Staff profile

Nancy Cartwright FBA FAcSS is Professor of Philosophy at Durham University and a Distinguished Professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). At Durham she is also co-Director of the Centre for Humanities engaging Science and Society. In the first half of her career at Stanford University she specialised in the philosophy of the natural sciences, especially physics; in the second half, at the London School of Economics and now Durham and UCSD, she has specialised in philosophy and methodology of the social sciences with special attention to economics. Her current research focusses on objectivity and evidence, especially for evidence-based policy, and on improving policy predictions.

Her research interests include philosophy and history of science (especially physics and economics). Cartwright has worked extensively in modelling, causal inference, causal powers, and objectivity, evidence, especially for evidence-based policy [EBP] and the philosophy of social technology. Her recent work, for the project ‘Knowledge for Use’ [K4U], investigated how to use scientific research results for better policies. She has worked with others on projects in this area on education, child protection and international development.

Professor Cartwright has written a number of books: A Philosopher Looks at Science (2022), The Tangle of Science: Reliability beyond Method, Rigour, and Objectivity, Nature the Artful Modeler: Lectures on Laws, Science, How Nature Arranges the World, and How We Can Arrange It Better (2019), Improving Child Safety: deliberation, judgement and empirical research [with E Munro, J Hardie & E Montuschi] (2017), Evidence: For Policy and Wheresoever Rigor is a Must (2013), Evidence Based Policy: A Practical Guide to Doing it Better [with J Hardie] (2012), Causal Powers: What Are They? Why Do We Need Them? What Can be Done with Them and What Cannot (2007), Measuring Causes: Invariance, Modularity and the Causal Markov Condition (2000), Hunting Causes and Using Them (2007), The Dappled World: A Study of the Boundaries of Science (1999), Otto Neurath: Philosophy between Science and Politics [with J Cat, K Fleck & T Uebel] (1995), Nature's Capacities and their Measurement (1989) and How the Laws of Physics Lie (1983).

She has also co-edited three collections: Rethinking Order: After the Laws of Nature [with K Ward] (2016), Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction [with Eleonora Montuschi] (2014), and Idealization XII: Correcting the Models. Idealization and Abstraction in the Sciences [with M R Jones] (2005).

Nancy Cartwright is a Fellow of the British Academy and the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also a member of the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the German Academy of Sciences (Leopoldina) and the Academy of Europe and a recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship.

Cartwright has received two honorary doctorate degrees from the University of St Andrews and the Southern Methodist University and has been awarded the Hypatia European Science Prize, the Hempel Award for lifetime achievement of Philosophy of Science and the Martin R Lebowitz Prize (alongside Elliott Sober) for philosophical achievement and contribution by the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Click here for Nancy Cartwright's CV

Office Hours

Prof Nancy Cartwright is mostly on research leave right now. For an appointment, email her or admin.chess@durham.ac.uk to make arangements.

• History and philosophy of science (especially physics and economics)
• The philosophy of social technology
• Causal inference
• Objectivity in science
• Evidence, especially for evidence-based policy

• 2018: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) Distinguished Lecture Series at the National Science Foundation (NSF) Headquarters:
• 2018: The Wesley C. Salmon Memorial Lecture, Center for Philosophy of Science, University of Pittsburgh:  
• 2017: Carus Lectures (APA 2017 Pacific Division Meeting), Seattle:
• 2017: The Martin R. Lebowitz Prize for Philosophical Achievement awarded by the Phi Beta Kappa Society (alongside Elliott Sober):
• 2017: Senior Research Associate at the African Centre for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science (ACEPS), University of Johannesburg:

  
  

• 2016: Associate Member, Senior Common Room at Wadham College, Oxford:
• 2016: Fellow, The Academy of Social Sciences:
• 2015: John Dewey Lecture: 2015 Pacific Division APA meeting:

  
  

• 2014: Tsing Hua Honorary Distinguished Chair Professor, awarded by the National Tsing Hua University:
• 2013: Honorary Degree, Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, University of St Andrews:
• 2012: Honorary Degree. Doctor of Humane Letters, honors causa, Southern Methodist University, Dallas TX:
• 2012: 225 Medallion, Distinguished Alumna, University of Pittsburgh:
• 2011: Member, Doctorate School in Philosophy of the Universita 'Ca' Foscari', Venice:
• 2009: Chancellor’s Associates Faculty Excellence Award for Excellence in Research in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of California at San Diego:
• 2008: President, Philosophy of Science Association:
• 2008: President, American Philosophical Association (Pacific Division):
• 2007: Vice-President, American Philosophical Association (Pacific Division):
• 2007: Titular Member, Académie Internationale de Philosophie des Sciences (A.I.P.S.):
• 2007: Fellow, Institute for Advanced Study, Durham University:
• 2005: Senior Visiting Fellow, Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Bologna:
• 2004: Fellow, American Philosophical Society:
• 2002: Associate Member, Nuffield College, Oxford:
• 2001: Foreign Honorary Member, American Academy of Arts and Science:
• 1999: Member, Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina (The German National Academy of Natural Science):
• 1996: Fellow, British Academy:
• 1996: Old Dominion Fellow, Philosophy, Princeton University:
• 1993: Fellow, MacArthur Foundation:
• 1987: Fellow, Wissenschaftskolleg (Institute for Advanced Study), Berlin:
• 1982: Fellow, ZiF (Center for Interdisciplinary Research), Bielefeld, Germany:
• 1976: Fellow, Philosophy of Science Center, University of Pittsburgh:
• 1971: Postdoctoral Fellow, U.S. National Science Foundation, Cambridge University:

