February 2013 - philphysmunich

Talk by Tilman Sauer today at MZWTG
by Dardashti, Radin Feb. 18, 2013

Feb. 18, 2013

Speaker: Tilman Sauer (Universität Bern und California Institute of Technology, Pasadena) Monday 18th Feb. Deutsches Museum Seminarraum der Institute 1402, Bibliotheksbau Museumsinsel 1 80538 München Time: 4:30 pm Title: Einstein Out of Context Abstract: Im Oktober 1922 verlässt Einstein Berlin und begibt sich auf eine halbjährige Reise in den Fernen Osten. Hinter sich lässt er eine hektische Großstadt, wissenschaftlich eines der Zentren der sich herausbildenden Quantenmechanik, aber auch ein Brennpunkt politischer Konflikte und wirtschaftlicher Probleme des Nachkriegsdeutschlands. Einsteins Abreise vorausgegangen war die brutale Ermordung des deutschen Außenministers und Freund Einsteins, Walther Rathenau, auf offener Strasse. Auf der Reise nach und von Japan genießt Einstein mehrere Wochen die Ruhe an Bord eines Dampfers ohne direkten Kontakt zu seinen akademischen Kollegen, ohne Verpflichtungen und ohne Zugang zu einer Bibliothek. In der Abgeschiedenheit seiner Seereise verfasst er eine Arbeit zur einheitlichen Theorie des Gravitations- und des elektromagnetischen Feldes. Ein erstes Manuskript, ausführliche Rechnungen in seinem Reisetagebuch sowie Korrespondenz erlauben uns einen unmittelbaren Blick in seine Gedankenwelt. Über das biographische Interesse hinaus wirft diese Episode auch die Frage nach einer historischen und systematischen Einschätzung des Programms einer einheitlichen Feldtheorie in den zwanziger Jahren des letzten Jahrhunderts auf. _______________________________________________ philphysmunich mailing list philphysmunich(a)lists.lrz.de https://lists.lrz.de/mailman/listinfo/philphysmunich

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CfP: Quantum Gravity in Perspective (LMU Munich, 31 May - 1 June 2013)
by Karim Thebault Feb. 6, 2013

Feb. 6, 2013

********************************************* QUANTUM GRAVITY IN PERSPECTIVE LMU Munich 31st May - 1st June 2013 http://www.quantumgravityinperspective.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/index.ht… ********************************************* The search for a theory which would unite the insights of general relativity with those of quantum theory, a theory of quantum gravity, has now lasted the better part of a century. Although a number of promising candidate theories have emerged (string theory and loop quantum gravity being the most prominent), a large array of conceptual, formal and methodological issues are still unresolved. The increasingly fractured nature of the field – with long standing and well publicised disagreements over the premisses, goals and criteria for evaluation relevant to a 'theory of quantum gravity' – might be seen as one significant factor impeding progress. With this in mind, the aim of this workshop is to bring together physicists, philosophers and historians with interests in various approaches to quantum gravity towards a mutually beneficial cross-pollination of ideas. By looking at the problem of quantum gravity from a variety of different perspectives, it is hoped, we will all be able to see a little further. The workshop will be held in Munich over two days (31st May - 1st June) and will feature talks by researchers with a wide range of expertise. Submission of contributed papers are welcomed from researchers with interests in quantum gravity considered from any of the perspectives mentioned above. We invite submissions of an abstract of 500 words by 1st March, 2013. Only PDF files are accepted. We anticipate there will be space for between two and four contributed talks. To submit please send the file to Karim.Thebault(a)lrz.uni-muenchen.de. INVITED SPEAKERS: Nazim Bouatta (Cambridge), Richard Dawid (Vienna), Johanna Erdmenger (Max Planck Munich), Sabine Hossenfelder (NORDITA), Claus Kiefer (Cologne), Brian Pitts (Cambridge), Dean Rickles (Sydney), Nicholas Teh (Cambridge), Chris Wuthrich (UCSD) ORGANIZERS: Karim Thebault, Radin Dardashti GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS: A few travel bursaries for graduate students are available (up to 500 Euro). See website for details. _______________________________________________ philphysmunich mailing list philphysmunich(a)lists.lrz.de https://lists.lrz.de/mailman/listinfo/philphysmunich

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Talk by Brian Pitts at MCMP (Wed. 6th Feb.)
by Karim Thebault Feb. 2, 2013

Feb. 2, 2013

Speaker: J. Brian Pitts (Cambridge) Wednesday 6th Feb. Ludwigstr.31 /II room 225 Time: 6 to 8 pm Title: How Almost Everything in Space-time Theory Is Illuminated by Simple Particle Physics: The Neglected Case of Massive Scalar Gravity Abstract: Both particle physics from the 1920s-30s and the 1890s Seeliger-Neumann modification of Newtonian gravity suggest considering a “mass term,” an additional algebraic term in the gravitational potential. The “graviton mass” gives gravity a finite range. The smooth massless limit implies underdetermination. In 1914 Nordström generalized Newtonian gravity to fit Special Relativity. Why not do to Nordström what Seeliger and Neumann did to Newton? Einstein started in setting up a (faulty!) analogy for his cosmological constant Λ. Scalar gravities, though not empirically viable since the 1919 bending of light observations, provide a useful test bed for tensor theories like General Relativity. Massive scalar gravity, though not completed in a timely way, sheds philosophical light on most issues in contemporary and 20th century space-time theory. A mass term shrinks the symmetry group to that of Special Relativity and violates Einstein's principles (general covariance, general relativity, equivalence and Mach) in empirically small but conceptually large ways. Geometry is a poor guide to massive scalar gravities in comparison to detailed study of the field equation or Lagrangian. Matter sees a conformally flat metric because gravity distorts volumes while leaving the speed of light alone, but gravity sees the whole flat metric due to the mass term. Largely with Poincaré (pace Eddington), one can contemplate a “true” flat geometry differing from what material rods and clocks disclose. But questions about “true” geometry need no answer and tend to block inquiry. Presumptively one should expect analogous results for the tensor (massive spin 2) case modifying Einstein’s equations. A case to the contrary was made only in 1970-72: an apparently fatal dilemma involving either instability or empirical falsification appeared. But dark energy measurements since 1999 cast some doubt on General Relativity (massless spin 2) at long distances. Recent calculations (2000s, some from 2010) show that instability can be avoided and that empirical falsification likely can be as well, making massive spin 2 gravity a serious rival for GR. Particle physics can let philosophers proportion belief to evidence over time, rather than suffering from unconceived alternatives. _______________________________________________ philphysmunich mailing list philphysmunich(a)lists.lrz.de https://lists.lrz.de/mailman/listinfo/philphysmunich

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