Programme

The detailed programme of Physics and Reality 2024 can be found below. Please note that changes are possible.
Programme pdf-file

The programme pdf-file can be downloaded here.

Tuesday, 4 June 2024

8:00 – 9:00   REGISTRATION

9:00 – 9:10    WELCOME

Kai Nordlund Vice Rector, University of Helsinki, FI

Paavo Pylkkänen University of Helsinki, FI

Avril Styrman University of Helsinki, FI

 

TOPIC 1      INTERPRETING THE QUANTUM THEORY

9:10 – 9:40 Paavo Pylkkänen University of Helsinki, FI

Quantum Theory and Reality: The Philosophical Options        

9:40 – 10:10 Bert Kappen Radboud University, NL

Solving the measurement problem in the context of open quantum systems

10:10 – 10:40 Tarja Kallio-Tamminen Physics Foundations Society, FI

The Content of Planck’s Constant: What does the connection between Planck’s quantum and Maxwell’s equations reveal?

10:40 – 10:50 BREAK

10:50 – 11:50 KEYNOTE David Wallace University of Pittsburgh, USA

The sky is blue, and other reasons there is no underdetermination in quantum theory

11:50 – 13:00 LUNCH BREAK

13:00 – 14:00 Basil Hiley University College London, UK

An algebraic approach to quantum theory

14:00 – 14:30 Petri Lievonen Screen.io, FI

TBA

14:30 – 14:50 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES

14:50 – 15:20 Vikram Athalye Cummins College Pune, IN 

On the Pursuit of Universal Consistency: Interpreting Physics as Reality

15:20 – 15:50 Marja-Liisa Kakkuri-Knuuttila Aalto University, FI

Energy as the Basis of a Unified Theory of Physics: Neo-Aristotelian Reflections

15:50 – 16:00 BREAK 10 MINUTES

16:00 – 18:00  CONTRIBUTED TALKS:

16:00 – 16:15 Michael Silberstein & Mark Stuckey Elizabethtown College, USA 

Unifying Relativity and Quantum Mechanics via Adynamical Global Constraints

16:15 – 16:30  Ovidiu Cristinel Stoica Horia Hulubei National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering Bucharest, RO

The Underdeterminacy of the Correspondence Between Operators and Their Physical Meaning in Structural Realism

16:30 – 16:45 Jørn Kløvfjell Mjelva University of Oslo, NO

Hypersurface-dependent State Descriptions in Relativistic Collapse Theories

16:45 – 17:00 Enrico Maresca Universities of Florence and Pisa, IT

Noncommutative Geometry and Spacetime: An Historical Reconstruction

17:00 – 17:15 Gerd Krizek, Institute of Digital Sciences Linz, AT Flavio Del Santo University of Geneva, CH

Against the “nightmare of a mechanically determined universe": Why Bohm was never a Bohmian

17:15 – 17:30 Ada Köprülüler & Özgür Aydin Boğaziçi University Istanbul, TR 

Could Entropy be the Missing Link in David Bohm’s Metaphysics?

17:30 – 17:45 José Alejandro Fernández Cuesta Complutense University of Madrid, Michele Piazzai Carlos III University of Madrid & Umberto Rivieccio National University of Distance Education, ES

Quantum Formalism Outside Physics: From Quantum Logics to Quantum Cognition

17:45 – 18:00 Jamie Gilchrist Bristol University, UK

Metaphysical Coherentism and Quantum Entanglement

18:00 – 20:00 POSTER SESSION WITH SALAD AND DRINKS

Wednesday, 5 June 2024

TOPIC 2      DYNAMICAL APPROACHES TO RELATIVITY

9:00 – 9:45 Martín Lopéz Corredoira Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, ES

Alternative cosmologies

9:45 – 10:45 Tuomo Suntola Physics Foundations Society, FI

The Dynamic Universe (DU)

10:45 – 11:05 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES

11:05 – 12:00 Michal Krizek Czech Academy of Sciences Prague, CZ

Infrared measurements of the JWST suggest that our dynamic universe is spatially closed

