Misinformation and Social Epistemology: Models and Simulations

Funded PhD Project (UK or International Students)

Funding provider: Northeastern University London (NU London)

Subject areas: Philosophy, social epistemology, formal epistemology, computational philosophy

Project start date: 24 April 2023 or September 2023

Supervisors (*lead):

Dr Brian Ball* (Northeastern University London)
Dr David Corfield (University of Kent)

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Philosophy

Mode of study: Full-time

Northeastern University London

As part of a major investment, Northeastern University London (NU London) has multiple, fully-funded PhD studentships available to accelerate its interdisciplinary research in the humanities, social sciences and digital sciences. Each scholarship is fully-funded for three and a half years (UKRI rates) and includes fees, an annual stipend, an additional London allowance and associated costs, such as training.

NU London is the European campus of Northeastern University, a large, top-tier research intensive, Boston-based institution. With campuses across the United States, Canada and London, students will have the opportunity to engage with, and visit the Northeastern University network overseas, as part of their London-based doctoral studies, providing a truly unique and highly sought-after dimension to their research training.

The Project

This PhD project builds upon a Royal Society funded cross-disciplinary research project. ‘PolyGraphs: Combatting Networks of Ignorance in the Misinformation Age’ examines the “infodemic” fuelled by social media, how ignorance persists even in groups of ideally rational individuals, and how we can combat it collectively.

A few pioneering philosophers now advocate computer simulations as a tool for philosophical investigations. Using this method at scale, PolyGraphs is yielding new evidence about the nature of group attitudes such as knowledge and belief (and their relations to structural properties of social networks), and shedding light on current debates surrounding the use of so-called ‘higher-order’ evidence (e.g. about levels of reliability on the part of information sharers).

Building on this work, the successful PhD student will use formal and/or computational tools (e.g. logic, probability theory, graph theory/network science) to understand social aspects of knowledge and information sharing. They will, for example, investigate formal models of individual rationality, and/or run computer simulations of communities of agents sharing information with one another. In so doing, they will make a valuable contribution to the growing field of social epistemology.

The successful candidates will:

Have a proven, strong educational background in philosophy or a related subject including mathematics and computer/data science (see eligibility criteria)
Be excited and inspired by the proposed project area
Be highly motivated to engage in research
Be a self starter
Have good communication skills
Have an inquiring mind and be willing to challenge themselves
Have proven analytical skills

The successful candidates will benefit from a brand new campus on the banks of the River Thames next to Tower Bridge; an interdisciplinary, vibrant research environment; international collaboration and networking opportunities, dedicated research space and a highly experienced, multi-institution supervisory team from NU London and the University of Kent.

Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed at the end of January 2023/early February 2023. Candidates are welcome to contact the NU London supervisor with informal enquiries before the application deadline: Dr Brian Ball (brian.ball@nulondon.ac.uk)

Eligibility

Bachelor's degree in a relevant subject - 2:1 or 1st (essential)
Master’s degree in a relevant subject (optional)

English Language requirements:

If applicable – IELTS 6.5 overall (with a score of at least 6.5 in each individual component) or equivalent.

Nationality

Applications are open to UK and international students. Please indicate if you are likely to require a visa on your application form.

Funding

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees, an annual stipend and an additional London allowance (set at UKRI rates) for 3.5 years. For the 2022/2023 academic year the annual stipend is £19,668 (£17,668 UKRI stipend plus £2,000 London allowance). Annual increments will be in line with UKRI rates.

International travel

Students will have the optional opportunity to travel to Northeastern University in North America to further their research training and experience.

How to Apply

Please send a CV and a Covering Letter stating how you meet the requirements and why you are interested in the proposed research project by clicking on this link. Please reference your application ‘PPS0123’.

Northeastern University London

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Philosophy: Northeastern University London Fully Funded PhD Scholarship