- philphysmunich - lists.lrz.de

1 PhD position and 1 postdoc position in history & philosophy of physics
by Sebastien Rivat April 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Dear all, I'm recruiting a PhD student (3+1 years) and a postdoc (3 years) within the context of the ERC project RESCALE (https://erc-rescale.com/) The PhD student is expected to have a master degree in philosophy or in physics and to carry out research in the philosophy of physics (broadly construed). Potential research topics include (but are not restricted to): (i) the semantics of non-fundamental physical theories; (ii) the metaphysics of levels in physics, ideally with a focus on the concept of interscale autonomy; (iii) the objectivity of scale-relative representations in physics; (iv) the philosophy of effective theories and/or renormalization group methods. Candidates with research interests in the metaphysics of non-fundamental physics are particularly encouraged to apply. The area of research for the postdoc is open (since it is funded by a different grant). But ideally, the successful candidate will work on topics related to either (i) conceptual aspects of post-WWII physics (broadly construed) or (ii) philosophical aspects of quantum field theory (either relativistic or non-relativistic), cosmology or quantum gravity tied to the concept of scale (e.g., effective theories, renormalization group methods, symmetry unification, symmetry breaking mechanisms, dimensional reduction, lattice methods, low-energy theorems). Candidates with research interests in the metaphysics of physics closely related to scientific practice are encouraged to apply too. The deadline for applying is *May 20*. More information is available here: 1) PhD: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/415115 2) Postdoc: https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs/415133 If you know anyone who might be interested, don't hesitate to forward the information. Best, Sebastien

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Workshop "Postwar physics across scales" (April 9-10)
by John Dougherty March 12, 2026

March 12, 2026

Dear all, Alex Blum and I are organizing a workshop on conceptual aspects of postwar physics on April 9-10. The detailed program is now available here: https://www.philosophie.lmu.de/mcmp/en/latest-news/events-overview/event/po…. If you would like to attend, please register by sending an email to sebastien.rivat(a)lmu.de before April 7, 2026. Best, Sebastien

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CfA: Summer School for Widening Participation in Mathematical Philosophy, 20-24 July, 2026, LMU Munich
by John Dougherty Feb. 5, 2026

Feb. 5, 2026

The Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) is organizing the third edition of the Summer School for Widening Participation in Mathematical Philosophy, which will take place from July 20th through 24th, 2026, at LMU in Munich, Germany. This event continues a successful tradition, which began in 2014 with eight editions of the summer school on mathematical philosophy for female students and was expanded in 2024 to other underrepresented groups. The 2026 edition of the summer school is open to women and members of other groups that are under-represented in mathematical philosophy. These groups include under-represented gender identities, races and ethnicities, people with disabilities, people from low income and non-academic family backgrounds. The target level is master students and last year-bachelor students. The school's aim is to encourage students to engage with mathematical and scientific approaches to philosophical problems, and thereby help to redress the under-representation of women and other marginalized groups in mathematical philosophy. It offers the opportunity for study in an informal and interdisciplinary setting, for lively debate, and for the development of a network of students and professors interested in the application of formal methods to philosophy. The 2026 edition of the summer school will feature: * A lecture series by Dunja Šešelja (Ruhr University Bochum) on Social Epistemology of Scientific Disagreements; * A lecture series by Snow Zhang (University of California, Berkeley) on Philosophy of Decision Theory; * An evening lecture by Sabina Leonelli (TU Munich) titled “Philosophy for the Public Good? Interventions in Policy and AI”; * Talks on mathematical philosophy by members of the MCMP; * Talks and discussion concerning diversity and the profession; * Poster presentations by the Summer School’s participants; * As well as social events and opportunities to explore Munich. The organizing committee consists of Cordelia Berz, Johannes Bommes, Nicola Bonatti, John Dougherty, Levin Hornischer, Ina Jäntgen, Arthur Saraiva, Toby C.P. Solomon and Daniel Wimmer. [How to Apply:] We welcome applications from women and members of other under-represented groups (including under-represented gender identities, races and ethnicities, people with disabilities, people from low income and non-academic family backgrounds) who want to specialize in mathematical philosophy. The school’s target level is master students and last year-bachelor students. When: 20–24 July, 2026 Where: in-person, at LMU Munich in Munich, Germany; Participation fee: The participation fee is 80€. For LMU Munich students: 50€. How to apply: The application portal will soon be made available on the summer school’s website. Please visit https://www.mathsummer.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/index.html <https://www.mathsummer.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/index.html>for more information.

