Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies
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The '''Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies''' (CLEA) is an interdisciplinary research centre founded at the [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] in [[1995]] with the aim to construct ''integrating [[world view|worldview]]s''. This encompassing philosophical-scientific concept was originally elaborated by the late [[Leo Apostel]], one of [[Belgium]]'s most important [[philosopher]]s.
== Overview ==
The Center Leo Apostel was founded in [[1995]] as a transdisciplinary research department, and situated at the [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]]. Its scientific council is composed of members of different [[List of universities in Flanders|Flemish universities]]. The center is elaborated and named after his founder. Apostel donated the money of the Solvay prize, which he received for his life work, to the [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]] in order to create such a center.
CLEA's key objectives were summarized by Apostel as:
* interdisciplinarity
* construction of world views
* broad dissemination of scientific knowledge.
== Worldview ==
{{cleanup-rewrite}}
A worldview can be defined as a coherent set of bodies of [[knowledge]] concerning all aspects of our [[world]]. It is to allow us to construct a global [[image]] of the world and understand as many elements of our [[experience]] as possible. A worldview is a ''[[map]]'' that we use to ''[[orient]]'' and ''[[explain]]'', from which we ''[[evaluate]]'' and ''[[wikt:act|act]]'', and put forward ''[[prognoses]]'' and ''visions'' of the ''[[future]]''. Hence: (i) [[orient]]; (ii) [[explain]]; (iii) [[evaluate]]; (iv) act and; (v) [[predict]] are the [[wiktionary:basic|basic]] aspects of a [[worldview]]. In a more structured way Apostel put forward these basic aspects as follows:
# A ''[[model (abstract)|model]] of the [[world]]'' (What is the nature of the world? How is it structured?)
# An ''[[explanation]]'' [[model (abstract)|model]] (Why is the world the way it is and not different? Why are we the way we are and not different?)
# An ''[[evaluation]]'' [[model (abstract)|model]] (Why do we feel in our world the way we feel?)
# An ''[[Action (philosophy)|action]]'' [[model (abstract)|model]] (How can we and do we have to act and create in this world? How can we influence and transform?)
# A [[rationality|rational]] ''[[futurology]]'' (What kind of future is ahead of us? And what are the criteria that allow us to choose for the future?)
# A ''[[model (abstract)|model]] of model [[construction]]'' (How do we have to construct a model of the world such that we can answer the above questions?)
# ''[[Fragment]]s'' of [[worldview]]s as starting points (What are the partial answers that can be given to the above questions?)
The [[Business|enterprise]] of building integrating worldviews, on which [[CLEA]] is working step by step, is also a scientifically based response to our rapidly changing and complex [[society]], and the ever-specialising [[Scientific progress]] of the [[science]]s, which leaves the body of [[knowledge]] of our [[world]] increasingly fragmented. [[CLEA]]'s goal is to seek the integration of different approaches of reality, without the loss of specialised insight, ''i.e.'' an [[interdisciplinary]] [[Perspective (cognitive)|perspective]], enabling [[scientist]]s from different [[discipline]]s to work together, enabling [[interdisciplinary]] exchange and [[communication]] between the [[science]]s and the [[humanities]], between [[layman]] and specialist. In particular, [[CLEA]] is developing a [[synthesis]] of current and cutting-edge [[idea]]s and [[Scientific method|method]]s from the [[natural science|natural]] and the [[social]] [[science]]s and [[humanities]] in order to derive new insights into the [[nature]] of ''[[reality]]'' and our ''[[knowledge]]'' about it. As such [[CLEA]] explores how insights from one [[Field of study|domain]] - such as [[quantum mechanics]], [[biology]], [[cognitive science]], [[sociology]], [[philosophy]], [[history]] of [[idea]]s and [[cultural studies]] - shed light on another and provide models for [[problem-solving]] in integrating [[worldview]]s. The concrete [[research]] conducted at [[CLEA]] since its founding year has been chosen in function of these multiple tasks that CLEA has set itself.
The existence of separate bodies of [[knowledge]] concerning parts or fragments of [[reality]] has its reasons. The disciplines in the [[theoretical]] sciences have not been chosen in an arbitrary way but correspond to a [[layered]] [[organisation]] of [[reality]] itself. Reality indeed shows itself to us in the form of layers. The first is a ''[[pre-material layer]]'' of [[elementary particle]]s and [[waves]] that are the subject matter of [[quantum physics]]. This is followed by a ''[[material layer]]'', studied by [[physics]] and [[chemistry]]. The next layers are those of ''living creatures'' that make up the field of study of [[biology]], and of ''interacting living creatures'' studied by [[sociology]]. Finally, we have the ''[[psycho-cognitive layer]]'', studied by [[psychology]] and [[cognitive science]]. This layered structure is considered effective and real and not merely a suitable classification. On the other hand, it is clear that the different layers are not separated, but in constant interaction and connected in all kinds of ways, ''i.e.'' through ''[[wiktionary:context|contextual]], [[emergent]]'', and ''[[downward causation]]'' influences. They are 'forms of condensation' in reality as an undivided totality. The study of this multi-layered structure of reality, of how the different layers are interconnected, how they emerge one from another, ''et cetera'', is one of the encompassing research themes of [[CLEA]]. Together with the seven themes of the worldviews project referred to above, the layered structure also serves as a canvas for the other more specific [[CLEA]] research topics.
