EEvidence: A
An Interdisciplinary Conversattion aboutt Knowing and Certainty A
April 21‐22, 2
2017 C
Columbia Law
w School, Je
erome Green
ne Hall, Room
m 103 4
435 West 11
16th Street N
New York Citty O
Organizers: Paamela Smith (History, Colu
umbia), Stuart Firestein (B iology, Colum
mbia), Jeremyy Kessler (Law
w, C
Columbia) SSponsored byy: The Center for Science and Society (C
CSS) and the Innstitute for Social and Eco
onomic Reseaarch and P
Policy (ISERP) at Columbia University Introduction:
O
Our goal is to examine the use of eviden
nce – from m
massive data s ets to individ
dual case stud
dies – within aand aacross the disciplines. Whaat counts as e
evidence in different fieldss? Why do som
me disciplines have explicit and b
broadly‐share
ed norms of e
evidence gathering and use
e, while otherr disciplines aare guided byy more implicit eevidentiary cu
ustoms? Whyy do evidentiaary norms chaange over tim
me in a given discipline, an
nd are these cchanges b
better explain
ned by internaal, theoreticaal developmen
nts or externaal, social factors? What haappens when new ttheories outpace a disciplin
ne’s current e
evidentiary practices? For instance, thee recognition that many acccurate d
descriptions o
of the universse are not detterministic bu
ut rather probbabilistic has altered naturral scientists’ basic cconception ab
bout what cou
unts as evidence – and about the sheerr quantity of evidence neeeded to provee or d
disprove hypo
otheses. Yet e
even the most advanced to
ools for evideence‐gatherin
ng (statistical,, computation
nal, and eexperimental)) have not kept pace with this turn to p
probabilistic m
models in the natural scien
nces. Meanwh
hile, sscholars in the
e humanities,, social sciencces, and law aare adopting –– or transform
ming – these same tools in
n an eeffort to expaand the evidence base, rigo
or of proof, and public apppeal of their d
disciplines (e.g., “big” histo
ory, ““distant reading,” digital humanities, qu
uantitative so
ociology, expeerimental philosophy, law and cognition). TThe conferencce will bring ttogether acad
demic scholarrs, public poli cy makers, no
on‐governmeental advocattes, and m
media expertss to discuss th
he state of “e
evidence” tod
day. As you w
will see from tthe draft proggram, a wond
derfully interdisciplinaary group of sspeakers and panelists havve agreed to pparticipate. TThree keynote lecturers w
will also h
highlight overrarching concepts that imp
pact the collection, analysiis, validation,, and communication of evvidence aacross the disciplines. In addition to these keynottes, the confe
erence will co
onsist of twelvve hour‐long panels over tthe course off two d
days. Each paanel has been
n organized arround two prrimary speakeers, representting a particular discipline or sub‐
d
discipline, and
d two to three
e panelists with contrastin
ng disciplinaryy background
ds. We ask each of the two
o primary sspeakers to offfer ten minutes of introdu
uctory remarks about eviddentiary prob
blems they have encounterred in ttheir particulaar area of exp
pertise. We h
hope these remarks will noot be as formaal as conventtional presenttations; tthey are inste
ead an opporttunity to raise
e practical and theoretical questions ab
bout the uses of evidence yyou have eencountered in your own w
work, preferaably advertingg to specific ccase studies. TTwenty minuttes of discusssion b
between speaakers and pan
nelists will follow. Panelistss might contrrast the speakkers’ introducctory remarkss with ttheir own discciplines’ evide
entiary normss and the diffferent – or sim
milar – challenges to which
h they give risse. After tthe introducto
ory remarks aand panel disccussion, the ffloor will be oopened to thee audience. 1 Conference Particip