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Eighth Spacetime Conference - Call for papers
by Vesselin Petkov Jan. 19, 2026

Jan. 19, 2026

Dear Colleagues, Here is the essential information about the forthcoming spacetime conference: Conference: Eighth Spacetime Conference https://minkowskiinstitute.com/conferences/2026/ When: September 14-17, 2026 Where: Hotel Sandy Beach in Albena (near Varna), Bulgaria. The place is a guarded resort - arguably the best green, family-friendly Black Sea resort. Organizer: Minkowski Institute Arrival: September 13, 2026 Departure: September 18, 2026 Abstract submission deadline: June 1, 2026 Send abstracts to: 2026conference(a)minkowskiinstitute.com <mailto:2026conference@minkowskiinstitute.com> Registration deadline: August 1, 2026 Special sessions: "What is the quantum object (the electron, for example) in spacetime?"; for more see the Call for Papers page (https://minkowskiinstitute.com/conferences/2026/call.html) Conference volume: Selected peer-reviewed papers presented at the conference will be published by Minkowski Institute Press, which has published 95 books to date. Scientific Organizing Committee: Valia Allori (University of Bergamo) James Binkoski (Dartmouth College) Carolyn Brighouse (Occidental College, Los Angeles) Karen Crowther (University of Oslo) Erik Curiel (University of Bonn) Robert Geroch (University of Chicago) John B. Manchak (University of California, Irvine) Vesselin Petkov (Minkowski Institute, Montreal) James Read (University of Oxford) Carlo Rovelli (Centre de Physique Théorique de Luminy, Marseille, France) Anguel Stefanov (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) The Scientific Organizing Committee invites papers from physicists, mathematicians, philosophers of physics and philosophers on any topic related to the nature and ontology of spacetime. We encourage colleagues, who do not plan to give a talk, to attend the conference for two reasons: The panel discussions (at the end of the afternoon sessions) on open questions in spacetime physics have turned out to be very productive exchanges of ideas and insights according to all participants of previous Spacetime Conferences (https://www.minkowskiinstitute.com/conferences/) and Hermann Minkowski Meetings on the Foundations of Spacetime Physics (https://www.minkowskiinstitute.com/meetings/) Special discussion time in the afternoons (after 16:00) is included in the program to stimulate more informal discussions among participants. Vesselin Petkov One of the Founders and current Director of Minkowski Institute https://www.minkowskiinstitute.com/ Montreal, Canada Personal site: https://vesselinpetkov.com/

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Event: 100 Years of the,Schrödinger Equation, January 22, 2026
by John Dougherty Jan. 19, 2026

Jan. 19, 2026

*Panel discussion on the meaning of the wave function, 100 years after Schrödinger's publication on Quantum Mechanics.* An interdisciplinary panel discussion on the meaning of the wave function, with: *Časlav Brukner* (Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna) *Ignacio Cirac* (Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, Garching) *Stephan Hartmann* (LMU Munich, Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy) *Alyssa Ney* (LMU Munich, Chair for Metaphysics) Thursday January 22, 2026 11:00-1:00 Herbert Walther Lecture Hall Max Planck Center for Quantum Optics, Garching https://www.mpq.mpg.de/events/44242/6512195

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Call for Abstracts ILMPS Philosophy of Physics Conference, 1-2 June, LMU Munich
by John Dougherty Jan. 19, 2026

