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Latest publications

Books

The Tangle of Science: Reliability Beyond Method, Rigour, and Objectivity Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., Montuschi, E., Soleiman, S., & Thresher, A. (2022). The Tangle of Science: Reliability Beyond Method, Rigour, and Objectivity. Oxford University Press.

A Philosopher Looks at Science Cartwright, N. (2022). A Philosopher Looks at Science. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009201896

Identifying Future-Proof Science Vickers, P. (2022). Identifying Future-Proof Science. Oxford University Press.

Nature the Artful Modeler: Lectures on Laws, Science, How Nature Arranges the World, and How We Can Arrange It Better. The 2017 Carus Lectures Cartwright, N. (2019). Nature the Artful Modeler: Lectures on Laws, Science, How Nature Arranges the World, and How We Can Arrange It Better. The 2017 Carus Lectures. Open Court.

Improving Child Safety: deliberation, judgement and empirical research Munro, E., Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., & Montuschi, E. (2017). Improving Child Safety: deliberation, judgement and empirical research. Centre for Humanities Engaging Science and Society (CHESS).

 

Journal Articles

Surveys of the scientific community on the existence of extraterrestrial life Vickers, P., Gardiner, E., Gillen, C., Hyde, B., Jeancolas, C., Mitchell Finnigan, S., Nováková, J. N., Strandin, H., Tasdan, U., Taylor, H., & McMahon, S. (2025). Surveys of the scientific community on the existence of extraterrestrial life. Nature Astronomy, 9, 16-18. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-024-02451-0

Ethics of biohybrid robotics and invertebrate research: Biohybrid robotic jellyfish as a case study Xu, N. W., Lenczewska, O., Wieten, S. E., Federico, C. A., & Dabiri, J. O. (2025). Ethics of biohybrid robotics and invertebrate research: Biohybrid robotic jellyfish as a case study. Bioinspiration & Biomimetics.

Reliability Trumps Truth Cartwright, N. (2024). Reliability Trumps Truth. Filozofia, 79(10), 1069-1082. https://doi.org/10.31577/filozofia.2024.79.10.1

Against global aims for science: values, epistemic priority, and a local aims approach Lusk, G., & Elliott, K. C. (2024). Against global aims for science: values, epistemic priority, and a local aims approach. Synthese, 204(2), Article 47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-024-04633-9

Development of a novel methodology for ascertaining scientific opinion and extent of agreement Vickers, P., Adamo, L., Alfano, M., Clark, C., Cresto, E., Cui, H., Dang, H., Dellsén, F., Dupin, N., Gradowski, L., Graf, S., Guevara, A., Hallap, M., Hamilton, J., Hardey, M., Helm, P., Landrum, A., Levy, N., Machery, E., … Mitchell Finnigan, S. (2024). Development of a novel methodology for ascertaining scientific opinion and extent of agreement. PLOS ONE, 19(12), Article e0313541. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0313541

Don’t we all believe in scientific facts? Replies to my critics Vickers, P. (2024). Don’t we all believe in scientific facts? Replies to my critics. Metascience, 33, 23–29. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11016-023-00926-w

Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed? Jeancolas, C., Gillen, C., McMahon, S., Ward, M., & Vickers, P. J. (2024). Breakthrough results in astrobiology: is ‘high risk’ research needed?. International Journal of Astrobiology, 23, Article e1. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550423000241

Objectivity and Intellectual Humility in Scientific Research: They’re Harder Than You Think Cartwright, N., & Ray, F. (2023). Objectivity and Intellectual Humility in Scientific Research: They’re Harder Than You Think. European Review, 31(4), 367-381. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1062798723000091

Structure, essence and existence in chemistry Hendry, R. F. (2023). Structure, essence and existence in chemistry. Ratio: An International Journal of Analytic Philosophy, 36(4), 274-288. https://doi.org/10.1111/rati.12387

Problems with evidence assessment in COVID-19 health policy impact evaluation: a systematic review of study design and evidence strength Haber, N. A., Clarke-Deelder, E., Feller, A., Smith, E. R., Salomon, J. A., MacCormack-Gelles, B., Stone, E. M., Bolster-Foucault, C., Daw, J. R., Hatfield, L. A., Fry, C. E., Boyer, C. B., Ben-Michael, E., Joyce, C. M., Linas, B. S., Schmid, I., Au, E. H., Wieten, S. E., Jarrett, B., … Stuart, E. A. (2022). Problems with evidence assessment in COVID-19 health policy impact evaluation: a systematic review of study design and evidence strength. BMJ Open, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-053820

