What is the Experimental Philosophy?
Experimental Philosophy is a field of study that combines the traditional theoretical approach of Philosophy with the methodology of social sciences and experimental disciplines such as psychology and psychobiology. The goal of Experimental Philosophy is to address classical philosophical problems not only on a speculative level but also with the help of experimental data. In this way, the Lab offers a significant learning opportunity for Philosophy students, enabling them to acquire skills related to experimental research methodology and statistical data analysis.
The Experimental Philosophy Lab of the Messina University
The Experimental Philosophy Lab at the DiCAM Department was founded in 2023 by Professor Valentina Cuccio, who serves as its scientific director. The Lab's purpose is to conduct experimental work that primarily, but not exclusively, focuses on the embodiment of language, pragmatics and figurative language, and the social dimension of the mind. The Lab is equipped with a station that allows for the creation of experiments involving the measurement of behavioral indices and/or the recording of physiological parameters. The lab is part of the XPRAG.it network, the Italian Experimental Pragmatics Network, and the Interuniversity Research Center on Metaphors (CIRM). It boasts several collaborations with other research centers in Italy (e.g., the Neuroscience Department of Parma) and abroad (e.g., the Metaphor Lab at the University of Amsterdam). Besides research activities, the Lab organizes an annual seminar series featuring nationally and internationally renowned philosophers and neuroscientists.