Authored book

• Cartwright, N. (2022). A Philosopher Looks at Science. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009201896
• Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., Montuschi, E., Soleiman, S., & Thresher, A. (2022). The Tangle of Science: Reliability Beyond Method, Rigour, and Objectivity. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2019). Nature the Artful Modeler: Lectures on Laws, Science, How Nature Arranges the World, and How We Can Arrange It Better. The 2017 Carus Lectures. Open Court
• Munro, E., Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., & Montuschi, E. (2017). Improving Child Safety: deliberation, judgement and empirical research. Centre for Humanities Engaging Science and Society (CHESS)
• Cartwright, N. D. (2013). Evidence: For Policy and Wheresoever Rigor is a Must. London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• Cartwright, N., & Hardie, J. (2012). Evidence Based Policy: A Practical Guide to Doing it Better. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N., Cat, J., Fleck, L., & Uebel, T. (2008). Otto Neurath: Philosophy between Science and Politics. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Hunting Causes and Using Them: Approaches in Philosophy and Economics. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511618758
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Causal powers: what are they? why do we need them? what can be done with them and what cannot?. London School of Economics and Political Science
• Cartwright, N. (2000). Measuring Causes: Invariance, Modularity and the Causal Markov Condition. Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, LSE
• Cartwright, N. (1999). The Dappled World: A Study of the Boundaries of Science. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (1989). Nature's Capacities and Their Measurement. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (1983). How the Laws of Physics Lie. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/0198247044.001.0001

