July 2020 - philphysmunich

CfP: Synthese Topical Collection: "Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aims of Science"
by Florian J Boge Sept. 15, 2020

Sept. 15, 2020

Call for Papers Synthese Topical Collection on Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aims of Science Deadline: 31 July 2020 Guest Editors Florian J. Boge (University of Wuppertal) Paul Grünke (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) Martin King (University of Bonn) Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo (University of Wuppertal) * Description The world we live in is notoriously complex: there is an outright zoo of material particles, a vast variety of different species, a whole plethora of stars and galaxies, and so forth. Yet many scientific achievements, such as the Standard Model of particle physics or Darwin’s theory of natural selection, allow us to manage part of this complexity by means of a simple set of laws or general rules. Simplicityhas often been assumed to be an epistemic ideal, most clearly exemplified in physics, with its trend towards encompassing theories that feature only a small number of fundamental laws, capable of explaining a large number of diverse phenomena. This view of science, with physics at the center stage, has arguably provided the dominant narrative in mainstream philosophy of science throughout the 20thcentury. Yet many questions arise when one zooms in on the details. For instance: in what sense can the laws of physics be said to be simple, when concrete computations based on them are tedious or even impossible? How do notions of simplicity differ across the sciences, and what are their commonalities? Does the striving for simplification of perceived complexity imply an unjustifiedreductionism? Is simplicity really an epistemic ideal or just endorsed for pragmatic reasons, and maybe even an unreliable guide to truth? If so, what should it be replaced with? The aim of this Topical Collection is to bring together contributions from different fields, such as (the philosophy of) physics, biology, economy, psychology, linguistics, or general philosophy of science. Topics may include but are not limited to: • epistemic vs. practical: Is simplicity an epistemic goal of science or just a practical benefit? (Why) should theories aim for simplicity, or (why) not? • physics vs. other sciences: Does the complexity of the world largely preclude simple science? Is complexity also an aim of the special sciences? Does contemporary physics really aim at simplicity? • the concept of simplicity in science: What does it mean to be a ‘simple’ theory? What is simplicity? Can there be a unified account of simplicity or should one embrace pluralism? We invite contributions from the full spectrum of disciplines and their respective philosophies, scientists and scholars reflecting on their respective and neighboring research fields, as well as historians, philosophers and sociologists of science investigating the epistemologies, practices, and discourses of fellow epistemic communities. * For further information, please contact the guest editors: o Florian J. Boge fjboge(a)uni-wuppertal.de <mailto:fjboge@uni-wuppertal.de> o Paul Grünke paul.gruenke(a)kit.edu <mailto:paul.gruenke@kit.edu> o Martin Kingmking(a)uni-bonn.de <mailto:mking@uni-bonn.de> o Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo carreterosahuqu(a)uni-wuppertal.de <mailto:carreterosahuqu@uni-wuppertal.de> * The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2020 Submit your paper through the Synthese Editorial Manager under a dedicated heading entitled "T.C.: Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aim of Science". Please visit Editorial Manager® <https://www.editorialmanager.com/synt>and select this heading when submitting the manuscript. Submitted papers will be peer-reviewed as per usual journal practice. At least two reviewers will be assigned to each paper and final decisions will be taken by Synthese Editors in Chief, following the recommendation of the Guest Editors, which is based on the reviewers’ reports. Please prepare papers for anonymous reviews.

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EXTENDED DEADLINE -- CfP Synthese Topical Collection: "Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aims of Science"
by Grünke, Paul (ITAS) July 23, 2020

