The conference will be livestreamed. To see the livestream, please use the link below (however, some talks may not be visible):
We use Presemo activation tool in the conference. If you would like to send questions or comments to the talks, please use the link below.
The programme pdf-file (edited June 01) can be downloaded
8:15 – 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
Chair: Avril Styrman
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 – 11:00 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES
Chair: Paavo Pylkkänen
11:00 – 12:00 KEYNOTE David Wallace University of Pittsburgh, USA
The sky is blue, and other reasons there is no underdetermination in quantum theory
12:00 – 13:00 LUNCH BREAK
Chair: Tarja Kallio-Tamminen
13:00 - 13:30 Vikram Athalye Cummins College Pune, IN
On the Pursuit of Universal Consistency: Interpreting Physics as Reality
13:30 - 14:00 Marja-Liisa Kakkuri-Knuuttila Aalto University, FI
Energy as the Basis of a Unified Theory of Physics: Neo-Aristotelian Reflections
14:00 – 14:30 Petri Lievonen Screen.io, FI
Visual Introduction to Clifford Algebras and Spherical Geometries: Towards Unification Proposals by Suntola
14:30 – 15:00 COFFEE BREAK 30 MINUTES
15:00 – 16:00 Basil Hiley University College London, UK (online talk)
The Algebraic Way to Relativistic Quantum Theory
16:00 – 16:10 BREAK 10 MINUTES
16:10 – 17:55 CONTRIBUTED TALKS
Chair: Alex Carruth
16:10 – 16:25 Michael Silberstein & Mark Stuckey Elizabethtown College, USA
Unifying Relativity and Quantum Mechanics via Adynamical Global Constraints
16:25 – 16:40 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
16:40 – 16:55 Jørn Kløvfjell Mjelva University of Oslo, NO
Hypersurface-dependent State Descriptions in Relativistic Collapse Theories
16:55 – 17:10 Enrico Maresca Universities of Florence and Pisa, IT
Noncommutative Geometry and Spacetime: An Historical Reconstruction
17:10 – 17:25 Ada Köprülüler & Özgür Aydin Boğaziçi University Istanbul, TR
Could Entropy be the Missing Link in David Bohm’s Metaphysics?
17:25 – 17:40 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
17:40 – 17:55 Jamie Gilchrist Bristol University, UK
Metaphysical Coherentism and Quantum Entanglement
18:00 – 20:00 POSTER SESSION WITH SALAD AND DRINKS
Jan Fikatchek University Olomouc, CZ
What is Quantum Reality According to Scientific Logic
Kiran Pala University of Eastern Finland, FI
Quantum Paradigm in Conscious Experience and Cognitive Process
Gustaf Malmberg University of Helsinki, FI
Spatiotemporal Consciousness in Special Relativity
Uziel Awret Inspire Institute
Cutting Space in Two and the Disunity of Consciousness
TOPIC 2 DYNAMICAL APPROACHES TO RELATIVITY
Chair: Petri Lievonen
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 CONFERENCE PHOTO AND LUNCH BREAK
Chair: Paavo Pylkkänen
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 MINUTES
15:05 – 15:50 Karen Crowther University of Oslo, NO
Quantum Gravity
15:50 – 16:00 BREAK 10 MINUTES
16:00 – 18:00 CONTRIBUTED TALKS
Chair: Saara Wuokko
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.
TOPIC 3 METAPHYSICS, QUANTUM THEORY AND APPLICATIONS TO NEW DOMAINS
Chair: Alex Carruth
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
Non-superpositional neural computation and the foundations of mentality: A re-assessment
10:40 – 11:00 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES
Chair: Marilu Chiofalo
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 (online talk)
Can Physics and Neuroscience Allow for Free Will?
Chair: Paavo Pylkkänen
13:40 – 15:10 FINAL PANEL DISCUSSION: Opening statements (5-10 min) by Silvia De Bianchi, Tim Palmer, and David Wallace. Brief comments and questions by Marilu Chiofalo, Ron Chrisley, Karen Crowther, Bert Kappen, Michal Krizek, Tuomo Suntola and Tuomas Tahko. Questions from Audience.
15:10 – 15:30 COFFEE BREAK 20 MINUTES
15:30 – 17:30 CONTRIBUTED TALKS
Chair: Ron Chrisley
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 (online talk)
The Problem(s) of Temporary Intrinsics
17:15 – 17:30 Luca Gasparinetti Università della Svizzera Italiana, CH (online talk)
Time, Causation and Quantum Gravity: a First Assessment
Optional: Conference dinner 19:30
Restaurant Suomenlinnan Panimo (Suomenlinna Brewery), Suomenlinna C 1, 00190 Helsinki. Suomenlinna Sea Fortress is only a 15-minute ferry ride from Helsinki Market Square (Kauppatori). The restaurant is just beside the main dock of Suomenlinna. (For more information about the dinner place, see