Chapter in book

• Cowen, N., & Cartwright, N. Disagreement about Evidence-Based Policy. In M. Baghramian, J. A. Carter, & R. Cosker-Rowland (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Disagreement. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (2024). Evidence, Relevance and Warrant: In Defence of Voluntarism. In C. Beisbart, & M. Frauchiger (Eds.), Scientific Theories and Philosophical Stances: Themes from van Fraassen (193-206). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111019802-013
• Joyce, K. E., & Cartwright, N. (2022). How Should Evidence Inform Education Policy?. In R. Curren (Ed.), Handbook of Philosophy of Education. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003172246-9
• Cartwright, N. (2022). How to Learn about Causes in the Single Case. In J. Widner, M. Woolcock, & D. Ortega Nieto (Eds.), . Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108688253.003
• Cartwright, N. (2019). Commentary: Why Mixed Methods Are Necessary for Evaluating Any Policy. In M. Nagatsu, & A. Ruzzene (Eds.), Contemporary philosophy and social science : an interdisciplinary dialogue (173-184). Bloomsbury
• Cartwright, N., & Cowen, N. (2019). Street-level Theories of Change: Adapting the Medical Model of Evidence-based Practice for Policing. In N. Fielding, K. Bullock, & S. Holdaway (Eds.), Evidence-Based Policing: Critical Reflections. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (2018). Will Your Policy Work? Experiments versus Models. In I. Peschard, & B. van Frassen (Eds.), The experimental side of modeling. University of Minnesota Press
• Marcellesi, A., & Cartwright, N. (2018). Modeling mitigation and adaptation policies to predict their effectiveness: The limits of randomized controlled trials. In E. Lloyd, & E. Winsberg (Eds.), Climate modelling : philosophical and conceptual issues (449-480). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65058-6_15
• Cartwright, N., & Merlussi, P. (2018). Are laws of nature consistent with contingency?. In W. Ott, & L. Patto (Eds.), Laws of Nature, an anthology (221-244). Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N., Bradburn, N., & Fuller, J. (2017). A Theory of Measurement. In L. McClimans (Ed.), Measurement in medicine : philosophical essays on assessment and evaluation. Rowman & Littlefield
• Cartwright, N. (2017). Can Structural Equations Explain How Mechanisms Explain?. In H. Beebee, C. Hitchcock, & H. Price (Eds.), Making a difference : essays on the philosophy of causation (132-152). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198746911.003.0008
• Cartwright, N. (2017). Causal Powers: Why Humeans Can't Even Be Instrumentalists. In J. D. Jacobs (Ed.), Causal powers (9-23). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198796572.003.0002
• Cartwright, N. (2016). Single Case Causes: What is Evidence and Why. In H. Chao, & J. Reiss (Eds.), Philosophy of science in practice : Nancy Cartwright and the nature of scientific reasoning (11-24). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-45532-7_2
• Cartwright, N., & Davis, J. (2016). Economics as Science. In R. Skidelsky, & N. Craig (Eds.), Who runs the economy? The role of power in economics (43-55). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-58017-7_4
• Cartwright, N., & Marcellesi, A. (2016). Deliberating Policy: Where morals and methods mix. In M. Couch, & J. Pfeifer (Eds.), The philosophy of Philip Kitcher (229-252). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof%3Aoso/9780199381357.003.0010
• Cartwright, N. (2016). The Dethronement of Laws in Science. In N. Cartwright, & K. Ward (Eds.), Rethinking order : after the laws of nature (25-52). Bloomsbury Academic
• Cartwright, N. (2016). The Natural and the Moral Order: What’s to Blame?. In W. Doniger, P. Galison, & S. Neiman (Eds.), What reason promises : essays on reason, nature, and history (13-18). De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110455113-004
• Cartwright, N. (2015). How Could Laws Make Things Happen?. In N. Spurway (Ed.), Laws of Nature, Laws of God? Proceedings of the Science and Religion Forum Conference 2014 (115-135). Cambridge Scholars Publishing
• Cartwright, N., & Marcellesi, A. (2015). EBP: Where Rigor Matters. In C. Crangle, A. García de la Sienra, & H. E. Longino (Eds.), Foundations and methods from mathematics to neuroscience : essays inspired by Patrick Suppes. CSLI Publications
• Cartwright, N. (2014). Causality. In N. Cartwright, & E. Montuschi (Eds.), Philosophy of Social Science. A New Introduction. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2014). Measurement. In N. Cartwright, & E. Montuschi (Eds.), Philosophy of Social Science. A New Introduction. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N., & Pemberton, J. (2013). Aristotelian Powers: Without Them, What Would Modern Science Do?. In J. Greco, & R. Gross (Eds.), Powers and capacities in philosophy : the new Aristotelianism (93-112). Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (2013). Evidence, Argument and Prediction. In V. Karakostas, & D. Dieks (Eds.), EPSA11 Perspectives and Foundational Problems in Philosophy of Science, The European Philosophy of Science Association Proceedings 2. Springer Verlag
• Cartwright, N., & Martin, E. (2012). Queen Physics: How Much of the Globe is Painted Red?. In F. Watts, & C. Knight (Eds.), God and the scientist : exploring the work of John Polkinghorne (67-76). Ashgate Publishing
• Cartwright, N. (2012). RCT’s, Evidence and Predicting Policy Effectiveness. In H. Kincaid (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of the Philosophy of the Social Sciences (298-318). Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N., & Stegenga, J. (2011). A Theory of Evidence for Evidence-Based Policy. In P. Dawid, W. Twining, & M. Vasilaki (Eds.), Evidence, inference and enquiry (291-322). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.5871/bacad/9780197264843.003.0011
• Cartwright, N. (2011). Evidence, External Validity and Explanatory Relevance. In G. J. Morgan (Ed.), Philosophy of science matters : the philosophy of Peter Achinstein (15-28). Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2011). Predicting 'It Will Work for Us': (Way) Beyond Statistics. In P. Illari, F. Russo, & J. Williamson (Eds.), Causality in the sciences. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof%3Aoso/9780199574131.001.0001
• Cartwright, N., & Bradburn, N. (2011). A Theory of Measurement. In R. M. Li (Ed.), The importance of common metrics for advancing social science theory and research: a workshop summary (53-56). National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/13034
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Natural Laws and the Closure of Physics. In R. Chiao, A. Leggett, M. Cohen, & C. Harper (Eds.), Visions of Discovery. New Light on Physics, Cosmology and Consciousness (612-622). Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Relativism in the Philosophy of Science. In M. Krausz (Ed.), Relativism: A Contemporary Anthology (86-99). Columbia University Press
