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ILMPS 2020 postponed
by Giovanni Valente June 24, 2020

June 24, 2020

Due to the current Covid-19 emergency situation, the annual “Irvine-London-Munich-PoliMi-Salzburg Conference in Foundations and Philosophy of Physics” and the ensuing workshop “Mathematical Limits in Physics”, which were originally scheduled on September 2-4 in Milan, will be postponed to 2021. The new dates will be decided and communicated in due time. For more information about the activities of the ILMPS network visit the following link: https://ilmpsnetwork.wordpress.com/ Best regards, Giovanni Valente

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NEW DATES: Mathematics and Analogical Reasoning, 27-28 August, 2021 at LMU Munich
by Erik Curiel June 16, 2020

June 16, 2020

******************************************************************************************** The Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy invites registrations for the following event: Mathematics and Analogical Reasoning MCMP, LMU Munich 27-28 August, 2021 https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies **************************************************** IDEA & MOTIVATION: The goal of this conference is to investigate the role of mathematics as a heuristic device for analogical reasoning in science and philosophy. QUESTIONS we aim to address at the conference include (but are not limited to): · How can a positive mathematical analogy generate support for a particular theoretical view about otherwise disconnected physical systems? · Can we be sure that epistemic lessons from one domain carry over to another domain, given that there are always known points of disanalogy? If so, how? · Does the fact that shared mathematical structures can generate new scientific insights have a bearing on (enhanced) indispensability arguments for mathematical realism? · How can a mathematical analogy generate understanding of one system given our understanding of the model system? · What is an adequate methodology for analogical reasoning about meta-empirical domains (like mathematics or ethics)? · Are the mathematical background assumptions of recent arguments featuring mathematical analogies plausible (specifically in light of recent pluralist developments in set theory)? More Information is available on the conference website: https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies. The conference also has a PhilEvents website: https://philevents.org/event/show/81150. REGISTRATION: In order to register please visit the conference website (https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies) or contact Silvia Jonas (silvia.jonas(a)lmu.de<mailto:silvia.jonas@lmu.de>) for further information. ORGANIZERS: Silvia Jonas (MCMP/LMU Munich) Mark Colyvan (University of Sydney/MCMP) https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies https://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/events/workshops/container/ana… https://philevents.org/event/show/81150 -- Erik Curiel http://strangebeautiful.com Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de BHI Research Fellow Black Hole Initiative Harvard University http://bhi.fas.harvard.edu Research Fellow Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Radio and Geoastronomy Division https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/rg

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Topical Issue of *Synthese* Call for Papers: "All Things Reichenbach"
by Erik Curiel May 25, 2020

May 25, 2020

[Please forward to lists and your colleagues as you feel appropriate.] Topical Issue of *Synthese* Call for Papers: "All Things Reichenbach" Guest Editors: Erik Curiel Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy, LMU Munich Black Hole Initiative, Harvard University http://strangebeautiful.com Flavia Padovani English and Philosophy Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia http://flaviapadovani.org/ Topical Collection Description: Hans Reichenbach is among the most important philosophers of science of the Twentieth Century and without doubt one of the most prominent philosophers of physics of the first half of the past century. His work has ramified in fundamental ways into virtually every major debate in the philosophy of science and physics. While Reichenbach's philosophical project is no longer seen as viable as a whole, his work continues to be influential often in unnoticed but deep ways. Although many of his ideas still retain their interest and are discussed in current philosophy of science, he remains, in fact, one of the least understood and least carefully studied philosophical thinkers of his time. Because his own work has not been well understood, his influence is not widely recognized. The primary aim of this collection is to fill this gap by illuminating his contributions to advances in many fields in philosophy, and his legacy in the context of current philosophical research across the discipline as a whole. The theme of the collection, therefore, will be an investigation of his work both in its own context and in its continuing contemporary influence in current philosophy. This collection aims, moreover, at reviving the tradition of inter-disciplinary collaboration that was at the heart of Reichenbach's vision for intellectual work, promoting the cross-pollination of ideas that discussion across traditional disciplinary boundaries can create and so exploring ways in which his insights can continue to be valuable in current scientific and formal approaches to philosophy. It is, in that spirit, a sequel to the conference "All Things Reichenbach" that took place at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (LMU Munich) in July 2019 (http://www.lmu.de/reichenbach2019) Appropriate topics for submission include, among others: 1. geometry, space and relativity 2. the relativized a priori and conventionalism 3. coordination and measurement 4. causality and time 5. statistical mechanics and thermodynamics 6. realism, empiricism and scientific philosophy 7. reasoning, induction and confirmation 8. logic and probability Any other topic related to Reichenbach is also welcome. As emphasized above, submitted papers can focus on Reichenbach's own work in its historical context, on the influence of his work in contemporary debates, or on approaches to contemporary problems inspired by his work. It is the aim of the editors that the selected papers will complement each other, both within each category and across categories. The link for submitting your manuscript to *Synthese*, along with instructions for doing so, will be sent soon in a subsequent posting. For further information, please contact the guest editors: Erik Curiel <erik.curiel(a)lmu.de> Flavia Padovani <flavia.padovani(a)drexel.edu> The deadline for submissions is 15 November 2020. Erik Curiel, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat, Munich, Germany Flavia Padovani, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA -- Erik Curiel http://strangebeautiful.com Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de BHI Research Fellow Black Hole Initiative Harvard University http://bhi.fas.harvard.edu Research Fellow Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Radio and Geoastronomy Division https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/rg -- Erik Curiel http://strangebeautiful.com Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de BHI Research Fellow Black Hole Initiative Harvard University http://bhi.fas.harvard.edu Research Fellow Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Radio and Geoastronomy Division https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/rg