pants D
David Adelma
an, Harry Reaasoner Regentts Chair in Law
w, Universityy of Texas at A
Austin P
Paul Appelbaum, Elizabeth
h K. Dollard Professor of Psychiatry, Meedicine, and LLaw, Columbia University
N
Niall Bolger, P
Professor of P
Psychology, C
Columbia Univversity A
Alessandra Ca
asella, Professsor of Econom
mics, Columb
bia Universityy FFrances Cham
mpagne, Associate Professo
or of Psychology, Columbiia University
niversity of Cambridge H
Hasok Chang,, Hans Rausing Professor o
of History and
d Philosophy oof Science, Un
M
Matthew Con
nnelly, Professsor of Historyy, Columbia U
University ZZoe Crossland
d, Associate P
Professor of A
Anthropology,, Columbia U niversity Jenny Davidso
on, Professorr of English an
nd Comparative Literaturee, Columbia U
University A
Annie Duke, W
World Series of Poker Champion, Autho
or, Decision SStrategist Jeffrey Fagan, Isidor and Seville Sulzbaccher Professo
or of Law, Coluumbia Univerrsity SStuart Fireste
ein, Professor of Biological Sciences, Columbia Univeersity D
Dan Kahan, Elizabeth K. Do
ollard Professsor of Law and Professor oof Psychologyy, Yale Universsity Jeremy Kessle
er, Associate Professor of Law, Columbia University
John Krakaue
er, John C. Maalone Professor of Neurolo
ogy and Neurooscience, Joh
hns Hopkins U
University N
Nicholas Lemann, Joseph P
Pulitzer II and
d Edith Pulitze
er Moore Proofessor of Journalism, Colu
umbia Universsity D
David Madiga
an, Executive V
Vice Presiden
nt and Dean o
of Faculty of A
Arts and Scien
nces, Professo
or of Statisticcs, C
Columbia University Jennifer Manly, Associate Professor of Neurology, Columbia Univversity A
Andrew Mend
delsohn, Reader in Historyy of Science aand Medicine , Queen Maryy University o
of London
C
Christia Merccer, Gustave M
M. Berne Proffessor of Philo
osophy, Colu mbia Universsity Jennifer Mnookin, Dean &
& David G. Pricce and Dallas P. Price Profeessor of Law,, University of California, LLos A
Angeles SSuresh Naidu, Professor off Economics, Columbia University A
Alondra Nelso
on, Dean of SSocial Science and Professo
or of Sociologgy, Columbia University N
Naomi Schragg, Associate V
Vice Presidentt for Research
h Compliancee, Columbia U
University B
Barbara Shap
piro, Emerita P
Professor of R
Rhetoric, Univversity of Caliifornia, Berkeeley SShai Silberberrg, Program D
Director, Extraamural Research Program,, National Insstitute of Neurological Diso
orders aand Stroke (NINDS), NIH K
Kavita Sivaram
makrishnan, Assistant Pro
ofessor of Socciomedical Sciiences, Colum
mbia University P
Pamela Smith
h, Seth Low Professor of History, Colum
mbia Universitty K
Kristen Underrhill, Associatte Professor o
of Law, Colum
mbia Universitty
V
Veronica Vieland, Battelle Professor of Quantitative and Computtational Biology, The Reseaarch Institutee at N
Nationwide Children’s Hosspital and the Ohio State U
University W
Wendy Wagn
ner, Joe A. Wo
orsham Cente
ennial Professsor, Universitty of Texas at Austin 22 Evidence: An In
nterdisciplinary Conversation ab
bout Knowing an
nd Certainty, Collumbia Universitty Day 1, Friday, April 21, 2
2017 Time Topic Speakerrs 8:30‐9:0
00 9:00‐9:1
15 Welcome 9:15‐10:45 Reproducib
bility Pamela SSmith (History, Colu
umbia), Stuart Firestein (Biology, Columbiaa), Jeremy Kessler (LLaw, Columbia) Veronica Vieland (Pediatrics and Statistics, o State University)
The Ohio
olumbia) Niall Bolgger (Psychology, Co
erberg (Director, Exxtramural Shai Silbe
Research
h Program, NIH/NIN
NDS) 10:45‐1
11:00 11:00‐12:00 Chair Panelistss Breakfast
Regulatoryy Policy Wendy W
Wagner (Law, UT Au
ustin)
ustin) David Adelman (Law, UT Au
e Executive Vice Naomi Scchrag (Office of the
Presidentt for Research, Columbia) 12:00‐1:00 1:00‐2:0