12:00 – 13:00 LUNCH BREAK

13:00 – 14:00 KEYNOTE Silvia de Bianchi Università degli Studi di Milano, IT

The Quest for a Unified Theory: Incompleteness and Progress in Physics

14:00 – 14:45 Avril Styrman University of Helsinki, FI

Evaluation of Theories and Methodologies: Relativistic Physics vs. the Dynamic Universe

14:45 – 15:05 COFFEE BREAK 20 MIN

15:05 – 15:50 Karen Crowther University of Oslo, NO

Quantum Gravity

15:50 – 16:00 BREAK 10 MIN

16:00 – 18:00 CONTRIBUTED PAPERS:

16:00 – 16:15 Siddhart Muthukrishnan University of Pittsburgh, USA

Unpacking Black Hole Complementarity

16:15 – 16:30 Álvaro Mozota Frauca Autonomous University of Barcelona, ES

Quantum Cosmology and the Age of the Universe

16:30 – 16:45 Anastasiia Lazutkina University of Wuppertal, DE

Meta-empirical theory assessment in contemporary cosmology: The MOND and dark matter debates

16:45 – 17:00 Juha Himanka University of Lapland, FI

Husserl and Einstein on Earth and Ether

17:00 – 17:15 Alexander Niederklapfer London School of Economics, UK

What is Fundamental in Fundamental Physics?

17:15 – 17:30 Petri Turunen, Ilkka Pättiniemi & Johan Hietanen University of Helsinki and The Helsinki Circle, FI

On the Very Idea of an Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

17:30 – 17:45 Ilkka Pättiniemi The Helsinki Circle, FI

Frank on Physics and Reality

17:45 – 18:00 Tuomas Pernu University of East Finland, FI 

Is There Causation in Physics?

18:15 – 19:45 UNIVERSITY OF HELSINKI RECEPTION

Main building of the University of Helsinki, room CHRISTINA (U2085), address Unioninkatu 34, 2nd floor.

Thursday, 6 June 2024

TOPIC 3      METAPHYSICS, QUANTUM THEORY AND APPLICATIONS TO NEW DOMAINS

9:00 – 9:40 Tuomas Tahko Bristol University, UK

Mapping the Space of Scientific Possibility     

9:40 – 10:10 Marilu Chiofalo University of Pisa, IT 

A Quantum Toolbox for Neurobiological Sensory Systems

10:10 – 10:40 Ron Chrisley University of Sussex, UK

Quantum-like Models of Perception

10:40 – 11:00 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES

11:00 – 12:00 KEYNOTE Tim Palmer University of Oxford, UK

The Singular Role of Infinity in Quantum Physics: Towards a Rational Theory of Quantum Mechanics

12:00 – 13:00 LUNCH BREAK              

13:00 – 13:40 Hans Liljenström Agora for Biosystems, SWE

Can Physics and Neuroscience Allow for Free Will?

13:40 – 15:10 FINAL PANEL DISCUSSION

15:10 – 15:30 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES

15:30 – 17:45 CONTRIBUTED PAPERS:

15:30 – 15:45 Margarida Hermida King’s College London, UK

From Quantum Tunnelling to Sex

15:45 – 16:00 Alessandra Pulga University of Groningen, NL

A Framework for Free Will within a Quantum Universe

16:00 – 16:15 Bixin Guo University of Pittsburgh, USA

Next Best Thing—What Can Quantum Mechanics Tell Us About the Fundamental Ontology of the World?

16:15 – 16:30 Sami Tayub Bristol University, UK

How van Fraassen inadvertently showed that Metaphysics can be Tested: Lessons from Bell’s Theorem

16:30 – 16:45 Anton Sverdlikov University of Wuppertal, DE

Event Structural Realism

16:45 – 17:00 Saara Wuokko University of Helsinki, FI

Retrocausality and Perspectivism

17:00 – 17:15 Christabel Cane University College London, UK

The Problem(s) of Temporary Intrinsics

17:15 – 17:30 Luca Gasparinetti Università della Svizzera Italiana, CH

Time, Causation and Quantum Gravity: a First Assessment

17:30 – 17:45 Tannaz Najafi Universities of Lisbon, PT and Geneva, CH

Becoming and the Illegitimate Child of Substantivalism and Relationalism

Optional: Conference dinner