• Cartwright, N. D. (2010). Models: Parables v Fables. In R. Frigg, & M. Hunter (Eds.), Beyond Mimesis and Convention Representation In Art and Science (19-31). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3851-7_2
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Foreword. In J. Woods (Ed.), Fictions and Models: New Essays. Philosophia Verlag
• Cartwright, N. D. (2009). What is this thing called 'efficacy'?. In C. Mantzavinos (Ed.), Philosophy of the social sciences : philosophical theory and scientific practice (185-206). Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2009). Causal Laws, Policy Predictions, and the Need for Genuine Powers. In T. Handfield (Ed.), Dispositions and Causes. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2009). Causality, Invariance and Policy. In H. Kincaid, & D. Ross (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of philosophy of economics (410-423). Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2008). In Praise of the Representation Theorem. In M. Frauchiger, & W. Essler (Eds.), Representation, evidence, and justification : themes from Suppes (83-90). Ontos Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110323566.83
• Cartwright, N. (2008). Replies. In S. Hartmann, C. Hoefer, & L. Bovens (Eds.), Nancy Cartwright's Philosophy of Science. Routledge
• Cartwright, N., & Chang, H. (2008). Measurement. In S. Psillos, & M. Curd (Eds.), The Routledge Companion to Philosophy of Science. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (2008). Why be Hanged for Even a Lamb?. In B. Monton (Ed.), Images of empiricism (32-45). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof%3Aoso/9780199218844.003.0003
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Counterfactuals in Economics: A Commentary. In J. Keim Campbell, M. O'Rourke, & H. Silverman (Eds.), Causation and explanation (191-216). Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Causal Laws, Policy Predictions and the Need for Genuine Powers. In N. Cartwright (Ed.), Causal Powers: what are they? why do we need them? what can be done with them and what cannot?. CPNSS, LSE
• Cartwright, N. (2006). Against the 'System' Is There Value in Inconsistency?. In L. Daston, & C. Engel (Eds.), Series on Common Goods: Law, Politics and Economics. Baden-Baden: Nomos
• Cartwright, N. (2006). From Causation to Explanation and Back. In B. Leiter (Ed.), The Future of Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford Clarendon Press
• Cartwright, N., Alexandrova, A., Efstathiou, S., Hamilton, A., & Muntean, I. (2005). Laws. In M. Smith, & F. Jackson (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Contemporary Philosophy. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2005). The Vanity of Rigour in Economics. Theoretical Models and Galilean Experiments. In P. Fontaine, & R. Leonard (Eds.), The 'Experiment' in the History of Economics
• Cartwright, N. (2005). My Understand to Philosophy [sic]. In K. Ouyang (Ed.), Dang dai Ying Mei zhu ming zhe xue jia xue shu zi shu [The Academic Self-Statements of Contemporary British and American Distinguished Philosophers]. Beijing: Ren min chu ban she. Publication in Chinese
• Cartwright, N. (2005). No God; No Laws. In E. Sindoni, & S. Moriggi (Eds.), Dio, la Natura e la Legge. God and the Laws of Nature. Milan: Angelicum-Mondo X
• Cartwright, N. (2005). How Can We Know What Made the Ratman Sick? Singular Causes and Population Probabilities. In A. Jokić (Ed.), Philosophy of Religion, Physics, and Psychology: Essays in Honor of Adolf Grünbaum. New York: Prometheus Books
• Cartwright, N. (2005). Another Philosopher Looks at Quantum Mechanics. In Y. Ben-Menahem (Ed.), Hilary Putnam. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N., & Reiss, J. (2004). Uncertainty in Econometrics: Evaluating Policy Counterfactuals. In P. Mooslechner, H. Schuberth, & M. Schurz (Eds.), Economic Policy Under Uncertainty: The Role of Truth and Accountability in Policy Advice. Edward Elgar Publishing
• Cartwright, N. (2002). What Makes a Capacity a Disposition?,. In M. Kistler, & B. Gnassounou (Eds.), Dispositions and Causal Powers (195-206). London School of Economics
• Cartwright, N., Psillos, S., & Chang, H. (2001). Theories of Scientific Method: Models for the Physico-Mathematical Sciences. In M. Nye (Ed.), The Cambridge History of Science Volume 5: Modern Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2001). Modularity: It Can – and Generally Does – Fail. In D. Costantini, M. Galavotti, & P. Suppes (Eds.), Stochastic Dependence and Causality. California: CSLI
• Hendry, R. (2001). Mathematics, Representation and Molecular Structure. In U. Klein (Ed.), Tools and Modes of Representation in the Laboratory Sciences. Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-015-9737-1
• Cartwright, N. (2001). Ceteris Paribus Laws and Socio-Economic Machines. In U. Maki (Ed.), The Economic World View: Studies in the Ontology of Economics. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (2000). Quantum Mechanics without the Observables. In E. Agazzi, & M. Pauri (Eds.), The Reality of the Unobservable: Observability, Unobservability, and their Impact on the Issue of Scientific Realism. Dortrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Cartwright, N. (2000). Against the Completability of Science. In J. Wolff, & M. Stone (Eds.), The Proper Ambition of Science. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (2000). An Empiricist Defence of Singular Causes. In R. Teichmann (Ed.), Logic, Cause and Action: Essays in Honour of Elizabeth Anscombe. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N. (1999). Capacities. In J. Davis, D. Hands, & U. Mäki (Eds.), The Handbook of Economic Methodology. Edward Elgar Publishing
• Cartwright, N. (1999). Comments and Replies. In M. Paul (Ed.), Proceedings of the Münster Colloquium. Münster: LIT Verlag
• Cartwright, N. (1999). Models and the Limits of Theory: Quantum Hamiltonians and the BCS Model of Superconductivity. In M. Morgan, & M. Morrison (Eds.), Models as Mediators. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N., & Cat, J. (1998). Causation. In P. Kegan, & E. Craig (Eds.), The Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (1998). Causality, Independence and Determinism. In A. Gammerman (Ed.), Causal Models and Intelligent Data Analysis. Springer Verlag
• Cartwright, N. (1998). Otto Neurath (1882-1945). In P. Kegan, & E. Craig (Eds.), The Routledge Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Routledge
• Cartwright, N. (1997). Where Do Laws of Nature Come From?. In C. Chauvire, & A. Ogien (Eds.), Dialectica (65-78). Paris: EHESS