Jan. 19, 2026

Fifth Irvine-London-Munich-PoliMi-Salzburg Conference in Philosophy and Foundations of Physics Dates:June 1-2 2026 Venue:LMU Munich (Munich, Germany) Organizing committee:John Dougherty (LMU), Alexander Franklin (KCL), Eleanor Knox (KCL), Patricia Palacios (Salzburg), Bryan Roberts (LSE), Giovanni Valente (PoliMi), Jim Weatherall (Irvine), Charlotte Werndl (Salzburg) Call for Abstracts: Over the past decades, important contributions to the mathematical and conceptual foundations of physical theories have been made within the philosophical community. Conversely, critical analysis of the formal structures of our best physical theories inform central philosophical concerns, and in some cases new theorems have been proven and new lines of argument developed that are of philosophical significance. This conference series aims to bring together philosophers, physicists, and mathematicians working on such issues. This year’s event will be held on June 1-2 at LMU Munich (Munich, Germany). It will immediately precede a workshop on “Open Systems in Physics” taking place on June 2-3, 2026. Our expected list of workshop speakers includes Siska de Baerdemaeker (Stockholm), Michael Cuffaro (LMU), Alexander Franklin (KCL), Viktoria Kabel (ETH Zurich), Karim Thébault (Bristol), and Charlotte Werndl (Salzburg). Papers on any topic of philosophy and foundations of physics by early career researchers, especially graduate students and post-doctoral scholars, will be given priority. Submissions by scholars under-represented within the philosophy and foundations of physics community are especially encouraged. Abstracts no longer than 1000 words should be submitted via https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/80636/submitter <https://app.oxfordabstracts.com/stages/80636/submitter>by 1 March 2026. Decisions will be communicated soon after. The ILMPS conference 2026 and the workshop on “Open Systems in Physics” are financially supported by the Postdoc Support Fund at LMU Munich. ILMPS website: https://ilmpsnetwork.wordpress.com/

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Talk: David Wallace, "Emergence and Naturalness", 12 Jan., 18:00-20:00
by John Dougherty Jan. 6, 2026

Jan. 6, 2026

The following lecture may be of interest to subscribers of this list: David Wallace, University of Pittsburgh Philosophy and Physics Colloquium Mo.: 18:00 - 20:00 Uhr 12. Januar 2026 https://www.philosophie.lmu.de/de/aktuelles/veranstaltungsuebersicht/verans… *Emergence and Naturalness*: If we want to start with the physics of the very small – molecules, atoms, subatomic particles – and work out the emergent physics of large-scale systems – dust grains, iron bars, planets – we need to assume more than the laws of the very small: we have to make an additional assumption, often called /naturalness/. Despite the name, this assumption is puzzling in many respects, and the puzzle deepens into paradox because in our best theories of fundamental physics it seems to fail in two very specific places – the mass of the Higgs boson, and the rate of expansion of the Universe. In the lecture, I'll explain what the naturalness assumption is, how it relates to philosophical questions of 'strong' vs 'weak' emergence, why we need it in almost all of physics, and why its failure in particle physics and cosmology is one of the deepest problems in contemporary physics. -- John Dougherty Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland

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CFA: Postdocs and PhD positions in Philosophy of Physics, Geneva
by Christian Wuthrich Dec. 20, 2025

