Causal Republicanism Sydney, 14-16 July 2003 Conference Themes Conference Timetable Location Registration Accommodation Transport Symposium on Causal Inference Enquiries   Conference Themes All philosophers, of every school, imagine that causation is one of the fundamental axioms or postulates of science, yet, oddly enough, in advanced sciences such as gravitational astronomy, the word 'cause' never occurs ... The law of causality, I believe, like much that passes muster among philosophers, is a relic of a bygone age, surviving, like the monarchy, only because it is erroneously supposed to do no harm. --Bertrand Russell, "On the Notion of Cause", Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, 13 (1913), pp. 1-26. To mark the 90th anniversary of Russell's famous attack on the notion of causation, this conference reconsiders Russell's claim and examines its relation to contemporary metaphysics. The conference has three main themes: Russell's claim itself -- the view that modern physics provides no place for causation (with special reference to its asymmetry and temporal aspects) The connections between Russell's view and uses of causation elsewhere in philosophy, e.g. in reductive metaphysics or theories of content. More general issues concerning the status of causation in general metaphysical programs such as David Lewis's or the Canberra Plan. Back to top   Conference Timetable Monday 14 July 9:30 - 11:00 Huw Price Russell's Lost Republic Morning Tea 11:30 - 1:00 Peter Menzies Causation in Context Lunch 2:00 - 3:30 Chris Hitchcock What Russell Got Right Afternoon Tea 3:50 - 5:15 Daniel Nolan Hunting for Circles in a Realist's World Tuesday 15 July 9:30 - 11:00 Mathias Frisch Causal Influence and the Past Hypothesis Morning Tea 11:30 - 1:00 Helen Beebee Hume On Causation: Causal Experience, Projectivism, and Sceptical Realism Lunch 2:30 - 4:00 David Spurrett Three Concepts of Causation Afternoon Tea 4:30 - 6:00 Richard Corry Causal Realism and the Laws of Nature Wednesday 16 July 9:30 - 11:00 Doug Kutach The Illusion of Causal Asymmetry Morning Tea 11:30 - 1:00 Adam Elga Counterfactuals for Decision Lunch 2:30 - 4:00 Phil Dowe Causal Loops and Free Will Afternoon Tea 4:30 - 6:00 Antony Eagle Russell, Probabilistic Causation and Bayesian Networks Back to top   Location The conference will be held at the historic Tusculum Mansion, 3 Manning St, Potts Point. Tusculum is marked number six on the map that can be found here. Back to top   Registration Registration for the conference is $100 ($45 students/unwaged) if received before 4 July 2003. Registration after this date will cost an additional $20. Registration forms can be found here. Registration at the conference will begin at 8:45 am on Monday 14th and 9:15 am on the following two days. Back to top   Accommodation There is plenty of accomodation in Potts Point and Kings Cross, within walking distance of the conference and Kings Cross station. Listed below are some options. For those on a very tight budget, there are also numerous back-packer's hostels on Victoria Street. Budget Challis Lodge 21 Challis Avenue Potts Point $50 per night for a single room with shared bathroom $60 per night for a double room with shared bathroom $60 per night for a single room with ensuite $70 per night for a double or twin with ensuite Phone:  +61 2 9358 5422 Fax: +61 2 8356 9047 Email: challis@budgethotelssydney.com Web: www.budgethotelssydney.com Stay seven nights for the price of five!   Holiday Lodge Hotel 55 Macleay St Potts Point   $55-$82 per night for a single room $60-$95 per night for a double room $110-$135 per night for a family room Phone:  +61 2 935 63955 Fax: +61 2 9356 3485 Web: www.holidaylodgehotel.com.au Upmarket Victoria Court Hotel 122 Victoria st Potts point $99 per night (includes breakfast) Phone:  +61 2 9357 3200 Fax: +61 2 9357 7606 Web: http://www.victoriacourt.com.au Mention this conference and you'll get the discount price listed above. Book early as rooms are limited. W Hotel The Wharf at Woolloomooloo $244-$395 per night Phone:  +61 2 9331 9000 Web: W Hotel Back to top   Transport The best way to get around downtown Sydney is on foot or via public transport. The conference venue and the accomodation listed on this site are all within a 5-10 minute walk from Kings Cross railway station.   From the Airport You can catch a train from the Airport to Kings Cross station, though you will need to change trains at Central station. The train fare from the Airport is $10. A taxi from the Airport to Potts Point costs about $28. There are also regular shuttle buses from the airport to accomodation in Potts Point. "Kingsford Smith Airport Bus Service" runs one such service, which costs around $8 per person and departs from outside the arrival hall every half hour. There is no need to make a booking.   Parking Streetside parking is very limited in this area. Listed below are some commercial parking lots within 5-10 minutes walk from the conference venue. Parking charges are around $13 per day.   Kings Cross Car Park Pty Ltd Ward Ave Kings Cross NSW 2011 ph: (02) 9358 5000   Bayswater Parking Station 33 Bayswater Rd Kings Cross NSW 2011 ph: (02) 9357 7343   Enacon Parking Cathedral St Woolloomooloo NSW 2011 ph: (02) 9380 8850   Back to top   Causal Inference The Joint International Conference on Cognitive Science will be holding a special symposium on causal inference in Sydney on the 17th July 2003 (the day following Causal Republicanism). Details can be found here. Back to top   Enquiries Please direct all enquiries to Richard Corry at the following email address: richard.corry@philosophy.usyd.edu.au Back to top     Web page maintained by Richard Corry. Last update 2003-7-1