Samuli Reijula (né Pöyhönen)
I am a philosopher and cognitive scientist interested in how science works, how it could, and how it should work.
In 2019 I joined Theoretical philosophy at the University of Helsinki as a permanent university lecturer (roughly equivalent to US associate professor). I’m also affiliated with the TINT Centre for Philosophy of Social Science, and a docent (qualification for academic habilitation) in Practical philosophy, University of Helsinki.
I’m currently (2020-2025) on research leave as an Academy of Finland research fellow. My project focuses on the nature of scientific problem solving: Science is the humanity’s most successful problem-solving system, and the primary source of epistemic authority in modern societies. How does that system function at different levels from individual scientists to research groups and scientific communities? And how should it function - what are the social, cognitive, and institutional preconditions of well-functioning scientific research?
I am also interested in cognitive diversity, coping with uncertainty, epistemology of simulation modeling, foundations of scientific classification, as well as issues related to the (cognitive) science of science, scientific discovery, science policy, evidence-based policy, boosting, and Bildung in all its forms.
In June 2022, together with Säde Hormio and Raul Hakli, I organized the first Institutional epistemology workshop at the University of Helsinki. IEW2023 will take place in June 2023.
Together with Pantelis Analytis (Odense, Denmark) and Jacob Habinek (IAS, Sweden), I organize a series of workshops Nordic Network for the Science of Science (funded by NOS-HS, 2022-2023).
Recent publications
- Modeling cognitive diversity in group problem solving, in J. Culbertson, A. Perfors, H. Rabagliati & V. Ramenzoni (Eds.), Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. (4/2022) (w/ Jaakko Kuorikoski)
- Terapeuttinen puhe on kaikkialla (Therapeutic discourse is everywhere; book review), Tieteessä Tapahtuu 1/2022. (2/2022)
- Social categories in the making: construction or recruitment? Synthese. (7/2021)
- Hacking, Ian (1936-), Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (5/2021)
- The diversity-ability trade-off in scientific problem solving, Philosophy of Science (PSA 2020/2021). (w/ Jaakko Kuorikoski) (4/2021)
- Argumentative landscapes: the functions of models in social epistemology, Synthese. (w/ Emrah Aydinonat and Petri Ylikoski) (4/2020)
- Self-nudging and the citizen choice architect, Behavioral Public Policy (w/ Ralph Hertwig). (3/2020)
- Tutkijan vapaus institutionaalisen tietoteorian näkökulmasta, in ed. K. Ekholm, E. Väliverronen 2020: Tieteen vapaus & tutkijan sananvapaus. Vastapaino, Finland. (w/ Petri Ylikoski)