Dec. 20, 2025

CFA: Postdocs and PhD positions in Philosophy of Physics, Geneva Open positions in philosophy of physics: 2 Postdocs and 2 PhD Fellowships Geneva Symmetry Group, Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva The Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva invites applications for four positions for Christian Wüthrich's ERC Advanced Grant 'EPIFRONT--At the epistemic frontiers of physics': - two 3-year Postdoc Fellowships, and - two 4-year PhD Fellowships. The project will be housed at the Geneva Symmetry Group, which is part of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Geneva (https://genevasymmetrygroup.wordpress.com/) The positions will start on 1 August 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. For a brief description of the project, please see below. The postdoc position is open to scholars with a PhD. At the time of starting the position, they must have held a doctorate or equivalent qualification for less than 5 years (2 years for candidates who are not citizens of Switzerland, an EU country, or an EFTA country). More senior candidates may be considered for employment as scientific collaborators, but given financial and legal constraints, success of such a hire is not guaranteed. Candidates must have a track record in independent research in philosophy of physics and ideally (though not necessarily) a solid background in both physics and philosophy. In particular, relevant background in philosophy includes philosophy of physics and general philosophy of science, as well as metaphysics and epistemology; in physics, it includes general relativity, quantum theory, and, if possible, quantum field theory and quantum gravity. PhD candidates must have completed an MA degree in philosophy or in physics. Successful candidates are expected to have a strong background either in philosophy of science or in advanced physics and some preparation to do work in the other field, for example in the form of previous coursework. Relevant background in philosophy is philosophy of physics, general philosophy of science, and metaphysics; in physics, it includes general relativity, quantum theory, and, if possible, quantum field theory and quantum gravity. It should be noted that candidates are not expected to contribute to *all* aspects of the project (see below). For all posts, candidates must have excellent communication skills in English. Proficiency in French is not necessary at the time of application (but PhD candidates will eventually have to pass a French exam before submitting their thesis). Applications from members of groups that are currently underrepresented in academic philosophy are strongly encouraged. The application dossier must contain the following in a single PDF file named simply '[your last name].pdf' to be sent to Prof. Christian Wüthrich at christian.wuthrich(a)unige.ch by 20 January 2026 in order to ensure full consideration: (A) Candidates for the postdoc position: ‐ cover letter detailing your research interests and experience - proposal of a length of about one page for research to be conducted in the context of EPIFRONT, indicating the direction(s) in which the work would be intended (i.e., (1), (2), or (3) in the description below) ‐ CV ‐ 1 pertinent writing sample ‐ 3 names and email addresses for potential academic references who would be prepared to send their letter on short notice should the candidate be shortlisted A candidate can be considered for multiple directions (1), (2), or (3) in the description below, but in this case multiple research proposals should be included in the submission, one for each direction of interest. (B) PhD candidates: ‐ cover letter explaining your research interests and experience - proposal of no more than one page for research to be conducted in the context of EPIFRONT, indicating the direction(s) in which the work would be intended (i.e., (1), (2), or (3) in the description below) ‐ CV ‐ Master thesis or a writing sample ‐ 2 names and e‐mail addresses for potential academic references who would be prepared to send their letter on short notice should the candidate be shortlisted A candidate can be considered for multiple directions (1), (2), or (3) in the description below, but in this case multiple research proposals should be submitted. *** Brief description of the project EPIFRONT: At the epistemic frontiers of physics Despite the impressive advances of empirical methods in fundamental physics, there is a growing sense that the domain suffers from a crisis in that these methods face serious epistemic limitations. EPIFRONT offers the philosophical scrutiny this potentially radical redirection in scientific methodology calls for at what may be the dawn of a post-empirical age of theory confirmation. Its ultimate aim is to develop a global perspective on the epistemology of fundamental physics. To this end, it builds on completed work studying whether quantum gravity's suggestion that our world may not be fundamentally spatiotemporal invalidates its theories as empirically incoherent and focuses on two different central cases in cutting-edge physics. First, it inquires into the extent, and the very legitimacy, of the empirical confirmation of central aspects of the behaviour of black holes through analogical reasoning and experimental testing in table-top models. Second, it challenges the extent to which theoretical considerations in cosmology, and particular inflationary cosmology, that explain how our world could have come to be so exquisitely fined-tuned as to sustain sapient life can deliver acceptable scientific explanations, produce valid predictions, and offer actual confirmation. The overarching goal of the project is to evaluate non-empirical means of theory confirmation in fundamental physics. Given the structure of the project, team member could be working on: - (1) the philosophy of black holes physics and/or analogue gravity (and particularly their connections to non-empirical confirmation), - (2) the philosophy of (inflationary) cosmology and/or fine-tuning (and particularly their connections to non-empirical confirmation), or - (3) a more general project on (non-empirical) confirmation in fundamental physics.