• Cartwright, N. (1997). What is a Causal Structure?. In V. McKim, & S. Turner (Eds.), Causality in Crisis? Statistical Methods and the Search for Causal Knowledge in the Social Sciences. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press
• Cartwright, N., & Uebel, T. (1997). Philosophy in the Earthly Plane. In E. Nemeth, & F. Stadler (Eds.), Encyclopaedia and Utopia: The Life and Work of Otto Neurath. Münster: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Cartwright, N. (1997). Comment on 'Harold Hotelling and the Neoclassical Dream', P. Mirowski and W. Hands. In R. Backhouse, U. Mäki, A. Salanti, & D. Hausman (Eds.), Economics and Methodology. Macmillan and St Martin's Press
• Cartwright, N. (1997). Why Physics?. In R. Penrose, & M. Longair (Eds.), The Large, the Small and the Human Mind. Cambridge University Press
• Cartwright, N., & Cat, J. (1996). Neurath Against Method. In R. Giere, & A. Richardson (Eds.), Origins of Logical Empiricism, Minnesota Studies in the Philosophy of Science, XVI. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press
• Cartwright, N. (1995). How Laws Relate What Happens: Against a Regularity Account. In H. Stachowiak (Ed.), Pragmatik: Handbuch Pragmatischen Denkens Band V. Hamburg: Felix Meiner Verlag
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Causal Structures in Econometrics Models. In D. Little (Ed.), On the Reliability of Economic Models (63-89). Kluwer Academic Publishers. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-0643-6_3
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Where in the World is the Quantum Measurement Problem?. In L. Kruger, & B. Falkenburg (Eds.), Physik, Philosophie und die Einheit der Wissenschaften: Grundlagen der exakten Naturawissenschaften. Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag
• Cartwright, N., Cat, J., & Chang, H. (1995). Otto Neurath: Politics and the Unity of Science. In P. Galison, & D. Stump (Eds.), The Disunity of Science. Stanford: Stanford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Entries on “Neurath”, “Duhem”, “Feyerabend” and “Lakatos”. In E. Honderich (Ed.), The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N., Shomar, T., & Suarez, M. (1995). The Tool Box of Science: Tools for the Building of Models with a Superconductivity Example. In W. Herfel, W. Krajewski, I. Niiniluoto, & R. Wojcicki (Eds.), Theories and Models in Scientific Processes. Rodopi
• Cartwright, N., & Hoefer, C. (1994). Substantivalism and the Hole Argument. In J. Earman, A. Janis, G. Massey, & N. Rescher (Eds.), Philosophical Problems of the Internal and External Worlds: Essays Concerning the Philosophy of Adolf Grünbaum. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press
• Cartwright, N. (1993). Marks and Probabilities: Two Ways to Find Causal Structure. In F. Stadler (Ed.), Scientific Philosophy: Origins and Developments, Yearbook 1/93, Institute Vienna Circle. Münster: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Cartwright, N. (1993). How We Relate Theory to Observation. In P. Horwich (Ed.), World Changes: Thomas Kuhn and the Nature of Science. Cambridge. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press
• Cartwright, N. (1993). Mill and Menger: Ideal Elements and Stable Tendencies. In U. Maki (Ed.), Poznan Studies in the Philosophy of the Sciences and the Humanities. Rodopi
• Cartwright, N. (1992). Aristotelian Natures and the Modern Experimental Method. In J. Earman (Ed.), Inference, Explanation and Other Philosophical Frustrations. University of California Press
• Cartwright, N., & Jones, M. (1991). How to Hunt Quantum Causes. In W. Spohn (Ed.), Erkenntnis Orientated: A Centennial Volume for Rudolf Carnap and Hans Reichenbach (205-231). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-3490-3_11
• Cat, J., Chang, H., & Cartwright, N. (1991). Otto Neurath: Unification as the Way to Socialism. In J. Mittelstraβ (Ed.), Einheit der Wissenschaften. De Gruyter
• Cartwright, N. (1990). Quantum Causes: The Lessons of the Bell Inequalities. In P. Weingärtner, & G. Schurz (Eds.), Philosophy of the Natural Sciences: Proceedings of the 13th International Wittgenstein Symposium. Vienna: Hölderlin-Pichler-Tempsky
• Cartwright, N. (1989). Capacities and abstractions. In P. Kitcher, & W. Salmon (Eds.), Scientific Explanation (349-356). (Minnesota archive ed.). University of Minnesota Press
• Cartwright, N. (1988). Regular Associations and Singular Causes. In B. Skyrms, & W. Harper (Eds.), Causation, Chance and Credence. Münster: Kluwer Academic Publishers
• Cartwright, N. (1988). Ursachen und Mathematische Physik. In W. Muschik, & E. Scheibe (Eds.), Philosophie, Physik, Wissenschaftsgeschichte. Berlin: Technische Universität Berlin
• Cartwright, N. (1988). How to Tell a Common Cause: Generalisations of the Conjunctive Fork Criterion. In J. Fetzer (Ed.), Probability and Causality. Dortrecht: D. Reidel
• Cartwright, N. (1987). Max Born and the Reality of Quantum Probabilities. In L. Krüger, G. Gigerenzer, & M. Morgan (Eds.), The Probabilistic Revolution. Cambridge, MA: Bradford Books
• Cartwright, N. (1987). Philosophical Problems of Quantum Theory: The Response of American Physicists. In L. Krüger, G. Gigerenzer, & M. Morgan (Eds.), The Probabilistic Revolution. Cambridge, MA: Bradford Books
• Cartwright, N. (1986). Fitting Facts to Equations. In R. Grandy, & R. Warner (Eds.), Philosophical Grounds of Rationality: Intentions, Categories and Ends. Oxford University Press
• Cartwright, N. (1986). Two Kinds of Teleological Explanation. In A. Donagan, A. Perovich, & M. Wedin (Eds.), Human Nature and Natural Knowledge. Dortrecht: D. Reidel
• Cartwright, N., & Mendell, H. (1984). What Makes Physics' Objects Abstract?. In J. Cushing, C. Delaney, & G. Gutting (Eds.), Science and Reality. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press
• Cartwright, N. (1983). How the Measurement Problem is an Artefact of Mathematics. In R. Swinburne (Ed.), Space, Time and Causality. Dortrecht: D. Reidel
• Cartwright, N. (1980). Do the Laws of Physics State the Facts?. In Pacific Philosophy Quarterly (64-75)
• Cartwright, N. (1980). Measuring Position Probabilities. In P. Suppes (Ed.), Studies in the Foundations of Quantum Mechanics. Philosophy of Science Association
• Cartwright, N. (1979). Philosophy of Physics. In P. Asquith, & H. Kyburg (Eds.), Current Research in Philosophy of Science: Proceedings of the PSA Critical Research Problems Conference. Philosophy of Science Association
• Cartwright, N. (1974). How Do We Apply Science?. In R. Cohen, C. Hooker, A. Michalos, & J. Van Evra (Eds.), Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association (713-719). Springer Verlag. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-010-1449-6
• Cartwright, N. (1971). A Dilemma for the Traditional Interpretation of Quantum Mixtures. In K. Schaffner, & R. Cohen (Eds.), Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association (251-258). Springer Verlag

