Suilin Lavelle

Philosophy of psychology, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, moral psychology, philosophy of science,

I'm interested in all things mind and cognitive science, and the intersection of philosophy of science with psychology.  I've been working on the replication crisis in psychology, mainly because I don't think there's really a crisis.  There are many psychologists engaging in good science, but that doesn't necessarily mean their experiments will replicate.  Consequently, we need to rethink why we assume replication to be important, and how we measure progress in those fields which don't have high rates of successful replication.

I also worry a lot about psychological concepts and their grounding in Anglo-European thought.  Scientists are folk too, so it's natural that their conceptual apparatus will be shaped by their folk psychology.  But what if the anglo-american folk psychology that so dominates academic journals isn't a good starting point? This question runs through my research, and I have long argued for the importance of cross-cultural perspectives in the social cognition literature.  I am now bringing together my interest in cross-cultural cognition with my thinking about the replication crisis to motivate a series of papers reflecting on the concepts which shape psychological research.

2015. Visiting Fellow at Dartmouth College, USA.

2021-2022. Humboldt Experienced Researcher at Ruhr Üniversität, Bochum

(2002-2005) Durham University, BA English Literature and Philosophy

(2005-2006) University of Sheffield, MA Philosophy with Distinction

(2006-2011) University of Sheffield, PhD Understanding Folk Philosophy: Theory, Observation and Explanation in Social Cognition. 

(2013) 

• Introduction to Mind, Language and Embodied Cognition  (MSc)
• Metaphysics of Mind (MA)
• Philosophical Issues in Evolution (MA)
• Philosophy of Psychology (MA & MSc)
• Philosophy of Science 1 (Pre-hons)
• Social Cognition (MA) 

(2011) University of Edinburgh: Graduate Supervision for MSc and PhD Students. Mind, Langauge and Embodied Cognition MSc Course. Mind, Matter and Langauage Pre-honours course. Philosophy of Science1 Pre-honours course. Metaphysics of Mind Honours 3rd/4th Yr course. Philosophy of Psychology Honours course. Philosophical Issues in Evolution Honours course. Social Cognition Honours Course.

(2009) University of Shefield: Philosphy of Mind 2nd Yr Course. 

(2011) Co-organiser of Philosophy in Schools, University of Edinburgh. Innovative Learning Week Co-ordinator for Philosophy, University of Edinburgh. 

(2006-2011) Assistant to Stephen Laurence, Director of the Hang Seng Centre for Cognitive Studies and Leader of the AHRC Culture and Mind Project.

(Aug 2009) Primary Organiser of a 3 day conference "Folk Psychology, Folk Epistemology and Cultural Transmission". University of Sheffield

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Office hours (Semester one 2016): Wednesdays 10.30 - 11.30.