00 Humanitiess 2:00‐3:0
00 Federal Funding Barbara SShapiro (Rhetoric, UC Berkeley, Emerita) d Comparative Jenny Davidson (English and
e, Columbia) Literature
Frances C
Champagne (Psychology, Columbiaa) olumbia) Stuart Firrestein (Biology, Co
erberg (Director, Exxtramural Shai Silbe
Research
h Program, NIH/NIN
NDS) Hasok Chang (Histtory and Philosophy off Science, Cambridgge) Break
Jennifer Mnookin (Law, UCLA) Lunch
Nick Lemann mbia) (Journalism, Colum
Matt Connelly (History, Columbia) 3:00‐3:3
30 3 Evid
dence: An Interdiscip
plinary Conversation a
about Knowing and C
Certainty, Columbia U
University Break
Columbia)
David Maadigan (Statistics, C
Manly (Neurology, Columbia) Jennifer M
Paul Appeelbaum (Psychiatryy, Medicine, and Laaw, Columbia)
Frances CChampagne (Psychology, Columbia)
Stuart Firrestein (Biology, Co
olumbia)
bia) Jeffrey Faagan (Law, Columb
Alessand ra Cassella (Econom
mics, Columbia)
Kristin Unnderhill (Law, Columbia) Time 3:30‐4:3
30 Topic Medicine aand Public Health 4:30‐5:3
30 Journalism 5:30‐6:0
00 6:00‐7:0
00 Break Public Keyn
note: Poker Speakerrs Chair Paul Appelbaum (Psychiatryy, Medicine, and Law, Columbia) Underhill (Law, Colu
umbia) Kristen U
Meehan Crist (Writer‐in‐Residence, Columbia) Biology, C
mann (Journalism, C
Columbia) Nick Lem
Annie Du
uke (World Series o
of Poker Champion, Author, Decision
n Strategist) 7:00‐8:0
00 Panelistss Andrew Mendelso
ohn ociomedical Sciencces, Columbia)
Kavita Sivvaramakrishnan (So
(History of Science and Wagner (Law, UT Au
ustin) Medicine, Queen Mary) Wendy W
David Madigan bia) (Statistics, Columb
Stuart Firestein (Biology, Columbia) Reception
8:00 Jenny Davvidson (English and
d Comparative Liteerature, Columbia) h Program, Shai Silbeerberg (Director, Exxtramural Research
NIH/NIND
DS) Dinner
Day 2, Satturday April 22, 2017 Time 8:30‐9:0
00 9:00‐10:00 10:00‐11:00 11:00‐11:15 11:15‐12:15 12:15‐2:15 Topic Philosophyy Law and evidence Econom
mics Speakerss Hasok Chang (History and Philosophy of Cambridge) Science, C
John Krakkauer (Neurology, JJohns Hopkins) Mercer (Philosophyy, Columbia) Christia M
Dan Kahaan (Law and Psycho
ology, Yale)
Jeffrey Faagan (Law, Columbia) Alessandrra Casella (Econom
mics, Columbia)
Columbia) Suresh Naaidu (Economics, C
Chair Breakfast
Stuart Firestein (Biology, Columbia) Veronica Vieland (Pediatrics and hio Statistics, The Oh
State University)
Panelist s Dan Kahaan (Law and Psycho
ology, Yale)
Veronica Vieland (Director, Battelle Center for Mathematical Medicinee) mann (Journalism, C
Columbia)
Nick Lem
Barbara SShapiro (Rhetoric, UC Berkeley, Emerrita) mbia) Jeremy KKessler (Law, Colum
Break
Hasok Chhang (History and P
Niall Bolger Philosophy of Scien
nce, Cambridge)
umbia) (Psychology, Colu
Matt Connnelly (History, Columbia) Working luncch
4 Evid
dence: An Interdiscip
plinary Conversation a
about Knowing and C
Certainty, Columbia U
University Time Topic 2:15‐3:3
30 Keynote: E
Expert evidence, science policy w and the law
History/Social Sciences 3:30‐4:3
30 4:30‐5:3
30 Big Data Speakerss Mnookin (Law, UCLLA)
Jennifer M
Chair Panelist s Jeremy Kessler (LLaw, Columbia) Kavita Sivvaramakrishnan (So
ociomedical Sciences, Columbia) Zoe Crosssland (Anthropologgy, Columbia) Mendelsohn (History of Science Andrew M
and Mediicine, Queen Mary)) Matt Connelly (History, Colu
umbia)
Columbia) David Maadigan (Statistics, C
John Krakauer (Neurology and Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins) Pamela SSmith (History, Colu
umbia)
David Ad elman (Law, UT Au
ustin) Suresh Naidu (Economics, Columbia) Stuart Firrestein (Biology, Co
olumbia)
mics, Columbia) Alessand ra Casella (Econom
5 Evid
dence: An Interdiscip
plinary Conversation a
about Knowing and C
Certainty, Columbia U
University