Patrick McGivern

Patrick McGivern is an Associate Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry at the University of Wollongong, Australia. He holds a Master of Science in Cognitive Science from the University of Edinburgh and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Alberta. His research focuses on Philosophy of Science, Cognition, and Medicine, addressing themes like emergence, reduction, multi-scale modeling, and inter-theoretic relations. Notably, he explores the role of scale in scientific explanations and cognitive processes, extending to ethical considerations in stem cell-derived tissue constructs and the philosophical underpinnings of health and disease. He has also served as Head of Postgraduate Studies in his faculty (2014–2016). McGivern's work bridges disciplinary boundaries, engaging with physics, neuroscience, and ethics while maintaining a critical lens on foundational scientific concepts.

His education includes:

• M.Sc. Cognitive Science, University of Edinburgh
• Ph.D. Philosophy, University of Alberta

Research interests emphasize multi-scale analysis, from physics to medicine, and include:

• Emergence in complex systems
• Reductionism in scientific theories
• Ethical implications of biomedical technologies
• Cognitive models at varying scales
• Philosophical foundations of health and disease

Recent articles analyze ethical debates in stem cell applications, quantum phenomena, and minimal cognition models. McGivern also collaborates with institutions like Durham University’s Institute of Advanced Study, enriching interdisciplinary dialogue. His work often critiques traditional hierarchical views of scientific explanation, advocating for multi-level and multi-scale approaches.