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Fwd: (SILFS-L) CFP: XXIII International Summer School in Philosophy of Physics - Philosophy of Quantum Computation - University of Urbino
by Michael Cuffaro May 13, 2020

May 13, 2020

Of possible interest to some: -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: (SILFS-L) CFP: XXIII International Summer School in Philosophy of Physics - Philosophy of Quantum Computation - University of Urbino Date: Tue, 12 May 2020 12:56:30 +0200 From: Graziani, Pierluigi <pierluigi.graziani(a)uniurb.it> To: SILFS-L(a)list.cineca.it, SILFS-NOTIZIE <silfs-notizie(a)googlegroups.com> *Call for Participation* and *Call for Papers* The Inter-University Center for Philosophy and Foundations of Physics (CIRFIS), the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences of the University of Urbino Carlo Bo and the Italian Society for Logic and Philosophy of Science (SILFS) are glad to present: XXIII International Summer School in Philosophy of Physics PHILOSOPHY OF QUANTUM COMPUTATION 15-18 June 2020, University of Urbino, Italy Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, it will be impossible to host the XXIII International Summer School in Philosophy of Physics in Urbino. For this reason, we have decided to move the school online and make it free of charge. We know that Summer Schools are occasions to spend time together with other students and researchers, and it is difficult to create the same environment at a distance. Nevertheless, we want to offer to the international community an occasion of "meeting" online and discussing thrilling foundational issues, despite these dire times. We will try our best to create an enjoyable and instructive experience for all participants. The topic of the school is the “Philosophy of Quantum Computation”, and it will feature lectures by Roberto Giuntini (University of Cagliari & Centro Linceo Interdisciplinare "Beniamino Segre"), Maria Luisa Dalla Chiara (University of Florence), Michael Cuffaro (Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy), Giuseppe Sergioli (University of Cagliari); and seminars by Rossella Lupacchini (University of Bologna), and Gustavo Martin Bosyk (University of Cagliari). The deadline for applications is the 24th of May, 2020. The School is free of charge and everybody is welcome to attend. Nonetheless, an application is required in order to participate. Moreover, we have reserved three slots in the program of the Summer School for young scholars interested in presenting their research. We strongly encourage submissions from women and other underrepresented groups in Philosophy of Science. The details of the application process and the full program of the School can be found at: https://sites.google.com/site/centroricerchecirfis/xxiiisummerschool_philos… For further information please write to: cirfis.scuolaestiva(a)gmail.com <mailto:cirfis.scuolaestiva@gmail.com>

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Fwd: Zoom seminars in Bonn
by Michael Cuffaro April 19, 2020