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CFA: Postdoc and PhD position in Philosophy of Physics, Geneva
by Christian Wuthrich Oct. 6, 2025

Oct. 6, 2025

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Open positions in philosophy of physics: 1 Postdoc and 1 PhD Fellowships – Geneva Symmetry Group, Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva The Department of Philosophy, University of Geneva invites applications for two positions for Christian Wüthrich's new SNSF‐funded project PHILOSOPHY OF COLLECTIVE PHYSICS: - one 2-year Postdoc Fellowship (100%), and - one 4-year PhD Fellowship. The project will be housed at the Geneva Symmetry Group, which is part of the Department of Philosophy of the University of Geneva (https://genevasymmetrygroup.wordpress.com/) The positions will start on 1 February 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter. For a brief description of the project, please see below. The postdoc position is open to scholars with a PhD. Candidates must have a track record in independent research in philosophy of physics and ideally (though not necessarily) a solid background in both physics and philosophy. In particular, relevant background in philosophy includes philosophy of physics, general philosophy of science, and metaphysics; in physics, it includes quantum theory, statistical physics, renormalization group methods and, if possible, quantum field theory and quantum gravity. PhD candidates must have completed an MA degree in philosophy or in physics. Successful candidates are expected to have a strong background either in philosophy of science or in advanced physics and some preparation to do work in the other field, such as course work. Relevant background in philosophy is philosophy of physics, general philosophy of science, and metaphysics; in physics, it includes quantum theory, statistical physics, renormalization group methods and, if possible, quantum field theory and quantum gravity. It should be noted that neither candidate is expected to contribute to *all* aspects of the project. For both posts, candidates must have excellent communication skills in English. Proficiency in French is not necessary at the time of application (but PhD candidates will eventually have to pass a French exam before submitting their thesis). Applications from members of groups that are currently underrepresented in academic philosophy are strongly encouraged. The application dossier must contain the following: (1) Candidates for the postdoc position: ‐ cover letter detailing your research interests and experience - proposal of a length of about one page for research to be conducted in the context of 'Philosophy of Collective Physics' (description below) ‐ CV ‐ 1 writing sample ‐ 3 names and email addresses for potential academic references (2) PhD candidates: ‐ cover letter explaining your interest in the topic, including a brief description of the direction of research you would like to undertake in the context of 'Philosophy of Collective Physics' (description below) ‐ CV ‐ Master thesis ‐ 2 names and e‐mail addresses for potential academic references Please send applications by email as a single PDF file named simply [your last name].pdf showing your email address on top. Please send applications and queries to Christian Wüthrich at christian.wuthrich(a)unige.ch To ensure full consideration, please send applications by 1 November 2025. *** Brief description of the project PHILOSOPHY OF COLLECTIVE PHYSICS The broad goal of this project is to explore a long-standing and fascinating question: What is the universe really made of? Traditionally, both philosophers and physicists have assumed that reality is built from simple, basic units—such as atoms, particles, or strings—that exist on their own and combine to form everything else. This atomistic view treats isolated systems as the most fundamental building blocks of reality. The guiding hypothesis of this project is that certain physical phenomena—most paradigmatically, critical phenomena, where systems undergo, under specific experimental conditions, dramatic changes—cannot be properly understood through this atomistic lens. Instead, they point toward a systemic, open-systems perspective, where the interactions of systems with their surrounding environments play a pivotal role. If this perspective is sound, we need to seriously rethink what counts as “basic” in the structure of the universe and to evaluate whether the idea of fundamental units making everything up is still tenable. In physics, critical phenomena (such as a magnet losing its magnetism or a material exhibiting superconductivity) involve systems near a critical point—a moment of transformation where their behaviour becomes highly sensitive to external conditions. The project argues that such phenomena cannot be explained by looking only at the underlying, microscopic configurations of atoms and/or molecules in isolation. Rather, they demand a view that puts primary emphasis on mutual dependence (between the relata of the phase transition), context (environmental conditions such as pressure and temperature), and large-scale structure (boundary conditions). To test this hypothesis, the project will follow a three-part methodology: 1. Theoretical analysis of current scientific and philosophical accounts of 'fundamentality', providing a comparison between the isolated systems and the open systems frameworks. 2. Case studies from contemporary physics, especially in condensed matter and quantum many-body physics, to show how real-world examples of critical phenomena support the open-systems view. 3. Philosophical integration, exploring how this shift affects our understanding of key issues like emergence (how complex entities arise from simpler ones), scientific realism (how to secure the physical salience of entities defined within specific theoretical frameworks), and the relationship between physical theories (how to reconceptualize inter-theoretic relations within the open systems perspective). Ultimately, the project aims to emphasize the pivotal role of condensed matter and quantum many-body physics to tackle several challenges that contemporary research in both experimental and theoretical physics is dealing with. As such, the project will be rather timely, promising a significant impact on the debate exploring the relations between the philosophy of cosmology and the philosophy of quantum gravity, as the ultimate testbed will be to examine geometrogenesis—a striking proposal from quantum gravity suggesting that spacetime itself may emerge through a phase transition from a non-spatiotemporal regime. We will investigate whether the open-systems view can help explain how spacetime arises and what this tells us about the structure of physical reality. In this way, the project will be of timely relevance to philosophical inquiries addressing not only the putative fundamental structure of the universe, but also the relationship with other levels of physical reality. Accordingly, the scope of the project is not confined to the sole philosophy of physics, but aspires to provide wider results in the research areas of metaphysics, philosophy of science, and epistemology. Its eminently interdisciplinary character, exploring cutting-edge research areas of physics from a philosophically robust standpoint, foreshadows to make it concretely relevant to both physics and philosophy.