July 23, 2020

Call for Papers Synthese Topical Collection on Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aims of Science Extended Deadline: 30 September 2020 Guest Editors Florian J. Boge (University of Wuppertal) Paul Grünke (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology) Martin King (University of Bonn) Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo (University of Wuppertal) · Description The world we live in is notoriously complex: there is an outright zoo of material particles, a vast variety of different species, a whole plethora of stars and galaxies, and so forth. Yet many scientific achievements, such as the Standard Model of particle physics or Darwin's theory of natural selection, allow us to manage part of this complexity by means of a simple set of laws or general rules. Simplicity has often been assumed to be an epistemic ideal, most clearly exemplified in physics, with its trend towards encompassing theories that feature only a small number of fundamental laws, capable of explaining a large number of diverse phenomena. This view of science, with physics at the center stage, has arguably provided the dominant narrative in mainstream philosophy of science throughout the 20th century. Yet many questions arise when one zooms in on the details. For instance: in what sense can the laws of physics be said to be simple, when concrete computations based on them are tedious or even impossible? How do notions of simplicity differ across the sciences, and what are their commonalities? Does the striving for simplification of perceived complexity imply an unjustified reductionism? Is simplicity really an epistemic ideal or just endorsed for pragmatic reasons, and maybe even an unreliable guide to truth? If so, what should it be replaced with? The aim of this Topical Collection is to bring together contributions from different fields, such as (the philosophy of) physics, biology, economy, psychology, linguistics, or general philosophy of science. Topics may include but are not limited to: * epistemic vs. practical: Is simplicity an epistemic goal of science or just a practical benefit? (Why) should theories aim for simplicity, or (why) not? * physics vs. other sciences: Does the complexity of the world largely preclude simple science? Is complexity also an aim of the special sciences? Does contemporary physics really aim at simplicity? * the concept of simplicity in science: What does it mean to be a 'simple' theory? What is simplicity? Can there be a unified account of simplicity or should one embrace pluralism? We invite contributions from the full spectrum of disciplines and their respective philosophies, scientists and scholars reflecting on their respective and neighboring research fields, as well as historians, philosophers and sociologists of science investigating the epistemologies, practices, and discourses of fellow epistemic communities. · For further information, please contact the guest editors: o Florian J. Boge fjboge(a)uni-wuppertal.de<mailto:fjboge@uni-wuppertal.de> o Paul Grünke paul.gruenke(a)kit.edu<mailto:paul.gruenke@kit.edu> o Martin King mking(a)uni-bonn.de<mailto:mking@uni-bonn.de> o Miguel Ángel Carretero Sahuquillo carreterosahuqu(a)uni-wuppertal.de<mailto:carreterosahuqu@uni-wuppertal.de> · The Extended deadline for submissions is 30 September 2020 Submit your paper through the Synthese Editorial Manager under a dedicated heading entitled "T.C.: Simplicity out of Complexity? Physics and the Aim of Science". Please visit Editorial Manager®<https://www.editorialmanager.com/synt> and select this heading when submitting the manuscript. Submitted papers will be peer-reviewed as per usual journal practice. At least two reviewers will be assigned to each paper and final decisions will be taken by Synthese Editors in Chief, following the recommendation of the Guest Editors, which is based on the reviewers' reports. Please prepare papers for anonymous reviews. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Paul Grünke PhD Candidate Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) Phone: +49 721 608-24278 E-Mail: Paul.Gruenke(a)kit.edu<mailto:Paul.Gruenke@kit.edu> www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de<http://www.lhc-epistemologie.uni-wuppertal.de/> http://www.itas.kit.edu/mitarbeiter_gruenke_paul.php KIT - Die Forschungsuniversität in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft

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CORRIGENDUM: Workshop: A New Perspective on the Paradoxes of Modern Physics
by Erik Curiel July 1, 2020