April 19, 2020

This may be of interest to some. Hope you are all keeping well. -Mike -------- Forwarded Message -------- Subject: Zoom seminars in Bonn Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2020 12:21:27 +0000 From: Bacciagaluppi, G. (Guido) <g.bacciagaluppi(a)uu.nl> Dear All, Here is Dennis Lehmkuhl's announcement of the Zoom seminars in (?) Bonn. Best, Guido --------------------------------------------- Dear friends and colleagues, next week the summer semester starts at the University of Bonn, and like in most places in the world, all teaching and research meetings will take place online. This is also true for the Bonn History and Philosophy of Physics Research Seminar, which will take place via Zoom at least (!) during the first 4-6 weeks. The first speaker is Tushar Menon; you can find the title and abstract of his talk below. Since it’s taking place via zoom anyhow, we wondered if you or someone from your local groups would like to attend this and/or some of the other research talks in the forthcoming weeks. If so, you would be very welcome to join us! Please also feel free to forward this email to other historians, philosophers, and physicists, whoever you think might be interested. I will not send out any more emails like this for the talks in the next few weeks (many of which are still to be confirmed), but if you would like to hear about more zoom-talks like this then please feel free to subscribe to our local HPP email list by sending an email with empty subject line and only “subscribe hpp” in the main body of the email to sympa(a)listen.uni-bonn.de <mailto:sympa@listen.uni-bonn.de>. I hope you are all well, and that we can see each other again soon in person! All the best, Dennis Event: Bonn History and Philosophy of Physics Research Seminar Speaker: Tushar Menon (Cambridge and Bonn) Time: 21 April, 4:15pm CET 21.4.: Tushar Menon (Cambridge): “Settlers of Cartan—how to be a true relationalist about General Relativity” Abstract: Oliver Pooley reads the dynamical approach to special relativity (SR), an approach he developed with Harvey Brown, as a form of relationalism, since it seeks to offer an explanation of physical geometry by ontologically reducing it to facts about the symmetries of laws governing material bodies. In particular, Brown describes the Minkowski metric as nothing but the Kleinian geometry associated with the quantum theory of non-gravitational physics. Pooley’s own proposal for how to cash this out is in Humean terms, as a form of `regularity relationalism’ developed in the context of Newtonian mechanics by Nick Huggett. For technical reasons that I will outline in this talk, the prospects for a generalisation of this proposal to general relativity (GR) have appeared bleak; indeed, Brown’s own approach to the metric in GR is non-reductive. In this talk, I argue that an understanding of GR in terms of Cartan geometry, a generalisation of Klein geometry, solves the problem, and allows for an ontological reduction of the metric of GR along the same lines as the regularity relationalist account of SR. (This talk is based on joint work with James Read) Zoom link: https://uni-bonn.zoom.us/j/343765054?pwd=T00yNk1xb1E0N2dKZUY3bW9oTDg1dz09 Meeting Password: 665670 -------------------- Dennis Lehmkuhl Lichtenberg Professor for History and Philosophy of Physics, Institute of Philosophy, University of Bonn history-and-philosophy-of-physics.com <http://history-and-philosophy-of-physics.com/> ------------------ Guido Bacciagaluppi Descartes Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science and the Humanities Web:http://www.uu.nl/en/research/history-and-philosophy-of-science HPS The Movie: https://youtu.be/EpUNLCo6C8Q Visiting address: Buys Ballotgebouw room 311 Princetonplein 5 3584 CC Utrecht Netherlands Postal address: Freudenthal Instituut Postbus 85.170 3508 AD Utrecht Netherlands Email: g.bacciagaluppi(a)uu.nl Tel.: +31 (0)30 253 5621 Fax: +31 (0)30 253 7494 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *From:* Bacciagaluppi, G. (Guido) <g.bacciagaluppi(a)uu.nl> *Sent:* Monday, April 13, 2020 12:06 *To:* Muller, F.A. (Frederik) <F.A.Muller(a)uu.nl> *Cc:* Michiel P. Seevinck <m.p.seevinck(a)gmail.com>; Dieks, D.G.B.J. (Dennis) <d.dieks(a)uu.nl>; Geurt Sengers <geurtsengers(a)gmail.com>; Beernaert, R. (Raoul) <R.Beernaert(a)students.uu.nl>; s.deharo(a)uva.nl <s.deharo(a)uva.nl>; maurits.moeys(a)gmail.com <maurits.moeys(a)gmail.com>; S.M. Rijken <rijken(a)esphil.eur.nl>; Lange, O.A. (Otto) <o.a.lange(a)uu.nl>; J. de Swart <jacobusgdeswart(a)gmail.com>; Jeroen van Dongen <J.A.E.F.vanDongen(a)uva.nl>; Moley, D.E. (Damon) <d.e.moley(a)students.uu.nl>; Hermens, R. (Ronnie) <r.hermens(a)uu.nl>; Sean Gryb <sean.gryb(a)gmail.com>; Jorna, T.F.K. (Thomas) <t.f.k.jorna(a)students.uu.nl>; m.t.hemme(a)student.rug.nl <m.t.hemme(a)student.rug.nl>; Petit, F.M. (Fleur) <f.m.petit(a)uu.nl>; Burke, M.C. (Maura) <m.c.burke(a)students.uu.nl>; s.m.friederich(a)rug.nl <s.m.friederich(a)rug.nl>; Michele Ginammi <mginammi(a)gmail.com>; Fuente, S. de la (Soscha) <s.fuente(a)students.uu.nl>; ruwardarthur(a)gmail.com <ruwardarthur(a)gmail.com>; Vergouwen, S.H. (Sanne) <s.h.vergouwen(a)students.uu.nl>; Schmitz-Justen, P.H.W. (Philipp) <p.h.w.schmitz-justen(a)students.uu.nl>; Klein Douwel, M. (Mon) <m.kleindouwel(a)students.uu.nl>; Allen, G.S. (Geoff) <g.s.allen(a)students.uu.nl>; Wouter van Soest <wouthoorn(a)hotmail.com>; Gijs Leegwater <leegwater(a)esphil.eur.nl>; mike(a)michaelcuffaro.com <mike(a)michaelcuffaro.com>; Tagliani, E. (Edoardo) <e.tagliani(a)students.uu.nl>; Baanders, P.H.L. (Pauline) <p.h.l.baanders(a)students.uu.nl>; Buonocore, G. (Giovanni) <g.buonocore(a)uu.nl>; Marc Holman <m.holman(a)kpnmail.nl>; Niels Martens <martensniels(a)gmail.com>; dincorcevik(a)gmail.com <dincorcevik(a)gmail.com>; Aarts, J.E.C.M. (Jos) <j.e.c.m.aarts(a)students.uu.nl> *Subject:* John Conway Dear All, A prominent victim of the virus: John Conway at Princeton (https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2020/04/12/wiskundige-conway-was-een-speels-genie… - funnily enough I have found this only in Dutch). I have heard of a few of our colleagues in the States who have had it, but they are all on the mend. I hope you are all safe and well. (Marc: yours was just precautionary self-isolation I hope!) Keep safe! Guido ------------------ Guido Bacciagaluppi Descartes Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science and the Humanities Web:http://www.uu.nl/en/research/history-and-philosophy-of-science HPS The Movie: https://youtu.be/EpUNLCo6C8Q Visiting address: Buys Ballotgebouw room 311 Princetonplein 5 3584 CC Utrecht Netherlands Postal address: Freudenthal Instituut Postbus 85.170 3508 AD Utrecht Netherlands Email: g.bacciagaluppi(a)uu.nl Tel.: +31 (0)30 253 5621 Fax: +31 (0)30 253 7494