==Research topics==
The investigations are concentrated in thematical projects:
#Canvas topic: The ''layered structure of reality'', an ''integrating [[worldview]] [[model (abstract)|model]]''
#''[[Cognition]]'', ''[[knowledge acquisition]]'' and ''[[perception]] of reality''
#The ''[[evolution]] of [[systems]]'' and ''[[complexity]]''
#''[[Worldview]]s'' and ''[[Value (personal and cultural)|value]] systems'', ''[[society]]'' and ''[[culture]]''
#The ''generic [[quantum mechanics|quantum]]-[[Classical mechanics|classical]] [[transition]] [[model (abstract)|model]]'', ''[[potentiality]]'', ''[[ontology]]'' and ''[[wiktionary:context|contextual]] [[change]]''
==Members of the Center==
===Director===
[[Diederik Aerts]], professor [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]], [[quantum structures]], [[cognitive science]], [[evolution theory]], foundations of [[language]]
===Research Personnel===
#Sven Aerts, research assistant, interactive [[statistics]], [[probability theory]]
#Haroun Amira, research assistant, [[sociology]], interactive [[statistics]]
#Jan Bernheim, professor [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]], [[oncology]], [[medical ethics]]
#Jan Broekaert, postdoctoral fellow, [[quantum structures]], [[cognitive science]], [[space time physics]]
#Stan Bundervoet, research assistant, [[sociology]], biological [[evolution]], [[music]] research
#Marek Czachor, professor technical university of Gdansk, [[quantum]] and biological [[evolution]], foundations of [[language]]
#Johan Deklerck, research assistant, [[criminology]]
#Anouk Depuydt, research assistant, [[criminology]]
#Christian de Ronde, research assistant, [[quantum structures]], [[cognitive science]], biological [[evolution]]
#Olaf Diettrich, researcher, [[physics]], [[theory of science]], [[cognitive science]]
#Ellie D'Hondt, research assistant, [[quantum computation]]
#Bart D'Hooghe, postdoctoral fellow, [[quantum logic]], [[quantum computation]], [[evolution theory]]
#[[Liane Gabora]], postdoctoral fellow, [[cognitive science]], [[evolution of culture]], [[creativity research]]
#[http://homepages.vub.ac.be/~cgershen/ Carlos Gershenson], research assistant, [[complex systems]], [[artificial life]], [[cognitive science]].
#[http://pcp.vub.ac.be/HEYL.html Francis Heylighen], professor [[Vrije Universiteit Brussel]], [[systems theory]], [[cybernetics]]
#Nicole Note, research assistant, [[anthropology]], [[sociology]]
#Jaroslaw Pykacz, professor University of Gdansk, [[biology]], [[fuzzy sets]], [[quantum structures]]
#Alexander Riegler, postdoctoral fellow, [[cognitive science]], [[philosophy of science]], [[Constructivism (mathematics)|constructivism]]
#Sonja Smets, postdoctoral fellow, [[philosophy]], [[quantum logic]]
#Ellen Van Keer, research assistant, classical [[archeology]], [[mythology]]
#Karin Verelst, research assistant, [[philosophy]], [[ontology]], research on the nature of [[paradox]]
==Bibliography==
A selected number of core publications of the Center
#Aerts, D. and Gabora, L. (in press). A theory of concepts and their combinations I and II. Kybernetes. [http://uk.arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0402207 download preprint 1] [http://uk.arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0402205 download preprint 2]
#Riegler, A, When Is a Cognitive System Embodied? Cognitive Systems Research 3: 339–348, 2002. [http://www.univie.ac.at/constructivism/riegler/papers/riegler02embodiment.pdf download preprint]
#D'Hooghe, B, Pykacz, J and Zapatrin, RR, [[Quantum computer]]s as [[fuzzy logic|fuzzy]] computers, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2206, [[Computational intelligence]]: theory and applications', ed. B. Reusch, Springer-Verlag, 526-535, 2001
#Heylighen, F, Bootstrapping knowledge representations - From entailment meshes via semantic nets to learning webs, Kybernetes, 30 (5-6): 691-722 2001.
#Aerts, D, Aerts, S, Broekaert, J and Gabora, L, The violation of Bell inequalities in the macroworld, Foundations of Physics, 30 (9): 1387-1414 SEP 2000. [http://www.vub.ac.be/CLEA/aerts/publications/2000BellMacro.pdf download preprint]
#Heylighen, F and Bernheim, J, Global Progress I: Empirical evidence for increasing quality of life, Journal of Happiness Studies 1 (3), p. 323-349, 2000.
#Aerts, D, Foundations of quantum physics: A general realistic and operational approach, International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 38 (1): 289-358 JAN 1999. [http://www.vub.ac.be/CLEA/aerts/publications/1999FoundPhys.pdf download preprint]
#Aerts, D, Broekaert, J and Smets, S, A quantum structure description of the liar paradox, International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 38 (12): 3231-3239 DEC 1999. [http://www.vub.ac.be/CLEA/aerts/publications/1999AtlantaLiar.pdf download preprint]
#Broekaert, J, World views. Elements of the Apostelian and general approach, Foundations of Science, 3, 235, 1998.
#Aerts, D, Czachor, M and Durt, T, Probing the Structure of Quantum Mechanics: Nonlinearity, Nonlocality, Probability and Axiomatics, World Scientific, Singapore, 981-02-4847-4, 2002.
#Aerts, D, Broekaert, J and Mathijs, E, Einstein meets Magritte; an Interdisciplinary Reflection, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 1999.
#Gershenson, C. (2004). [http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsys.2003.10.002 Cognitive Paradigms: Which One is the Best?] Cognitive Systems Research, 5(2):135-156, June 2004.
==External links==
*[http://www.vub.ac.be/CLEA/ Website of the Center Leo Apostel for Interdisciplinary Studies]
[[Category:Vrije Universiteit Brussel]]
[[Category:Epistemology]]
[[Category:Interdisciplinary fields]]
[[af:Die Leo Apostel Sentrum vir Interdissiplinêre Studies (CLEA)]]