2013 Cushing Prize: Cyrus Mody

The 2013 James T. Cushing Memorial Prize in History and Philosophy of Physics has been awarded to Dr. Cyrus Mody, Rice University. Mody is being honored for his book, Instrumental Community: Probe Microscopy and the Path to Nanotechnology, published by The MIT Press in 2011. He is assistant professor in the Department of History at Rice University, where he teaches the history of science, technology, and engineering. He earned his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 2004. The Cushing Prize carries a $1000 award plus an invitation to deliver a lecture as part of the History and Philosophy of Science Colloquium at the University of Notre Dame.

Cosmology and Quantum Foundations Minicourse: Oxford, 10-12 June 2013

The Establishing the Philosophy of Cosmology mini course will take place on 10th – 12th June 2013 at St Anne’s College, Oxford. The title of this particular mini course is “Cosmology and Quantum Foundations”. Attached is a poster with details of times and speakers and the link to register (if you wish to attend). Please note that there is a limited amount of attendees so it is the case of first come first served.

New Series on Philosophy of Mathematics and Physics

Series editors: Elaine Landry and Dean Rickles

The editors of a new book series on issues in the philosophy of mathematics and physics are seeking proposals for monographs or edited collections.

Recent years have seen a surge of interest in new topics discussed by philosophers of mathematics and physics, including issues relating to the way in which these disciplines intersect. Titles in this series will cover a range of exciting themes, such as the applicability of mathematics and mathematical modelling; category theory, set theory and logics; computability; climate physics; econophysics; the nature of mathematical proofs; quantum information; quantum gravity; time machines; singularities; and universality.

Philosophy, psychology and physics of time grants, University of Sydney

The Centre for Time at the University of Sydney is now accepting applications for a number of mini-grants for work in the philosophy, psychology and physics of time (other areas will be considered provided they have some bearing on the nature of time and/or conceptual issues of time).

Updated CFP: Seminar on the Philosophical Foundations of Quantum Gravity

26-28 September 2013 – University of Illinois at Chicago

Invited Speakers:

Jeremy Butterfield (Cambridge)
Elena Castellani (University of Florence)
Bianca Dittrich (Perimeter Institute)
Jeff Harvey (University of Chicago)
Nick Huggett (UIC)
Christian Wüthrich (UCSD)

Annual Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics, and Physics Graduate Conference: Western Ontario, 18-19 May 2013

The 13th Annual Philosophy of Logic, Mathematics, and Physics Graduate Conference will take place on Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19, 2013, at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada.

Hans Halvorson from Princeton University will deliver the keynote address.

The conference is held in conjunction with the annual Philosophy of Physics Conference (Friday May 17, 2013), with speakers Jill North, Erik Curiel, Christian Wüthrich, and James Owen Weatherall. More information can be found at http://logicmathphysics.ca

We hope that you join us.

Please send questions to:
Melissa Jacquart
uwolmp@gmail.com
Department of Philosophy, Stevenson Hall,
The University of Western Ontario,
London, Ontario CANADA N6A 3K7

Summer school on “Revolutions in Science”, Utrecht, 26-30 August 2013

History and Philosophy of Science: Revolutions in Science

Science is one of the major determinants of modern society. Both the history and philosophy of science aim at a deeper understanding of the nature of the scientific enterprise and the knowledge it produces. The philosophy of science studies general questions concerning the nature of scientific knowledge and scientific methods, but also includes conceptual analysis of fundamental theories such as relativity, quantum mechanics, evolution and modern genetics. The historical approach focuses on the development of scientific thought and practice in times past. It does not limit itself to the problems, methods and solutions assigned by scientists, but extends its scope to the interplay with cultural, social or institutional features at particular times and places.

COURSE AIM
Introducing students to modern debates in the History and Philosophy of Science. The central theme will be “Scientific Revolutions”.

Workshop: Reduction and Emergence in Physics, Munich, 21-22 June 2013

Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy & Center for Advanced Studies at LMU Munich

www.lmu.de/reductionandemergenceinphysics

The aim of the workshop is to bring together physicists and philosophers of physics for a meeting focused on fundamental issues in physics relating to reduction and emergence. Participants will include researchers with expertise in string theory, statistical physics, condensed matter physics, and renormalisation. The workshop will combine consideration of issues in contemporary physics research with discussion of longstanding philosophical questions, such as the nature of scientific explanations and the relationship between different systems of physical laws.

Yet another summer school: the philosophical history of modern spacetime theory, Tuebingen, 5-9 August 2013

Call for Applications

The Forum Scientiarum (University of Tuebingen) kindly invites 20 graduate students and young researchers in the field of philosophy, physics and mathematics, to apply for the International Interdisciplinary Summer School:

The Philosophical History of Modern Space-Time Theory
with Robert DiSalle, University of Western Ontario

Tuebingen, August 5 – August 9, 2013

New FQXi Essay Contest: It from Bit or Bit from It?

FQXi has announced this year’s theme for their annual essay contest: “It from Bit or Bit from It?” Details for the competition can be found here. I am tempted to write up an essay, arguing, of course, that ‘bit from it’, rather than ‘it from bit’, to counterbalance what I expect to be a sweeping majority of authors infatuated with information. That Platonist silliness needs to stop!