Philosophical Problems in Science (Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce): Announcements

Journal Metrics Update for Philosophical Problems in Science (ZFN)

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 23:44:35 +0200

We are pleased to announce the latest bibliometric indicators for Philosophical Problems in Science (ZFN) as of 2024. These updated metrics reflect the growing international visibility and academic impact of our journal in the fields of philosophy, science and interdisciplinary research.

Scopus (Elsevier)

CiteScore: 0.8
Percentile: 67th percentile in the Arts and Humanities – Philosophy category

Scimago Journal & Country Rank (SJR)

SJR (2024): 0.187
Quartile: Q2
Scimago h-index: 5

Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) – Indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI)

5-Year Impact Factor: 0.2

These achievements are the result of the ongoing efforts of our authors, reviewers, and editorial team, as well as the increasing academic interest in our interdisciplinary scope. ZFN remains committed to advancing philosophical reflection embedded in scientific practice and welcomes new contributions. All articles published in ZFN are Open Access and free to read, download, and share under a Creative Commons license.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Philosophy in Technology: Different Perspectives on Challenges and Changes

Sat, 02 Aug 2025 16:06:18 +0200

The Philosophy in Technology: Different Perspectives on Challenges and Changes special issue of journal Philosophical Problems in Science is dedicated to discussing the import of philosophy in technology and engineering. We look for studies of salient philosophical dimensions, or underpinnings, of technology that demonstrate how philosophical insights shed new light on what technology does or misses and how technology is influenced by salient philosophical assumptions. Our main focus is – but the scope is not limited to – AI as most challenging technology today.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has evolved dramatically since its inception, from simple computational systems to advanced machine learning models capable of mimicking human behavior. At the same time, philosophical, ethical, and social implications regarding the nature of humanity, agency, and cognition have come to the forefront. We propose to explore two interconnected themes: the evolution of AI concepts toward human-like agents and the reduction of human uniqueness as AI systems advance. The special issue draws on a multidisciplinary approach, combining insights from AI research, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, ethics, and social theory.

Proposed topics may include:

the historical development of AI from its initial conception to the present day, focusing on the increasing mimicry of human traits and behaviors;
philosophical and ethical implications of creating AI systems that replicate human cognitive processes and behaviors;
reduction of human uniqueness in the context of AI's evolution, exploring how this affects our sense of identity, agency, and purpose;
critical analysis of the intersection between human nature and machine intelligence as AI systems evolve;
potential futures for AI, considering the philosophical, social, and ethical challenges of creating truly human like machines.

Submission Deadline: September 15, 2025

Publication: End of 2025

The submission procedure and author guidelines can be found at: http://zfn.edu.pl/index.php/zfn/about/submissions

Submissions to the special issue should use the “Philosophy in Technology” section from the “SECTION” drop-down menu in the first step of the submission process. Papers should not exceed 35 pages (1.5 line spacing, 12 pt. font) including references.

All submitted papers will be considered in accordance with the usual strict peer-review procedures of the journal. Texts should be submitted in English, and submissions from authors who are not native English speakers will need to be edited by a native speaker who is competent in the field. Furthermore, papers should be consistent with the theme of this special edition.

All articles published in Philosophical Problems in Science are freely and permanently accessible online without access or subscription charges, embargo periods, or user registration (OpenAccess). There are no Article Processing Fees (no APC).

We look forward to receiving your contribution.

If you have any questions about this special issue, please contact: philosophyintechnology@gmail.com or lukasz.mscislawski@pwr.edu.pl with the subject line “Special issue of Philosophical Problems in Science”.

Philosophical Problems in Science is indexed by Scopus (Q2 in Philosophy) and Web of Science Core Collection – Emerging Sources, as well as CEEOL, CEJSH and CeON, DOAJ, ERIH PLUS, The Philosopher’s Index, PhilPapers, Citation Index (ESCI), and Zeitschriftendatenbank [ZDB].

