[SydPhil] Foundations of Physics, Thursday: Craig Callender, 'Lost in (Hilbert) Space'

[Matthew Farr]

The Sydney Foundations of Physics series resumes on Thursday 1st August at 11:30am with Craig Callender from UC San Diego speaking about the quantum wave function. Details below.
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Speaker. Craig Callender (University of California, San Diego).
Title. Lost in (Hilbert) Space.

Abstract. Is the wave function a fundamental part of reality? I argue that if one is committed
to an interpretation of quantum mechanics with additional beables, e.g., Bohmian particles or
fields, GRW mass, then one shouldn't think so. My argument is inspired from two directions:
(1) looking at the topic from the perspective of Humean "systems" theories of laws, and (2)
representing classical mechanics and quantum mechanics in the same state spaces, e.g.,
configuration space a la Hamilton-Jacobi, Hilbert space a la Koopman. I conclude with some
remarks about Everett and the so-called "redundancy argument" against Bohmian mechanics.

Time. Thursday 1st August, 11:30-13:00.
Location. Philosophy Common Room S413, Main Quad - A14, University of Sydney.
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All are welcome!

Please note that we are seeking speakers for future seminars - any area related to foundational concepts in physics (e.g. space, time, matter, motion, probability, measurement, etc.) is welcome, whether theoretical, philosophical or methodological. If you'd like to give a talk, or know of any future visitors who would like to give a talk, please contact me at matt.farr at sydney.edu.au<mailto:matt.farr at sydney.edu.au>.

The schedule for SydFoP talks is available here: http://newagendasstudyoftime.wordpress.com/sydfop/

Details for how to subscribe to the SydFoP mailing list are here: http://lists.arts.usyd.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/sydfop


All the best
Matt
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DR MATT FARR | Postdoctoral Research Fellow
New Agendas for the Study of Time | Centre for Time
School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry | Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Room N494 | Quadrangle A14
University of Sydney | NSW | 2006

T: +61 2 9114 0633 | F: +61 2 9351 3918
E: matt.farr at sydney.edu.au
W: http://mattfarr.co.uk
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