind, and supremely helpful advice and support during the publishing process. So: thanks Alan! (2/3)

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Jun 2

So, I just got the proofs and cover for my book “Presentist Social Functionalism: Bringing Contemporary Evolutionary Biology to the Social Sciences.” The book will be open access; it should be out near the end of the summer. (1/3)

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Angela Potochnik @apotochnik.bsky.social · May 6

Public Engagement with Science: Defining the Project by Melissa Jacquart @mjacquart.bsky.social and me is now physically in the world (as well as freely available online)! Keep an eye out for a video introduction to the Element released on the official publication date, Thursday May 8.

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Edouard Machery @edouardmachery.bsky.social · May 6

great open access paper by Ali Boyle and Simon Brown in the naturalistic section of Philosophy Compass, which I edit.

Episodic Memory in Animals

Do animals have episodic memory—the kind of memory which gives us rich details about particular past events—or is this uniquely human? This might look like an empirical question, but is attracting in...

compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · May 2

Also, apparently OUP has a deal on my recent book: AUFLY30 gets you 30% off. So there.

awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · May 1

My student Clint Hurshman officially defended his PhD on artifact functions today... with honors! It's a fantastic project, and he is off to a great postdoc at the National University of Singapore with @briandavidearp.bsky.social! Congrats Clint!

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Apr 18

Here is what is clear: humans do some strange things.

What is less clear: why & how they do it.

My new book is trying to help answer these questions, so if you're interested in this, check it out. I just got my copies, and (minus a typo on the 1st page—soon to be corrected) OUP did a great job!

awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Apr 9

Applications for our 1-year visiting assistant professor position close in a week! Make sure to get your application in if you are interested in the role, and let me know if you have any further questions!

philjobs.org/job/show/28874

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Kansas - PhilJobs:JFP Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

An international database of jobs for philosophers

philjobs.org

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Apr 4

Steve Stich, John Doris, and I updated the SEP entry on Empirical Approaches to Altruism: plato.stanford.edu/entries/altr...

Check it out if you are interested in that sort of thing!

Empirical Approaches to Altruism (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

plato.stanford.edu

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Apr 2

If you are interested in the evolution of human cognition...

... here is a news blurb about my new book:

news.ku.edu/news/article...

Evolution of distinctively human cognition explored in new book

A new book reveals what makes human cognition unique, suggesting its evolution is built on a feedback loop of innate representations, forms of cultural learning and technology.

news.ku.edu

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Sabina Leonelli @sabinaleonelli.bsky.social · Apr 2

The brilliant @silviamil.bsky.social is joining us in Munich 🥳 - and this means there’s a faculty post open in #egenis at the University of Exeter, which includes collaboration with our TUM group.. if you do philosophy of data and AI, consider apply! #philsci #UKEUbridges

Prof. Elaine Chalus @profelainechalus.bsky.social · Apr 2

Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data) (Education and Research)- University of Exeter - Faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) #skystorians 🗃️www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DML775/l...

Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data) (Education and Research) at University of Exeter

An academic position as a Lecturer in Philosophy (Artificial Intelligence and Data) (Education and Research) is being advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Click now to find more details and explore additional ac...

www.jobs.ac.uk

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Mar 12

We are looking for a one-year visiting assistant professor to join our faculty: philjobs.org/job/show/28874. The AOS is Social / Political Philosophy and its history, PPE, or Rational Choice Theory. It’s a very nice department, and Lawrence is a very charming college town. Ping me with questions!

Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Kansas - PhilJobs:JFP Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Kansas

An international database of jobs for philosophers

philjobs.org

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awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Mar 12

Thanks so much!

awschulz.bsky.social @awschulz.bsky.social · Mar 11

Thanks so much!