The journal’s website can be found at https://zfn.edu.pl/index.php/zfn, and thus provides information about past editions of the journal and information about submission requirements for prospective authors.

Information about the reference version of the journal

Sat, 21 Dec 2024 14:43:16 +0100

Until 2024, the reference (basic) version of ZFN was a printed format (the electronic format corresponded fully to the basic format). Starting with issue no. 76 (2024), the journal has transitioned to exclusively electronic/online publishing.

Rules of Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage

Sat, 27 Jan 2024 12:28:44 +0100

With the wide availability of AI systems with text-generating capacities, the ZFN editorial team implements a series of rules that restrict the use of AI technology in publications submitted to ZFN. The objective of these rules is not to stifle the use of AI technology but to make sure that technology is used properly. AI technology as a research tool may enhance research, but it also has the capacity to be misused. The ZFN updated policy is to eliminate potentially deleterious AI applications. The rules are can be found at Publication Ethics and Malpractice Statement page.

CALL FOR PAPERS: The Philosophical Foundations of Economics

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 13:42:17 +0100

Despite the burgeoning field of philosophy of economics, we believe that still too little attention has been paid to the philosophical underpinnings of economics. Therefore, this special volume invites submissions from scholars (esp. philosophers and economists of any persuasion) to reflect on and/or re-think the said philosophical foundations of economics. The relevant topics of the submissions include, but are not restricted to:

Indifference analysis,
Choice vis-à-vis indifference (incl. the problem of framing one’s choices),
Revealed and demonstrated preference,
Normative entanglements of economics,
The ontology of economic goods,
The epistemic status of economic propositions,
Time preference,
Welfare and well-being,
Ordinal vs cardinal utility,
Causality in economics,
Measurements in economics,
Praxeology vs mainstream economics.

This special issue will hence provide philosophers of science and economists with an opportunity to evaluate the so-far achievements of the philosophy of economics and to further contribute to the ongoing debates in this field.

Important dates

Full paper submission deadline: September 1st, 2023

Journal

Philosophical Problems in Science (Polish: Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce — ZFN) is an open-access peer-reviewed semi-annual journal indexed in Scopus and WoS that covers a wide range of topics of general interest to those working on philosophical problems involved in and intertwined with modern science. ZFN is part of the Open Access movement. All published articles are made freely and permanently accessible online upon publication, without charges for article processing, access, or subscription, embargo periods, or user registration.

Submissions

Submissions must be made through the ZFN website—zfn.edu.pl. In the ‘section’ menu, be sure to select the special issue (‘Philosophy of Economics’). Manuscripts should not exceed 15k words. All submissions are subject to the journal’s policies of peer-review and will conform to the ethical expectations. For more information about submission, see author guidelines.

Guest editors

The special issue will be guest-edited by Igor Wysocki (Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń) and Walter Block (Loyola University New Orleans).

For further questions about this special issue, contact Igor Wysocki at igorwysocki82@wp.pl or Piotr Urbańczyk at p.urbanczyk@copernicuscenter.edu.pl.

Information concerning the language of materials submitted to ZFN

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 01:17:23 +0200

The publisher and editorial board of the journal inform that texts submitted in Polish will be accepted conditionally up to and including 2024. Starting in 2025, the journal will accept only texts written in English.

CALL FOR PAPERS: The Nature and Norms of Scientific Explanation

Mon, 30 May 2022 14:13:17 +0200

Special Issue
Submissions are invited for a guest-edited special issue on scientific explanation. Of particular interest are submissions on (i) the nature of explanation, with special attention to foundational debates between the ontic (‘OC’) and epistemic (‘EC’) conceptions, and on (ii) the norms of scientific explanation, with special attention to so-called ‘ontic’ and ‘epistemic’ norms (intelligibility, accuracy, idealization, completeness, fecundity, etc.). Relevant topics include, but are not limited to:

· Developments or critiques of OC or EC,
· Explanatory metatheory,
· Explanatory vehicles,
· Fact causation and explanation,
· Idealization, abstraction, or model-based fictions in explanations,
· Non-causal or mathematical explanation,
· Metaphysics of systems explanation,
· Evaluating explanatory goodness in science,
· Norms and aims of scientific explanations.