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New CFP - Sixth Spacetime Conference
by vpetkov＠minkowskiinstitute.org April 11, 2020

April 11, 2020

New Call for Papers Sixth International Conference on the Nature and Ontology of Spacetime Due to the present situation the conference will be held on 28 September - 1 October 2020 When: 28 September - 1 October 2020 Where: Albena (famous Black Sea resort near Varna), Bulgaria Submission Deadline: 1 August 2020 Website: http://www.minkowskiinstitute.org/conferences/2020/ Contact: 2020conference(a)minkowskiinstitute.org The Scientific Organizing Committee invites papers from physicists, philosophers of physics and philosophers on any topic related to the nature and ontology of spacetime. As there is no main theme of the sixth spacetime conference a number of special sessions have been suggested by colleagues (http://www.minkowskiinstitute.org/conferences/2020/call.html) - Nature of time - Flow of time; Becoming (continuation of the Special Session on Becoming and the panel discussion at the Second Hermann Minkowski Meeting on the Foundations of Spacetime Physics on Wednesday, May 15, 2019) - Is spacetime a real (physical) four-dimensional entity or a mathematical concept? - Open Questions in Spacetime Physics - The controversy over Relativistic Mass - The problem with the gravitational energy-momentum pseudotensor in general relativity - should we have a closer look at the fact that the mathematical formalism of general relativity does not yield a proper tensor of the gravitational energy-momentum? - What is the difference between matter and geometry in general relativity, semi-classical gravity, and quantum gravity? - Do Black Holes Actually Exist? - Is there a conflict between relativity and quantum mechanics? - Quantum Gravity: Where do we stand? Depending on the number of colleagues participating in a special session, we plan to publish a volume with the talks presented at the session, which will include constructive criticism and the replies of the authors. Contributed papers in the form of extended abstracts of between one and two pages should be emailed to 2020conference(a)minkowskiinstitute.org by August 1, 2020. Submissions will be reviewed and notification of acceptance will be sent on August 17, 2020. Scientific Organizing Committee: Dennis Dieks (Utrecht University) Mauro Dorato (University of Rome Three) George F. R. Ellis (University of Cape Town) Robert Geroch (University of Chicago) Eleanor Knox (King's College London) Vesselin Petkov (Minkowski Institute, Montreal) Steven Savitt (University of British Columbia) Anguel Stefanov (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) James Owen Weatherall (University of California, Irvine) Christian Wuethrich (University of Geneva)

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Call for participation: Mathematics and Analogical Reasoning, 11-12 September, 2020 at LMU Munich
by Erik Curiel Feb. 22, 2020

Feb. 22, 2020

Call for participation: Mathematics and Analogical Reasoning, 11-12 September, 2020 at LMU Munich ********************************************* The Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy invites registrations for the following event: Mathematics and Analogical Reasoning MCMP, LMU Munich 11-12 September, 2020 https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies ********************************************* IDEA & MOTIVATION: The goal of this conference is to investigate the role of mathematics as a heuristic device for analogical reasoning in science and philosophy. QUESTIONS we aim to address at the conference include (but are not limited to): ·How can a positive mathematical analogy generate support for a particular theoretical view about otherwise disconnected physical systems? ·Can we be sure that epistemic lessons from one domain carry over to another domain, given that there are always known points of disanalogy? If so, how? ·Does the fact that shared mathematical structures can generate new scientific insights have a bearing on (enhanced) indispensability arguments for mathematical realism? ·How can a mathematical analogy generate understanding of one system given our understanding of the model system? ·What is an adequate methodology for analogical reasoning about meta-empirical domains (like mathematics or ethics)? ·Are the mathematical background assumptions of recent arguments featuring mathematical analogies plausible (specifically in light of recent pluralist developments in set theory)? More Information is available on the conference website: https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies. The conference also has a PhilEvents website: https://philevents.org/event/show/81150. REGISTRATION: In order to register please visit the conference website (https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies) or contact Silvia Jonas (silvia.jonas(a)lmu.de <mailto:silvia.jonas@lmu.de>) for further information. ORGANIZERS: Silvia Jonas (MCMP/LMU Munich) Mark Colyvan (University of Sydney/MCMP) https://silviajonas.wixsite.com/mathematicsanalogies https://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de/events/workshops/container/ana… https://philevents.org/event/show/81150 -- Erik Curiel http://strangebeautiful.com Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland http://www.mcmp.philosophie.uni-muenchen.de BHI Research Fellow Black Hole Initiative Harvard University http://bhi.fas.harvard.edu Research Fellow Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Radio and Geoastronomy Division https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/rg

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Cushing Prize 2020: Call for Nominations
by Neil Dewar Feb. 10, 2020