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Fourth Hermann Minkowski Meeting on the Foundations of Spacetime Physics
by Vesselin Petkov April 17, 2025

April 17, 2025

The Fourth Hermann Minkowski Meeting on the Foundations of Spacetime Physics, organized by the Minkowski Institute (Montreal), will be held in the famous Black Sea resort Albena (near Varna) from 15th to 18th September 2025: https://minkowskiinstitute.com/meetings/2025/ The Fourth Minkowski Meeting will again provide a relaxing environment and a friendly and stimulating atmosphere for physicists, mathematicians and historians of physics to report on their latest results in any research area related to the physics of spacetime and to exchange ideas on open questions in fundamental physics. Starting from this meeting the scientific organising committee also invites talks and encourages participation in the panel discussions on two research directions (for details see https://minkowskiinstitute.com/meetings/2025/call.html) - Whether gravitational phenomena can be fully accounted for by the non-Euclidean geometry of spacetime without the need to assume that gravitation is a physical interaction. - Whether spacetime physics can naturally explain both macroscopic (including gravitational) phenomena and microscopic (quantum) phenomena. Abstracts should be emailed to minkowski2025(a)minkowskiinstitute.com <mailto:minkowski2025@minkowskiinstitute.com> by 1 June 2025. They will be reviewed and notification of acceptance will be sent by 15 June 2025. Scientific Organizing Committee: Abhay Ashtekar (Penn State University) Valeria Ferrari (University of Rome "La Sapienza") David Garfinkle (Okland University) Robert Geroch (University of Chicago) James Isenberg (University of Oregon) Claus Kiefer (University of Cologne) Vesselin Petkov (Minkowski Institute, Montreal) Carlo Rovelli (Rotman Institute of Philosophy) Nick Woodhouse (University of Oxford, Clay Mathematics Institute) Vesselin Petkov One of the founders and current director of Minkowski Institute Montreal, Canada https://minkowskiinstitute.com <https://minkowskiinstitute.com/> vpetkov(a)minkowskiinstitute.com <mailto:vpetkov@minkowskiinstitute.com> Personal page: https://vesselinpetkov.com/

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