Conference Paper

• Cartwright, N. (2020, October). X—Why Trust Science? Reliability, Particularity and the Tangle of Science
• Cartwright, N. (2020, December). Why Trust Science? Reliability, Particularity and the Tangle of Science. Presented at Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, Online via Zoom
• Cartwright, N. (2015, April). Philosophy of Social Technology: Get on Board. Presented at The American Philosophical Association: 2015 Pacific Division 89th Annual Meeting., Vancouver, Canada
• Cartwright, N. (1994, December). The Metaphysics of the Disunified World. Presented at Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association
• Cartwright, N. (1988, December). A Case Study in Realism: Why Econometrics is Committed to Capacities. Presented at Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association
• Cartwright, N. (1984, December). Causation and Physics: Causal Processes and Mathematical Derivations. Presented at Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association, East Lansing, Michigan
• Cartwright, N. (1978, December). The Only Real Probabilities in Quantum Mechanics. Presented at Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association

Edited book

• Cartwright, N., & Ward, K. (Eds.). (2016). Rethinking Order: After the Laws of Nature. Bloomsbury Academic
• Cartwright, N., & Montuschi, E. (Eds.). (2014). Philosophy of Social Science: A New Introduction. Oxford University Press
• Correcting the Model. Idealization and Abstraction in the Sciences. Rodopi