July 1, 2020

[APOLOGIES FOR THE REPETITION -- FIXING A BROKEN LINK IN THE FIRST POST] [forwarding on behalf of the organizers] The University of Urbino is glad to announce the workshop:____ ____ *A New Perspective on the Paradoxes of Modern Physics*____ ____ July the 2^nd , 15.00 Rome time zone (CEST/GMT+2) on Google Meet. *Program:*____ 15.00-16.30 Alexander Afriat (Université de Bretagne Occidentale)- /Kottler’s qualitative electromagnetism/____ 16.30-16.45 Break____ 16.45-18.15 Erik Curiel (Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Black Hole Initiative) - /Semi-Classical Gravity as Effective Field Theory and the Information-Loss Paradox/____ 18.15-18.30 Break____ 18.30-20.00 Enrico Cinti (University of Urbino, University of Geneva) & Marco Sanchioni (University of Urbino) - /Complementar//ity Lost and Regained: ER=EPR vs Firewalls/____ ____ *Alexander Afriat *- /Kottler’s qualitative electromagnetism/____ *Abstract*: The hole argument, symmetries, gauge freedom, gauge fixing, surplus structure, topology, determinism & Cauchy-well-posedness, general covariance are central themes of modern philosophy of physics. It would be wrong to say they can all be /traced back/ to the obscure Kottler; but they’re all there, in some form or other—if one’s prepared to look hard enough. Kottler views field theories (like electromagnetism) as fundamentally qualitative, in other words ‘deformable.’ The deformability and underdetermination are overcome by the electromagnetic constitutive relations, which give metric rigidity to otherwise shapeless fields, thus allowing them to propagate deterministically.____ ____ *Erik Curiel* - /Semi-Classical Gravity as Effective Field Theory and the Information-Loss Paradox/____ *Abstract:*____ I analyze the structure and content of the Information-Loss Paradox, explaining what exactly the apparently problematic proposition is at its heart and what assumptions are required for deriving it. I then discuss what bearing a resolution of the paradox could have on attempts to formulate a theory of quantum gravity, in light of the fact that the framework of semi-classical gravity, in which the paradox is derived, is merely an effective field theory. I discuss two different ways one might treat semi-classical gravity as an effective field theory, and analyze the different possible consequences for each on the paradox. I conclude that the paradox is not necessarily problematic, though for reasons quite different from those of physicists such as Unruh and Wald and philosophers such as Maudlin, who come to a similar conclusion.____ ____ *Enrico Cinti* & *Marco Sanchioni* - /Complementar//ity Lost and Regained: ER=EPR vs Firewalls/____ *Abstract:*____ Hawking's black hole information paradox has been one of the most studied topics in the foundations of black holes. In its most modern form, the information paradox has evolved into the firewall paradox, which threatens the consistency of the description of the interior of the black hole given by black hole complementarity. In this talk, we study the conceptual foundations of the firewall paradox, and identify its most problematic assumption. Then, we look at how the ER=EPR conjecture makes a resolution of the firewall paradox possible, in the context of the eternal AdS black hole and its generalisations. The upshot of our analysis is that this resolution, however, comes at a price: bulk semiclassical locality is lost.____ ____ ____ The workshop is free to attend and everybody is welcome. Nonetheless, registration is mandatory. To register, complete the form at: https://forms.gle/NsBxb6wK2Rk8We8c6 You will receive information concerning how to sign up to google meet and to attend the workshop in due time. For further information, please, send an email to: a.corti1(a)campus.uniurb.it <mailto:a.corti1@campus.uniurb.it> ____ We look forward to “see’’ you at the workshop,____ ____ The organizers - Enrico Cinti, Alberto Corti & Vincenzo Fano.____ --____ Alberto Corti PhD Student____ Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva____ 5, rue de Candolle____ CH-1211 Genève 4____ ____ Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino Via Timoteo Viti 10, I-61029 Urbino / / / / /------------------------/ /Giuseppe Sergioli/ / / Associate Professor// /*University of Cagliari*/ Via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari - Italy. Tel.:+39-070-6757113 <tel:%2B39-070-6757113> Fax: +39-070-6757120 <tel:%2B39-070-6757120> Web page: http://people.unica.it/giuseppesergioli/curriculum/ Scholar: https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=mIFHnOUAAAAJ&hl=en

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Workshop: A New Perspective on the Paradoxes of Modern Physics
by Erik Curiel July 1, 2020