Feb. 10, 2020

From Don Howard: James T. Cushing Memorial Prize in History and Philosophy of Physics Call for Nominations We are pleased to announce the call for nominations for the 2020 Cushing Prize in History and Philosophy of Physics. Eligible for nomination are works by what we term “younger scholars,” meaning individuals who are within five years of the receipt of the Ph.D, and work in any area of the history and philosophy of physics may be nominated. Nominations should include a letter explaining the significance of the work that is being nominated, along with a copy of the work, in the case of an individual paper or set of papers, or a complete citation in the case of a book. Please also provide a copy of the nominee’s current cv. The deadline for the receipt of nominations is Sunday, March 15, 2020. Nominations should be sent to: cushpriz(a)nd.edu <mailto:cushpriz@nd.edu>. The winner will be announced on April 15, 2020. The prize winner will receive a $2,000 prize and an invitation to deliver a prize lecture at the University of Notre Dame in the Fall of 2020. Questions about the prize or the nomination process should be directed to either Don Howard (dhoward1(a)nd.edu <mailto:dhoward1@nd.edu>) or Mike Schneider (schneider.michael.d(a)gmail.com <mailto:schneider.michael.d@gmail.com>). Additional information about the prize, including a list of previous winners, can be found at: https://reilly.nd.edu/history-and-philosophy-of-science/cushing-prize/ <https://reilly.nd.edu/history-and-philosophy-of-science/cushing-prize/> The Cushing Prize Committee: Feraz Azhar, University of Notre Dame David Baker, University of Michigan Jeremy Butterfield, Cambridge University Adam Caulton, Oxford University Neil Dewar, University of Munich Hans Halvorson, Princeton University Don Howard, University of Notre Dame Eleanor Knox, Kings College London Cyrus Mody, Maastricht University Nic Teh, University of Notre Dame Giovanni Valente, Polytechnic University of Milan Charlotte Werndl, University of Salzburg

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2nd CFP - Sixth Spacetime Conference
by vpetkov＠minkowskiinstitute.org Feb. 1, 2020

Feb. 1, 2020

Second Call for Papers Sixth International Conference on the Nature and Ontology of Spacetime So far representatives of 17 countries have submitted abstracts When: 11-14 May 2020 Where: Albena (famous Black Sea resort near Varna), Bulgaria Website: http://www.minkowskiinstitute.org/conferences/2020/ Contact: 2020conference(a)minkowskiinstitute.org The Scientific Organizing Committee invites papers from physicists, philosophers of physics and philosophers on any topic related to the nature and ontology of spacetime. As there is no main theme of the sixth spacetime conference a number of special sessions have been suggested by colleagues (http://www.minkowskiinstitute.org/conferences/2020/call.html) - Nature of time - Flow of time; Becoming (continuation of the Special Session on Becoming and the panel discussion at the Second Hermann Minkowski Meeting on the Foundations of Spacetime Physics on Wednesday, May 15, 2019) - Is spacetime a real (physical) four-dimensional entity or a mathematical concept? - Open Questions in Spacetime Physics - The controversy over Relativistic Mass - The problem with the gravitational energy-momentum pseudotensor in general relativity - should we have a closer look at the fact that the mathematical formalism of general relativity does not yield a proper tensor of the gravitational energy-momentum? - What is the difference between matter and geometry in general relativity, semi-classical gravity, and quantum gravity? - Do Black Holes Actually Exist? - Is there a conflict between relativity and quantum mechanics? - Quantum Gravity: Where do we stand? Depending on the number of colleagues participating in a special session, we plan to publish a volume with the talks presented at the session, which will include constructive criticism and the replies of the authors. Contributed papers in the form of extended abstracts of between one and two pages should be emailed to 2020conference(a)minkowskiinstitute.org by February 28, 2020. Submissions will be reviewed and sending of notification of acceptance will start on February 17, 2020 (for the abstracts submitted by the original deadline January 31, 2020). Scientific Organizing Committee: Dennis Dieks (Utrecht University) Mauro Dorato (University of Rome Three) George F. R. Ellis (University of Cape Town) Robert Geroch (University of Chicago) Eleanor Knox (King's College London) Vesselin Petkov (Minkowski Institute, Montreal) Steven Savitt (University of British Columbia) Anguel Stefanov (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences) James Owen Weatherall (University of California, Irvine) Christian Wuethrich (University of Geneva)

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CFP: Conceptual and Phenomenological Reflections on Gauge Symmetries, the Brout-Englert-Higgs Mechanism, Particles, and Observables
by Neil Dewar Jan. 24, 2020

