Mathematical Knowledge: Philosophical and Sociological Perspectives

11–13 February 2026, Brussels (Belgium)

The event aims to bring together philosophers and sociologists of mathematical and scientific practices to explore the social dimensions of mathematics and to foster dialogue between these two research traditions. We expect contributions on topics such as:

1. Philosophical or sociological analyses of mathematical practices;

2. Comparative perspectives on epistemology, methodology, or the social organization of mathematics;

3. Interactions between mathematical reasoning, communication, and community structures

4. Methodological reflections on interview studies and qualitative research in the philosophy or sociology of science and mathematics.

5. Social philosophy of mathematics

6. Reflections on the interactions between the philosophy and sociology of mathematics

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

• Paola Cantù (CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-en-Provence, France)

• Karen François (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium)

• Christian Greiffenhagen (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China)

• Mikkel Willum Johansen (University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Claude Rosental (CNRS, EHESS, Paris, France)

• Eric Vandendriessche (CREDO, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, France)

SCHEDULE

Remarks: Each invited speaker will have 60 minutes for their presentation, consisting of 40 minutes for the talk followed by 20 minutes of Q&A. Contributed speakers will have 45 minutes, with 30 minutes for the talk and 15 minutes of Q&A.

February 11th

Chair: Sander Pouliart

9:30-10:30 Paola Cantù (CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Aix-en-Provence, France): "Axiomatics as a social mathematical practice" (philosophy)

10:45-11:30 Contributed speaker: Kenneth Manders (University of Pittsburgh, USA): “Riemann-Hecke vs Tate-Weil: The impact of Local-Global in Number Theory” (philosophy)

11:45-12:30 Contributed speaker: Jan Marsalek (Institute of Philosophy, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic): “Sociology of Mathematics: From the Center to the Periphery” (sociology)

12:45-13:30 Contributed speaker: Rami Jreige (University of Bristol, UK): “Why is Physics unrigorous (according to mathematicians)?” (philosophy)

Lunch break

Chair: Colin Rittberg

14:30-15:30 Claude Rosental (CNRS, EHESS, Paris, France): “How can we study the production of demonstrations?” (sociology)

15:45-16:30 Contributed speaker: Claire Wladis (City University of New York, USA): “Title tba” (sociology)

16:45-17:30 Contributed speaker: Matt Hare (Ghent University and Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium): “Where is the ‘Speaking Subject’ of Mathematical Work? On Jean-Toussaint Desanti’s Analysis of the French Analysts” (philosophy)

February 12th

Chair: Deniz Sarikaya

9:00-10:00 Mikkel Willum Johansen (University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark): "Talking to mathematicians" (philosophy)

10:15-11:00 Contributed speaker: Matteo de Ceglie (IUSS Pavia, Italy): “Title tba” (philosophy)

11:00-11:45 Contributed speaker: Olha Sobetska (CLEA, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium): “Title tba” (sociology)

12:00-13:00 Christian Greiffenhagen (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China): “Correctness, Importance, and Trust in Mathematical Peer Review – and how one can use interviews to find out about them” (sociology)

13:00-14:30 Lunch break and group discussion: “What can sociologists and philosophers of mathematics contribute to the other discipline?” 

February 13th Focus on qualitative studies about mathematical practices

Each speaker will begin with a brief presentation of their qualitative study. To encourage exchange, identify key challenges, and explore effective methodological strategies in this interdisciplinary context, all participants will engage in group discussions on selected topics. A written summary of the discussion outcomes will be prepared and shared with all participants after the conference, to further support ongoing exchange beyond the event.

Chair: Deborah Kant

9:30-10:30 Karen Francois (VUB Brussels, Belgium) & Eric Vandendriessche (CREDO, CNRS & Aix-Marseille University, France): Co-construction of mathematical knowledge: Ethnographical research and collaborative experiment"

11:00-12:30 Short contributed presentations (each 20+10min) on empirical studies conducted by

• Lev Lamberov (Ural Federal University, Russia): “Title tba” (online)

• Alix Gaul (Humboldt University Berlin, Germany): “Title tba” 

• Tomas Veloz (CLEA, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium): “Mathematical Practices and Epistemological Pluralism”

Lunch break

14:30-15:15 Brief presentations of empirical studies (10 min) conducted by

• Mikkel Willum Johansen (University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark)

• Christian Greiffenhagen (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China)

• Claude Rosental (CNRS, EHESS, Paris, France)

• Deborah Kant (VUB, Brussels, Belgium)

15:30-16:15 Group discussion on issues of the qualitative methodologies 

16:30-17:30 Group discussion on combining philosophical analysis with qualitative research 

Organization

Yacin Hamami (CNRS, Université de Lorraine), Deborah Kant (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Sander Pouliart (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Colin Rittberg (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Deniz Sarikaya (University of Lübeck), Bart Van Kerkhove (Vrije Universiteit Brussel), Erik Weber (Ghent University)

For inquiries, please contact: [sander.ann.r.pouliart@vub.be]