Perspective in Physics and Philosophy
Paris :: Carré des Sciences :: 16-19 June 2008
The main topics of the conference will be the role of
internal and external perspectives, representations, frames of
reference and contexts, in various related fields in physics and
philosophy.
In particular, the conference will cover:
-perspectival analysis of causality, flow of time and other
time-directed concepts
-role of the observer or of an agent in the interpretation and
construction of physical theories
-role of inequivalent representations in quantum mechanics
-meaning of reference frames (classical and quantum)
-many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics
-relational interpretation of quantum mechanics
-symmetry in physics, and in Kant, and issues about synthesis and
perception
-objectivity, invariance and convention
-issues of perspective and pragmatics in physical modelling
-perspectival pluralism
The conference follows on from the one on Time Symmetry in Quantum
Mechanics in Sydney in July 2005 (details here)
and the one on Decoherence, Quantum Measurement and the Arrow of Time
at Beuggen, Germany, in September 2006 (details here).
It is also part of the activities of the FOUNDPHYS
network (IHPST,
CREA, LARSIM)
funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche.
The conference is supported by the Institut für Grenzgebiete der
Psychologie und Psychohygiene, Freiburg, by the Institut d'Histoire et
de Philosophie des Sciences et des Techniques, Paris (principally
through project FOUNDPHYS), and by the Centre for Time, Sydney (through
grants of the Australian Research Council).
Abstracts
A list of abstracts is available here.
Venue
16 June: Carré des Sciences,
Amphithéâtre A
17, 18 and 19 June: Carré des Sciences,
Amphithéâtre Stourdzé
The Carré des Sciences is the courtyard of the old École
Polytechnique, in the Quartier Latin (Paris, 5th arrondissement). The
entrance is from 25, rue de la Montagne Sainte Geneviève. Please
have an ID on you, since the same entrance is used also for some
ministry offices, and you may be stopped and have your bags inspected.
The closest métro and RER stations are
Maubert-Mutualité (métro 10), Luxembourg (RER B) and
Place Monge (métro 7). (The accommodation recommended below is
almost entirely walking distance from the conference.)
Participants
Organising Committee
Harald Atmanspacher (IGPP Freiburg)
Guido Bacciagaluppi (University of Sydney
and IHPST
Paris)
Michel Bitbol (CREA
Paris)
Jacques Dubucs (IHPST
Paris)
Alexei Grinbaum (LARSIM
Paris)
Jenann Ismael (University
of Sydney)
Huw Price (University
of Sydney)
Invited Participants
(* to be confirmed)
Katherine Brading
Jeff Bub
Elena Castellani
Talal Debs
Thomas Filk
Chris Fuchs
Ron Giere
Peter beim Graben
Hilary Greaves
Richard Healey
Simon Kochen
Federico Laudisa
Guenter Mahler
Michael Redhead
Carlo Rovelli
Eva Ruhnau
Thomas Ryckman
Simon Saunders
Rob Spekkens
Rod Sutherland
Paul Teller
Steve Weinstein
Ken Wharton
Michael Wright
Practical Details
The format will be similar to that of the previous
conferences. There will be a mix of physicists and philosophers; the
emphasis will be on a relatively
small number of presentations, with plenty of time for
discussion, and a friendly and productive atmosphere.
Arrival is planned for the evening of 15 June, departure for the
evening of 19 June.
Due to limited funds, it will be possible to offer financial support
only to invited participants.
It is planned that the conference will be recorded by
the Archive for Mathematical
Sciences and Philosophy.
Accommodation
Some recommendations are available here.
Timetable
|
Mon
16 June
|
Tue
17 June
|
Wed
18 June
|
Thu
19 June |
| 9:30—10:30 |
Bitbol |
Kochen |
Grinbaum |
Rovelli
|
| 10:30—11:00 |
Coffee
|
| 11:00—12:00 |
Spekkens |
Sutherland |
Brading |
beim
Graben
|
| 12:00—13:00 |
Filk |
Wharton |
Castellani |
Mahler
|
| 13:00—15:00 |
Lunch
|
| 15:00—16:00 |
Debs
and Redhead |
Weinstein |
Giere |
Bub
|
| 16:00—17:00 |
Healey |
Saunders |
Ryckman |
Fuchs
|
| 17:00—17:30 |
Coffee/Tea
|
| 17:30—18:30 |
Discussion
|
Enquiries
Enquiries to Guido Bacciagaluppi (Guido.Bacciagaluppi@univ-paris1.fr).
Last update: 10.06.08.
