FOMP is a reading group and workshop series run by graduate students and faculty in philosophy and physics at the University of Michigan. See our about page for more information. Email Josh Hunt, joshhunt@umich.edu to join our mailing list. University of Michigan affiliates can add themselves to fomp.fomp@umich.edu. What is the Philosophy of Physics? Philosophers of physics
focus on a loosely connected set of questions about physics
in general and specific physical theories. Some
examples: Is there a more fundamental theory which explains
why quantum measurements seem to collapse the wave function? Some ideas
here.
In what way can the time-asymmetric laws of thermodynamics be
derived (via statistical mechanics) from the time-symmetric laws of classical
mechanics? Is there such a thing as space-time in which objects have position, or are they just related to each
other by distances?
Is the goal of science merely to produce models that make accurate
predictions, or are we able to determine how nature really works?
What is the right way to use experimental data to test multiverse
theories?
Is quantum field theory a theory of particles or fields (or both)? ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() |