Jan. 24, 2020

Call for Papers Conceptual and Phenomenological Reflections on Gauge Symmetries, the Brout- Englert-Higgs Mechanism, Particles, and Observables November 5-6, 2020 University of Graz, Austria Organizing Team: Philipp Berghofer and Axel Maas Keynote speakers: Neil Dewar (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich) Simon Friederich (University College Groningen) Henrique Gomes (University of Cambridge) Michael Krämer (RWTH Aachen University) Submission details: Submissions should not exceed 500 words, must be written in English (conference language), and should be prepared for blind review. Please send your submissions and general inquiries to philipp.berghofer(a)uni-graz.at. Women and members of other traditionally underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply. The submission deadline is April 30, 2020. Conference summary: The foundations of modern particle physics rely heavily on gauge symmetries. In fact, they became a heuristically indispensable tool. However, their mathematical content is that of a redundancy in the description. Thus, any object on which gauge symmetries act non-trivially contains redundant information. Conceptually, this is not an immanent problem, as this only requires to extract the relevant information from a redundant description, as is already the case e.g. in classical mechanics. This aspect concerns merely a technical problem. Where this yields a profound conceptual challenge is when discussing the observables and the particle concept. In standard approaches to particle physics, especially perturbation theory, the elementary degrees of freedom are the particles, and their dynamics describe observable physics. Of course, even at that level these entities are mathematically described as localized excitations of fields. The problem we want to focus on is that these entities transform non-trivially under the gauge symmetry, and therefore necessarily contain redundant information. This raises the question, what are the physical entities perceived as particles? This problem is easily overlooked. In the strong interaction, this problem is alleviated by confinement, as due to confinement only hadrons are required to be observable. They are at the same time without redundant information, they are gauge-invariant. This problem is even far less obvious in the electromagnetic and weak interactions, where a description in terms of the elementary degrees of freedom, like electrons or Z bosons, is extremely successful. However, a more detailed investigation reveals that a suitable dressing of the elementary degrees of freedom, in electromagnetism by the photons and in the weak interactions by the Higgs bosons, yields physical objects, akin to hadrons, which no longer contain redundant information. It is a quirk of the standard model that a description using these physical objects gives quantitatively almost the same results as in perturbation theory. One aim of this conference is to compare and contrast different versions of such manifestly gauge invariant approaches and reflect on their virtues and investigate their ontological implications. For instance, what implications do such approaches have on our understanding of the nature of elementary particles and their relationship to quantum fields? Can we conceive of particles as excitations of fields? What do such manifestly gauge invariant fields look like? These reflections lead us to a more general question: To what degree has the undeniable success of quantum physics in general and of perturbation theory in particular shrouded and overshadowed a lack of conceptual clarity in physics? One might argue that a new generation of physicists is learning how to apply certain concepts, methods, and theories in order to solve suitable problems, but that the meaning of these concepts, their historical embeddedness, and their relationship to our real world is more and more lost. This alienation of physical theory and physical reality may not only be a philosophical problem but hinder the progress of physics. In a similar context, Edmund Husserl said: “Are science and its method not like a machine, reliable in accomplishing obviously very useful things, a machine everyone can learn to operate correctly without in the least understanding the inner possibility and necessity of this sort of accomplishment?” (Crisis, § 9h) “And it is precisely for this reason that a theoretical task and achievement like that of a natural science [...] can only be and remain meaningful in a true and original sense if the scientist has developed in himself the ability to inquire back into the original meaning of all his meaningstructures and methods, i.e., into the historical meaning of their primal establishment, and especially into the meaning of all the inherited meanings taken over unnoticed in this primal establishment, as well as those taken over later on.” (Crisis, § 9k) Accordingly, the conference will be organized around four topical areas: 1) Has the success of quantum physics in general and of perturbation theory in particular blinded us with respect to conceptual problems? Do textbook presentations represent genuine physical theories or are they more like recipes for solving suitable problems in which the success of the theory and the relationship to the real world remain somehow obscure? What can we gain from restoring conceptual clarity? 2) How to ontologically interpret gauge symmetries? Are they mere descriptive redundancy or do they have physical meaning? What does it mean to say that a gauge symmetry is spontaneously broken? 3) What candidates for manifestly gauge invariant approaches to the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism do we have? What are their virtues and shortcomings? What insights do we gain from comparing and contrasting different versions? 4) What are the ontological implications of manifestly gauge invariant approaches? How to conceive of particles? How to conceive of the relationship between particles and fields? -- Neil Dewar Assistant Professor Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy Lehrstuhl für Wissenschaftstheorie Fakultät für Philosophie, Wissenschaftstheorie und Religionswissenschaft Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Ludwigstraße 31 80539 München, Deutschland neildewar.wordpress.com <http://neildewar.wordpress.com/>

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