David B. Malament
Encyclopedia
David B. Malament is an American philosopher of science
.
He attended Stuyvesant High School
and received a B.A. in mathematics 1968 at Columbia College and Ph.D. in philosophy 1975 at Rockefeller University. After teaching for nearly a quarter-century at the University of Chicago
, Malament left to become Distinguished Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine
.
Malament's work is centered about the conceptual foundations of Special and General Theory of Relativity
.
In the question whether simultaneity
in STR, the Einstein synchronisation
, is conventional, Malament argues against conventionalism and is thought to have refuted Adolf Grünbaum
's argument for conventionalism. Grünbaum, as well as Sahotra Sarkar
and John Stachel
, don't agree, whereas Robert Rynasiewicz
sides with Malament. there is on ongoing debate about Malament's argument in philosophical journals.
During the Vietnam War
Malament was a conscientious objector
to the draft, spending time in jail for refusing induction into the military. He published an article on the subject of selective conscientious objection in an early issue of the journal Philosophy and Public Affairs
.
Philosophy of science
The philosophy of science is concerned with the assumptions, foundations, methods and implications of science. It is also concerned with the use and merit of science and sometimes overlaps metaphysics and epistemology by exploring whether scientific results are actually a study of truth...
.
He attended Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School
Stuyvesant High School , commonly referred to as Stuy , is a New York City public high school that specializes in mathematics and science. The school opened in 1904 on Manhattan's East Side and moved to a new building in Battery Park City in 1992. Stuyvesant is noted for its strong academic...
and received a B.A. in mathematics 1968 at Columbia College and Ph.D. in philosophy 1975 at Rockefeller University. After teaching for nearly a quarter-century at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, Malament left to become Distinguished Professor of Logic and Philosophy of Science at the University of California, Irvine
University of California, Irvine
The University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
.
Malament's work is centered about the conceptual foundations of Special and General Theory of Relativity
Theory of relativity
The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean invariance....
.
In the question whether simultaneity
Simultaneity
Simultaneity is the property of two events happening at the same time in at least one frame of reference. The word derives from the Latin simul, at the same time plus the suffix -taneous, abstracted from spontaneous .The noun simult means a supernatural coincidence, two or more divinely...
in STR, the Einstein synchronisation
Einstein synchronisation
Einstein synchronisation is a convention for synchronising clocks at different places by means of signal exchanges. This synchronisation method was used already by telegraphers in the middle 19th century, but was popularized by H. Poincaré and A...
, is conventional, Malament argues against conventionalism and is thought to have refuted Adolf Grünbaum
Adolf Grünbaum
Adolf Grünbaum is a philosopher of science and a critic of psychoanalysis. He is also well-known as a critic of Karl Popper's philosophy of science....
's argument for conventionalism. Grünbaum, as well as Sahotra Sarkar
Sahotra Sarkar
Sahotra Sarkar is a philosophy professor and integrative biologist at the University of Texas at Austin. He is a noted critic of creationism and intelligent design. Sarkar is originally from India. He is the author of several books and articles about philosophy and science...
and John Stachel
John Stachel
John Stachel is an American physicist and philosopher of science.Stachel earned his PhD at Stevens Institute of Technology in Physics about a topic in General relativity in 1958...
, don't agree, whereas Robert Rynasiewicz
Robert Rynasiewicz
Robert Rynasiewicz is a Professor of Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and an Adjunct Professor in Philosophy and the Committee on History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Maryland....
sides with Malament. there is on ongoing debate about Malament's argument in philosophical journals.
During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
Malament was a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
to the draft, spending time in jail for refusing induction into the military. He published an article on the subject of selective conscientious objection in an early issue of the journal Philosophy and Public Affairs
Philosophy and Public Affairs
Philosophy and Public Affairs is a quarterly journal published by Blackwell Publishing. The journal publishes philosophical articles on legal, social, and political issues, but welcomes philosophically inclined writers from various disciplines, such as law, political science, economics, and...
.