Journal Article

• Cartwright, N. (online). Reply
• Cartwright, N. (online). Measuring Research Impact: Special Problems
• Cartwright, N. (online). Quantum Technology: Where to Look for the Quantum Measurement Problem
• Cartwright, N., & Frigg, R. (online). String theory under scrutiny. Physics world, 14-15
• Cartwright, N. (online). The Reality of Causes in a World of Instrumental Laws
• Cartwright, N. (online). Causation: One Word, Many Things
• Cartwright, N., & Del Seta, M. (online). The Myth of Universalism: Theories of Science and Theories of Justice
• Cartwright, N., & Ray, F. (2023). Objectivity and Intellectual Humility in Scientific Research: They’re Harder Than You Think. European Review, 31(4), 367-381. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1062798723000091
• Cartwright, N. (2021). Rigour versus the need for evidential diversity. Synthese, 199(5-6), 13095-13119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-021-03368-1
• Cartwright, N., Pemberton, J., & Wieten, S. (2020). Mechanisms, laws and explanation. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 10(3), Article 25. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-020-00284-y
• Cartwright, N., & Joyce, K. (2020). Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice: Predicting What Will Work Locally. American Educational Research Journal, 57(3), 1045-1082. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219866687
• Cartwright, N. (2020). Middle-range theory: Without it what could anyone do?. THEORIA. An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 35(3), 269-323. https://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.21479
• Cartwright, N. (2019). What is meant by ‘rigour’ in evidence-based educational policy and what’s so good about it. Educational Research and Evaluation, 25(1-2), 63-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/13803611.2019.1617990
• Cartwright, N. (2018). What evidence should guidelines take note of?. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 24(5), 1139-1144. https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.12959
• Game, E., Tallis, H., Olander, L., Alexander, S., Busch, J., Cartwright, N., Kalies, E., Masuda, Y., Mupepele, A., Qiu, J., Rooney, A., Sills, E., & Sutherland, W. (2018). Cross-disciplinary evidence principles for social-environmental sustainability. Nature Sustainability, 1(9), 452-454. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-018-0141-x
• Deaton, A., & Cartwright, N. (2018). Reflections on Randomized Control Trials. Social Science & Medicine, 210, 86-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.04.046
• Deaton, A., & Cartwright, N. (2018). Understanding and misunderstanding randomized controlled trials. Social Science & Medicine, 210, 2-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.12.005
• Joyce, K., & Cartwright, N. (2018). Meeting Our Standards for Educational Justice: Doing Our Best with the Evidence. Theory and Research in Education, 16(1), 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/1477878518756565
• Cartwright, N. (2018). Big Systems Versus Stocky Tangles: It Can Matter to the Details. Erkenntnis, 83(1), 3-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-016-9869-8
• Cartwright, N. (2018). Theoretical Practices That Work: Those That Mimic Nature’s Own. Spontaneous generations, 9(1), 165-173. https://doi.org/10.4245/sponge.v9i1.27045
• Cowen, N., Virk, B., Mascarenhan-Keyes, S., & Cartwright, N. (2017). Randomized Controlled Trials: How Can We Know “What Works”?. Critical Review, 29(3), 265-292. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913811.2017.1395223
• Bateson, P., Cartwright, N., Dupré, J., Laland, K., & Noble, D. (2017). New trends in evolutionary biology: biological, philosophical and social science perspectives. Interface Focus, 7(5), Article 20170051. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsfs.2017.0051
• Bhakthavatsalam, S., & Cartwright, N. (2017). What’s so special about empirical adequacy?. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 7(3), 445-465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13194-017-0171-7
• Cartwright, N., Hardie, J., & Stringer, R. (2017). Predicting What Will Happen When You Intervene. Clinical Social Work Journal, 45(3), 270-279. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-016-0615-0
• Cartwright, N. (2016). Where is the Rigor When You Need It?. Foundations and trends in accounting, 10(2-4), 106-124. https://doi.org/10.1561/1400000045
• Cartwright, N. (2016). Contingency and the order of nature. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part C: Studies in History and Philosophy of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, 58, 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shpsc.2015.12.008
• Cartwright, N. (2016). Loose Talk Kills: What’s Worrying about Unity of Method. Philosophy of Science, 83(5), 768-778. https://doi.org/10.1086/687862
• Cartwright, N. (2015). Scientific Models versus Social Reality. Building Research and Information, 44(3-4), 334-337. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2015.1083811
• Pemberton, J., & Cartwright, N. (2014). Ceteris paribus laws need machines to generate them. Erkenntnis, 79(10), 1745-1758. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-014-9639-4
• Cartwright, N. (2014). A Question of Nonsense. ywn, 63, 102-116
• Cartwright, N. (2013). God's Order, Man's Order and the Order of Nature. EURESIS journal, 5, 99-108
• Cartwright, N. (2013). Knowing What We are Talking About: Why Evidence Doesn’t Always Travel. Evidence and Policy, 9(1), 97-112. https://doi.org/10.1332/174426413x662581
• Cartwright, N. (2012). Presidential Address: Will This Policy Work for You? Predicting Effectiveness Better: How Philosophy Helps. Philosophy of Science, 79(5), 973-989. https://doi.org/10.1086/668041
• Rol, M., & Cartwright, N. (2012). Warranting the use of causal claims: a non-trivial case for interdisciplinarity. THEORIA. An International Journal for Theory, History and Foundations of Science, 27(2), 189-202. https://doi.org/10.1387/theoria.4075
• Cartwright, N. (2011). Predicting what will happen when we act. What counts for warrant?. Preventive Medicine, 53(4-5), 221-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.08.011
• Cartwright, N., & Efstathiou, S. (2011). Hunting Causes and Using Them: Is There No Bridge from Here to There?. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 25(3), 223-241. https://doi.org/10.1080/02698595.2011.605245
• Cartwright, N. (2011). A philosopher's view of the long road from RCTs to effectiveness. The Lancet, 377(9775), 1400-1401. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736%2811%2960563-1
• Fennell, D., & Cartwright, N. (2010). Does Roush show that evidence should be probable?. Synthese, 175(3), 289-310. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-009-9510-3
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Hunting Causes and Using Them: Approaches in Philosophy and Economics. Analysis, 70(2), 307-310. https://doi.org/10.1093/analys/anp157
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Comments on Longworth and Weber. Analysis, 70(2), 325-330. https://doi.org/10.1093/analys/anp158
• Cartwright, N., & Munro, E. (2010). The limitations of randomized controlled trials in predicting effectiveness. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 16(2), 260-266. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2753.2010.01382.x
• Cartwright, N. (2010). Reply to Steel and Pearl: Hunting Causes and Using Them: Approaches in Philosophy and Economics. Economics and Philosophy, 26(1), 87-94. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0266267110000088
• Cartwright, N., Goldfinch, A., & Howick, J. (2010). Evidence-Based Policy: Where Is Our Theory of Evidence?. Journal of Children's Services, 4(4), 6-14. https://doi.org/10.5042/jcs.2010.0017
• Cartwright, N. (2010). What are randomised controlled trials good for?. Philosophical Studies, 147(1), 59-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11098-009-9450-2
• Cartwright, N. D. (2009). How To Do Things with Causes. Proceedings and addresses of the American Philosophical Association, 83(2), 5-22
• Cartwright, N. (2009). If No Capacities then No Credible Worlds. But Can Models Reveal Capacities?. Erkenntnis, 70(1), 45-48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10670-008-9136-8
• Cartwright, N. (2009). Evidence-Based Policy: What's to be Done About Relevance. Philosophical Studies, 143(1), 127-136
• Cartwright, N., & Suarez, M. (2008). Theories: Tools versus Models. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 39(1), 61-81
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Are RCTs the Gold Standard?. BioSocieties, 2(1), 11-20. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1745855207005029
• Cartwright, N. (2007). Where is the Theory in our 'Theories' of Causality?. Journal of Philosophy, CIII(2), 55-66
• Cartwright, N. (2006). Well-Ordered Science: Evidence for Use. Philosophy of Science, 73(5), 981-990. https://doi.org/10.1086/518803
• Cartwright, N. (2006). From Metaphysics to Method: Comments on Manipulability and the Causal Markov Condition. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 57(1), 197-218. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/axi156
• Cartwright, N. (2003). Two Theorems on Invariance and Causality. Philosophy of Science, 70(1), 203-224
• Cartwright, N. (2002). In Favour of Laws that are Not Ceteris Paribus After All. Erkenntnis, 57, 425-439
• Cartwright, N. (2002). Against Modularity, the Causal Markov Condition and Any Link Between the Two: Comments on Hausman and Woodward. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 53, 411-453. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjps/53.3.411
• Cartwright, N. (2002). Introduction
• Cartwright, N. (2001). Reply to P. Anderson's 'Review of The Dappled World'. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 32(3), 495-497. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1355-2198%2801%2900012-0
• Cartwright, N. (2001). What is Wrong with Bayes Nets?. The Monist, 84(2), 242-264
• Cartwright, N., & Suárez, M. (2000). Endpiece. Theoria: A Journal of Social and Political Theory, 15, 123-128
• Cartwright, N. (1999). Causal Diversity and the Markov Condition. Synthese, 121(1/2), 3-27
• Cartwright, N. (1999). The Limits of Exact Science, from Economics to Physics. Perspectives on Science, 7(3), 318-336
• Cartwright, N. (1998). How Theories Relate: Takeovers or Partnerships?
• Cartwright, N. (1997). Models: The Blueprints for Laws. Philosophy of Science, 64, S292-S303. https://doi.org/10.1086/392608
• Cartwright, N., & Kitcher, P. (1996). Science and Ethics: Reclaiming Some Neglected Questions. Perspectives on Science, 4(2), 145-153
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Reply to Eells, Humphrey and Morrison
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Probabilities and Experiments. Journal of Econometrics, 65(1), 47-59
• Cartwright, N. (1995). False Idealization: A Philosophical Threat to Scientific Method. Philosophical Studies, 77, 339-352
• Cartwright, N. (1995). Précis of Nature’s Capacities and Their Measurement. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 55(1), 153-156. https://doi.org/10.2307/2108313
• Cartwright, N. (1995). "Ceteris Paribus" Laws and Socio-Economic Machines. The Monist, 78(3), 276-294. https://doi.org/10.5840/monist19957831
• Cartwright, N. (1994). Fundamentalism vs. the Patchwork of Laws. Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 94(1), 279-292. https://doi.org/10.1093/aristotelian/94.1.279
• Cartwright, N., & Chang, H. (1993). Causality and Realism in the EPR Experiment. Erkenntnis, 38, 169-190
• Cartwright, N. (1993). In Defence of 'This Worldly Causality: Comments on van Fraassen's ‘Laws and Symmetry'. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 53(2), 423-429
• Cartwright, N. (1993). Is Natural Science 'Natural' Enough? A Reply to Phillip Allport. Synthese, 94, 291-301
• Cartwright, N. (1991). Fables and Models
• Cartwright, N. (1991). Can Wholism Reconcile the Inaccuracy of Theory with the Accuracy of Prediction?. Synthese, 89(1), 3-13
• Cartwright, N. (1991). Replicability, Reproducibility, and Robustness: Comments on Harry Collins. History of Political Economy, 23(1), 143-155. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182702-23-1-143
• Cartwright, N. (1989). The Born-Einstein debate: Where application and explanation separate. Synthese, 81(3), 271-282
• Dupre, J., & Cartwright, N. (1988). Probability and Causality: Why Hume and Indeterminism Don't Mix. Noûs, 22(4), 521-536
• Cartwright, N., & Nordby, J. (1983). How Approximations Take Us Away From Theory and Towards the Truth. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly, 64, 273-280
• Cartwright, N. (1983). When Explanation Leads to Inference. Philosophical Topics, 13, 111-121
• Cartwright, N. (1980). The Truth Doesn't Explain Much
• Cartwright, N. (1979). Do Token-Token Identity Theories Show Why We Don't Need Reductionism?. Philosophical Studies, 36(1), 85-90
• Cartwright, N. (1979). Causal Laws and Effective Strategies. Noûs, 13(4), 419-437
• Cartwright, N. (1978). Comments on Wesley Salmon's ‘science and religion ...’. Philosophical Studies, 33(2), 177-183. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00571885
• Cartwright, N. (1977). The Sum Rule Has Not Been Tested. Philosophy of Science, 44(1), 107-112. https://doi.org/10.1086/288727
• Cartwright, N. (1975). A Non-Negative Wigner-Type Distribution. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 83(1), 210-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-4371%2876%2990145-x
• Cartwright, N. (1974). Superposition and macroscopic observation. Synthese, 29(1-4), 229-242. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00484959
• Cartwright, N. (1974). Correlations without joint distributions in quantum mechanics. Foundations of Physics, 4(1), 127-136. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00708563