DAG With Omitted Objects Displayed (DAGWOOD): a framework for revealing causal assumptions in DAGs Haber, N. A., Wood, M. E., Wieten, S., & Breskin, A. (2022). DAG With Omitted Objects Displayed (DAGWOOD): a framework for revealing causal assumptions in DAGs. Annals of Epidemiology, 68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annepidem.2022.01.001

Elements and (first) principles in chemistry Hendry, R. F. (2021). Elements and (first) principles in chemistry. Synthese, 198, 3391-3411. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-019-02312-8

Structure, scale and emergence Hendry, R. F. (2021). Structure, scale and emergence. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part A, 85, 44-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsa.2020.08.006

Much ado about something: a response to “COVID-19: underpowered randomised trials, or no randomised trials?” Haber, N. A., Wieten, S. E., Smith, E. R., & Nunan, D. (2021). Much ado about something: a response to “COVID-19: underpowered randomised trials, or no randomised trials?”. Trials, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-021-05755-y

Rigour versus the need for evidential diversity Cartwright, N. (2021). Rigour versus the need for evidential diversity. Synthese, 199(5-6), 13095-13119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-021-03368-1

Mechanisms, laws and explanation Cartwright, N., Pemberton, J., & Wieten, S. (2020). Mechanisms, laws and explanation. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 10(3), Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-020-00284-y

Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice: Predicting What Will Work Locally Cartwright, N., & Joyce, K. (2020). Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice: Predicting What Will Work Locally. American Educational Research Journal, 57(3), 1045-1082. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219866687

Middle-range theory: Without it what could anyone do? Cartwright, N. (2020). Middle-range theory: Without it what could anyone do?. Theoria., 35(3), 269-323. https://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.21479

What is meant by ‘rigour’ in evidence-based educational policy and what’s so good about it. Cartwright, N. (2019). What is meant by ‘rigour’ in evidence-based educational policy and what’s so good about it. Educational Research and Evaluation, 25(1-2), 63-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2019.1617990

 

Doctoral thesis

 

Nancy Cartwright's talks 

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Engineering Objectivity – For Responsible Science Use, Applied Conceptual Engineering conference (Arché Philosophical Research Center, University of St Andrew's)

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Impact evaluation: causal maps, mechanisms and the elusive quest for useful middle range theory, Seminar, The Centre of Excellence for Development Impact and Learning (CEDIL) 

Prof Nancy Cartwright, What are the promises and pitfalls of evidence-based policy? Is it a mistake or simply misleading to speak of laws in science?, Science Beyond the Horizon series, IAS, University of Amsterdam

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Why Big Theory is Here to Stay, St Andrews Philosophy Society, University of St. Andrew's

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Philosophy For Our Times Podcast, E162: The End Of All Things, John Dupre, Subir Sarkar, Nancy Cartwright

Prof Nancy Cartwright, The Big Evidence Debate, Panel Discussion: Is meta-analysis the best we can do?, Durham University, June 2019

Prof Nancy Cartwright, 8th ESRC Research Methods Festival, Casual inference: evidencing the single case, University of Bath, July 2018

Prof Nancy Cartwright, What's the use of pragmatic trials, KCL, London, 26 January 2017

Prof Nancy Cartwright appeared on the BBC Radio 4 show 'Whodunnit?' discussing social policy (06/12/16)

IAI TV Debate: Explaining the Inexplicable: Is explanation an illusion? Nancy Cartwright, Piers Corbyn, James Ladyman (Host: David Malone) from HowTheLightGetsIn Festival - June 2016

Professor Nancy Cartwright, HowTheLightGetsIn videos 

Prof Alison Wylie, Soloman Katz Distinguished Lecture 'What Knowers Know Well: Why Feminism Matters to Archaeology'. University of Washington (May 2016)

Philosophy of Science: Contemporary Debates, 16 October 2014. The University of Edinburgh. Nancy Cartwright: Predicting what will happen when we intervene

Prof Nancy Cartwright Inaugural Lecture: Deliberating Policy: Where morals and methods mix - and not always for the best. Durham University. 28 October 2013

Prof Nancy Cartwright appeared on Ben Goldacre's Bad Evidence on BBC Radio 4 (06/01/13) Listen here http://bbc.in/W3DtNF 

Prof Nancy Cartwright, What Can Economists Know. Rethinking the Foundations of Economic Understanding, at the Institute for New Economic Thinking's (INET) Paradigm Lost Conference in Berlin, 12 April 2012

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Wiser Use of Social Science, Wiser Wishes, Wiser Policies, Rotman Institute of Philosophy 2011-2012 Speaker Series, Western University, 3 September 2012

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Evidence, Argument and Mixed Methods, Rotman Institute of Philosophy, 3 August 2012

Prof Nancy Cartwright, Evidence And the Demands of Rigor. Patrick Suppes' 90th birthday celebration, Stanford University, 11 March 2012