The special issue will offer philosophers of science an opportunity to evaluate these two conceptions and to survey whether any consensus has been achieved on foundational debates, aiming to help settle what it can.

Dates
Full paper submission extended deadline: May 1st 2023

Journal
Philosophical Problems in Science (Polish: Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce (‘ZFN’)) is the oldest Polish journal dedicated specifically to philosophical problems involved in and intertwined with modern science (see Journal History). ZFN is an independent peer-review journal affiliated with the Copernicus Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Kraków, and is part of the Open Access movement (much like the journals Philosophers’ Imprint and Ergo). All published articles are made freely and permanently accessible online upon publication, without charges for article processing, access, or subscription, embargo periods, or user registration.

Submissions
Submissions must be made through the ZFN website. In the ‘section’ menu, be sure to select the special issue (‘Scientific Explanation’). Manuscripts should not exceed 10k words. All submissions are subject to the journal’s policies of peer-review and will conform to the ethical expectations. For more information about submission, see author guidelines. For further questions about this special issue, contact Cory Wright cory.wright@csulb.edu or Ning Shao ning.shao01@student.csulb.edu.

CALL FOR PAPERS: Philosophy in Informatics. Frontiers of Philosophy in Computing and Information

Sat, 05 Mar 2022 10:58:04 +0100

The Philosophy in Informatics special issue of ZFN is dedicated to discussing the most recent problems in computing and informatics, as indicated by its subtitle, namely Frontiers of Philosophy in Computing and Information. The proposed topics for papers include, but are not limited to:

non-Turing computational paradigms,
natural computing,
interpretations and consequences for the general theory of information,
the ontology of information,
epistemology and ontology in computer simulation,
the ontology of virtual reality,
morphological computation,
biosemiotic inspirations in artificial autonomous systems,
information and computation in autopoietic systems,
the history of AI,
explainable AI,
the ontology of AI systems,
ontological gaps in autonomous AI systems,
the philosophical foundations of AI paradigms,
judgment and phronesis as AI paradigms,
artificial general intelligence (AGI) and its philosophical prerequisites,
conceptualizations for super intelligent systems,
and the threats and possibilities presented by technology over the horizon.

Submission Deadline: June 12, 2022
Publication: Fourth quarter 2022

The editors of this special issue of ZFN are Professor Gordana Dodig-Crnkovic of Chalmers University (a guest editor) and Roman Krzanowski of the Pontifical University of John Paul II.

The submission procedure and author guidelines can be found at: http://zfn.edu.pl/index.php/zfn/about/submissions

Submissions to the Philosophy in Informatics special issue of ZFN should use the “Philosophy in informatics” section from the “SECTION” drop-down menu in the first step of the submission process. Papers should not exceed 35 pages (1.5 line spacing, 12 pt. font) including references.

All articles published in Philosophical Problems in Science are freely and permanently accessible online without access or subscription charges, embargo periods, or user registration.

If you have any questions about this special edition of ZFN, please contact Roman Krzanowski at phil.in.info.2021@gmail.com with the subject line “Special Edition of ZFN”.

We look forward to receiving your contribution.

Philosophical Problems in Science selected for inclusion in the Web of Science.

Tue, 03 Mar 2020 13:53:22 +0100

We are happy to announce that Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce-Philosophical Problems in Science has been selected for inclusion in the Web of Science. Beginning with No. 64 2018, our journal will be indexed in the Web of Science Core Collection: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI).

ZFN accepted for inclusion in Scopus

Mon, 17 Sep 2018 17:20:12 +0200

We are happy to announce that ZFN has been accepted for inclusion in Scopus - an Elsevier’s abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature: scientific journals, books and conference proceedings.

