Philosophy of Science Lecture Series: "Trading Zones, Interactional Expertise, and Mental Models as Solutions to Incommensurability"

Friday, November 3rd from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Quinn 212

Michael E. Gorman, PhD
Professor of Engineering & Society
University of Virginia
Director, Science, Technology, and Society Program
Director, Policy Internship Program

“Trading Zones, Interactional Expertise, and Mental Models as Solutions to Incommensurability”

Scientists and engineers often have to collaborate on projects that require apparently incommensurable expertises. The example in this paper will be a team of two Civil Engineers, two Computer Scientists, and one Social Psychologist working together to develop improved strategies for managing the effects of climate change in a highly populated and heavily trafficked area on the Virginia coast. This group created a trading zone to get funding for its project and is now trying to share expertises as it plans the research. Further progress may depend on developing interactional expertise in each other’s domains and also in developing a shared mental model for traffic and flood management in this region.