July 1, 2020

[forwarding on behalf of the organizers] The University of Urbino is glad to announce the workshop:____ ____ *A New Perspective on the Paradoxes of Modern Physics*____ ____ July the 2^nd , 15.00 Rome time zone (CEST/GMT+2) on Google Meet. *Program:*____ 15.00-16.30 Alexander Afriat (Université de Bretagne Occidentale)- /Kottler’s qualitative electromagnetism/____ 16.30-16.45 Break____ 16.45-18.15 Erik Curiel (Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, Black Hole Initiative) - /Semi-Classical Gravity as Effective Field Theory and the Information-Loss Paradox/____ 18.15-18.30 Break____ 18.30-20.00 Enrico Cinti (University of Urbino, University of Geneva) & Marco Sanchioni (University of Urbino) - /Complementar//ity Lost and Regained: ER=EPR vs Firewalls/____ ____ *Alexander Afriat *- /Kottler’s qualitative electromagnetism/____ *Abstract*: The hole argument, symmetries, gauge freedom, gauge fixing, surplus structure, topology, determinism & Cauchy-well-posedness, general covariance are central themes of modern philosophy of physics. It would be wrong to say they can all be /traced back/ to the obscure Kottler; but they’re all there, in some form or other—if one’s prepared to look hard enough. Kottler views field theories (like electromagnetism) as fundamentally qualitative, in other words ‘deformable.’ The deformability and underdetermination are overcome by the electromagnetic constitutive relations, which give metric rigidity to otherwise shapeless fields, thus allowing them to propagate deterministically.____ ____ *Erik Curiel* - /Semi-Classical Gravity as Effective Field Theory and the Information-Loss Paradox/____ *Abstract:*____ I analyze the structure and content of the Information-Loss Paradox, explaining what exactly the apparently problematic proposition is at its heart and what assumptions are required for deriving it. I then discuss what bearing a resolution of the paradox could have on attempts to formulate a theory of quantum gravity, in light of the fact that the framework of semi-classical gravity, in which the paradox is derived, is merely an effective field theory. I discuss two different ways one might treat semi-classical gravity as an effective field theory, and analyze the different possible consequences for each on the paradox. I conclude that the paradox is not necessarily problematic, though for reasons quite different from those of physicists such as Unruh and Wald and philosophers such as Maudlin, who come to a similar conclusion.____ ____ *Enrico Cinti* & *Marco Sanchioni* - /Complementar//ity Lost and Regained: ER=EPR vs Firewalls/____ *Abstract:*____ Hawking's black hole information paradox has been one of the most studied topics in the foundations of black holes. In its most modern form, the information paradox has evolved into the firewall paradox, which threatens the consistency of the description of the interior of the black hole given by black hole complementarity. In this talk, we study the conceptual foundations of the firewall paradox, and identify its most problematic assumption. Then, we look at how the ER=EPR conjecture makes a resolution of the firewall paradox possible, in the context of the eternal AdS black hole and its generalisations. The upshot of our analysis is that this resolution, however, comes at a price: bulk semiclassical locality is lost.____ ____ ____ The workshop is free to attend and everybody is welcome. Nonetheless, registration is mandatory. To register, complete the form at: https://forms.gle/NsBxb6wK2Rk8We8c6____ You will receive information concerning how to sign up to google meet and to attend the workshop in due time. For further information, please, send an email to: a.corti1(a)campus.uniurb.it <mailto:a.corti1@campus.uniurb.it> ____ We look forward to “see’’ you at the workshop,____ ____ The organizers - Enrico Cinti, Alberto Corti & Vincenzo Fano.____ --____ Alberto Corti PhD Student____ Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva____ 5, rue de Candolle____ CH-1211 Genève 4____ ____ Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Urbino Via Timoteo Viti 10, I-61029 Urbino / / / / /------------------------/ /Giuseppe Sergioli/ / / Associate Professor// /*University of Cagliari*/ Via Is Mirrionis 1, 09123 Cagliari - Italy. Tel.:+39-070-6757113 <tel:%2B39-070-6757113> Fax: +39-070-6757120 <tel:%2B39-070-6757120> Web page: http://people.unica.it/giuseppesergioli/curriculum/ Scholar: https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=mIFHnOUAAAAJ&hl=en

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