Inclusion in The Philosopher's Index

Fri, 10 Aug 2018 19:40:00 +0200

We are pleased to inform that Zagadnienia Filozoficzne w Nauce has been accepted for inclusion in The Philosopher’s Index. The Index is the premiere bibliographic database covering worldwide research in all subject areas of philosophy.

ZFN accepted for inclusion into DOAJ

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 19:37:29 +0100

We are happy to inform that in February 2018 ZFN has been included into the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – a community-curated online directory that indexes and provides access to high quality, open access, peer-reviewed journals. We hope that this collaboration will enhance global visibility of our journal.

Collaboration with CEEOL

Fri, 26 Jan 2018 17:48:43 +0100

We are glad to inform that since January 2018 ZFN has been indexed and included into the repository of Central and Eastern European Online Library (CEEOL). We hope that this collaboration will enhance global visibility of our journal.

ZFN approved for inclusion in ERIH PLUS

Wed, 24 Jan 2018 20:28:16 +0100

We are happy to announce that today ZFN has been included in the European Reference Index for the Humanities and the Social Sciences (ERIH PLUS). We hope that this collaboration will enhance global visibility of our journal.

Zaproszenie na konferencję naukową i prezentację nowego numeru

Sun, 04 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0200

Zaproszenie na sesję naukową: Marian Smoluchowski (1872-1917). Fizyk wobec wyzwań filozoficznych

Collaboration with BazHum

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 +0100

ZFN at PhilPapers list

Mon, 12 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0200

Our journal "Philosophical Problems in Science" (ZFN) has been added to the PhilPapers list. It is important free databse of philosophical papers published online.

ZFN was indexed by PhilPapers until 2005. Now we are working on updating the data of archive issues.

Nabór tekstów do numeru specjalnego

Tue, 28 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0200

W roku 2017 r. przypada setna rocznica śmierci Mariana Smoluchowskiego, wybitnego polskiego fizyka, który wniósł interesujący wkład do rozwoju refleksji filozoficznej nad nauką. Z tej okazji redakcja ZFN postanowiła opublikować numer specjalny czasopisma poświęcony filozoficznym aspektom dorobku tego uczonego.

W numerze specjalnym znajdą się m.in. niepublikowane wcześniej rękopisy Smoluchowskiego związane z refleksją filozoficzną oraz opracowanie na temat poglądów tego fizyka z zakresu filozofii nauki.

Zapraszamy wszystkich chętnych do zgłaszania tekstów poświęconych Smoluchowskiemu. Na teksty czekamy do końca roku 2016.

XX Krakowska Konferencja Metodologiczna

Tue, 10 May 2016 00:00:00 +0200

Jubileuszowa XX Krakowska Konferencja Metodologiczna odbędzie pod tytułem "Filozofia w nauce". Dedykowana jest ona założycielowi i wieloletniemu Redaktorowi naczelnemu ZFN ks. prof. Michałowi Hellerowi z okazji 80-tej rocznicy urodzin.

Konferencja odbędzie się w dniach 30-31 maja 2016, w Auli Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności, ul. Sławkowska 17, Kraków.

Celem konferencji jest próba odpowiedzi na różnorodne pytania o styl filozofii w nauce - refleksji, która od prawie 40 lat gości na łamach ZFN.

Serdecznie zapraszamy!

Współpraca z Komisją Filozofii Nauk PAU

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0200

Od bieżącego roku ZFN staje się głównym miejscem publikacji prac powstałych w ramach Komisji Filozofii Nauk Polskiej Akademii Umiejętności.

Wspomniane prace będą publikowane w nowopowstałym dziale "Z prac Komisji Filozofii Nauk PAU" albo w jak dotychczas w specjalnych numerach tematycznych ZFN.

Mamy nadzieję, że dzięki tej współpracy będziemy mogli prezentować szerszy i bardziej interesujący obraz filozoficznych zagadnień w nauce.