David Lambert

Dissertation project description

Title: A pluralistic philosophy of psychiatric research.

Science works best, says current philosophy of science, when it exhibits pluralities of different kinds (theories, concepts, approaches, models, methods, explanations, social diversity, ontologies, taxonomies, ...). This is (part of) what some would call a ‘pluralist stance’ and it should also hold for psychiatric research.

But what does it mean to adopt a pluralist stance and what are the options for spelling it out? How might it help with normative reasoning about research (in psychiatry)? I examine current scientific pluralisms in philosophy of science closely to produce a pluralistic philosophy of psychiatric research that is fit for the needs of the field. So, the result is a philosophical stance that helps understanding and normative reasoning about research in psychiatry. To achieve this, I require a working conceptual analysis of philosophical stances, a systematic way of talking about scientific pluralisms, a good grasp of pluralities in psychiatric research, and, finally, a case that affords me the opportunity to put pluralisms to the test: treatment resistance research.

Research interests

• General philosophy of science
• feminist epistemology and philosophy of science
• philosophy and history of medicine and psychiatry

Publications

• Keßels, Isabelle, Lambert, David, Quast, Christian (2018): The Place of Justification in the Fabric of Testimonial Knowledge, in: Johannes Müller-Salo (ed.): Robert Audi: Critical Engagements (Münster Lectures in Philosophy). Cham: Springer.

Talks

• Invited Talk at the Research Seminar of the Institul de Antropologie “Francis I. Rainer” (IARP): “A qualitative philosophy of psychiatry – (The making of) the case of treatment resistance research”, 13th November 2024
• Symposium Talk at the Annual Conference of the European Network for Philosophy of the Social Sciences (ENPOSS): “A qualitative method for developing case studies - doing reflexive thematic analysis as a philosopher of science”, 28th August 2024
• Talk at the Bielefeld Workshop in Philosophy of Psychiatry: "The conceptual landscape of treatment resistance research - Towards a case study in philosophy of psychiatry", 28th May 2024
• Talk at the Annual Conference of the International Network for Philosophy and Psychiatry (INPP): “The conceptual landscape of treatment resistance research - Towards a case study in philosophy of psychiatry”, 24th May 2024
• Symposium Talk at the Annual Conference of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science (BSPS): “The Philosophy of Biology Community as an Epistemic Community – Lessons from Feminist Social Epistemology” (with co-presenter Saana Jukola), 7th July 2022
• Symposium Talk at Hi-Phi International Conference: “Towards a Sound Pluralist Stance in Philosophy of Psychiatry”, 23rd June 2022

Teaching

• Winter term 2024/2025, Seminar „Methoden der Wissenschaftsphilosophie“ (= Methods of philosophy of science)
• Winter term 2022/23, Seminar “Wissenschaftlicher Pluralismus“ (=Scientific pluralism)

Academic activities

• PhD representative in the DFG Research training group (March to September 2024, with Matthias Ackermann)
• Student representative in the committee for the appointment of a professor in history and philosophy of medicine (May 2021 to October 2021)
• Student representative in the committee for the appointment of a junior professor in philosophy of science (November 2019 to March 2020)
• Student representative of the HEPS master programme (November 2018 to January 2020)

Academic education

• Since 10/2021 Doctoral Candidate at the DFG Research Training Group 2073 Integrating Ethics and Epistemology of Scientific Research, Bielefeld University
• 2018-2021 Master of Arts in History, Economics and Philosophy of Science / Interdisciplinary Studies of Science, University of Bielefeld
• 2011-2016 Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and History, Department of Philosophy and History, University of Münster