Other (Digital/Visual Media)

• Deaton, A., & Cartwright, N. (2016). The limitations of randomised controlled trials
• Bovens, L., & Cartwright, N. (2010). Measuring the Impact of Philosophy

Other (Print)

• Cartwright, N. (2019, November). Why Big Theories are Here to Stay. Presented at «The Theoretical University» in the Data Age. Have the great theories become obsolete?, Bielefield University

Working Paper

• Cartwright, N. (2020). Using middle-level theory to improve programme and evaluation design
• Cartwright, N., Charlton, L., Juden, M., Munslow, T., & Williams, R. (2020). Making predictions of programme success more reliable
• Cartwright, N. (2020). Using middle-level theory to improve programme and evaluation design
• Cartwright, N., Oliver, S., Gough, D., Stewart, R., Dickson, K., Bangpan, M., Pells, K., Hargreaves, J., & Roche, C. (2018). Stakeholder engagement for development impact and learning
• Cartwright, N., Pemberton, J., & Wieten, S. (2018). Mechanisms, ceteris paribus laws and covering-law explanation
• Cartwright, N., Davey, C., Hargreaves, J., Hassan, S., Gough, D., Humphreys, M., Masset, E., Oliver, S., Prost, A., & Bonell, C. (2018). Designing evaluations to provide evidence to inform action in new settings
• Cartwright, N., & Bhakthavatsalam, S. (2016). What’s so special about empirical adequacy?
• Cartwright, N., & Merlussi, P. (2016). Are laws of nature consistent with contingency?
• Cartwright, N., Bradburn, N. M., & Fuller, J. (2016). A Theory of Measurement
• Cartwright, N., & Deaton, A. (2016). Understanding and misunderstanding randomized controlled trials
• Deaton, A., & Cartwright, N. (2016). Understanding and misunderstanding randomized controlled trials
• Cartwright, N., Cowen, N., Virk, B., & Mascarenhas-Keyes, S. (2015). Making the Most of the Evidence: Evidence-based policy in the classroom
• Cartwright, N. (2015). Single Case Causes: What is Evidence and Why
• Cowen, N., & Cartwright, N. (2014). Making the Most of the Evidence in Education: A Guide for Working Out What Works .... Here and Now
• Cartwright, N. (2014). Deliberating Policy: Where morals and methods mix – and not always for the best