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46Theory from chaosEpisteme 10 (4): 465-478. 2013.I explore an agent-based model of the development and dissemination of scientific theory that makes very little use of any pre-defined (such as partnerships or collaborations). In these models, under a broad range of values of the parameters, widespread (but not universal) about scientific theory emerges. Moreover, the residual disagreement turns out to be important to developing new theories in the face of new evidence
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54Dynamics for Modal InterpretationsFoundations of Physics 29 (8): 1165-1201. 1999.An outstanding problem in so-called modal interpretations of quantum mechanics has been the specification of a dynamics for the properties introduced in such interpretations. We develop a general framework (in the context of the theory of stochastic processes) for specifying a dynamics for interpretations in this class, focusing on the modal interpretation by Vermaas and Dieks. This framework admits many empirically equivalent dynamics. We give some examples, and discuss some of the properties o…Read more
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294Quantum logic is alive ∧ (it is true ∨ it is false)Proceedings of the Philosophy of Science Association 2001 (3). 2001.Is the quantum-logic interpretation dead? Its near total absence from current discussions about the interpretation of quantum theory suggests so. While mathematical work on quantum logic continues largely unabated, interest in the quantum-logic interpretation seems to be almost nil, at least in Anglo-American philosophy of physics. This paper has the immodest purpose of changing that fact. I shall argue that while the quantum-logic interpretation faces challenges, it remains a live option. The u…Read more
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67Michael Dickson, Review of Interpreting the Quantum World by Jeffrey Bub (review)Philosophy of Science 66 (3): 495-496. 1999.If observation is ‘theory-laden’, how can there be ‘observationally equivalent theories’? How can the observations ‘laden’ by one theory be ‘the same as’ those ‘laden’ by another? The answer might lie in the expressibility of observationally equivalent theories in a common mathematical formalism.
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15Book ReviewMiklós Rédei and Michael Stölzner , John von Neumann and the Foundations of Physics. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers , ix + 371 pp., $119.00 (review)Philosophy of Science 70 (4): 855-859. 2003.
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73Wavefunction Tails in the Modal InterpretationPSA: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science Association 1994. 1994.I review the modal interpretation of quantum mechanics, some versions of which rely on the biorthonormal decomposition of a statevector to determine which properties are physically possessed. Some have suggested that these versions fail in the case of inaccurate measurements, i.e., when one takes tails of the wavefunction into account. I show that these versions of the modal interpretation are satisfactory in such cases. I further suggest that a more general result is possible, namely, that thes…Read more
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81Aspects of Probability in Quantum TheoryIn Claus Beisbart & Stephan Hartmann (eds.), Probabilities in Physics, Oxford University Press. pp. 171. 2011.
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42Reconstruction and Reinvention in Quantum TheoryFoundations of Physics 45 (10): 1330-1340. 2015.I consider the fact that there are a number of interesting ways to ‘reconstruct’ quantum theory, and suggest that, very broadly speaking, a form of ‘instrumentalism’ makes good sense of the situation. This view runs against some common wisdom, which dismisses instrumentalism as ‘cheap’. In contrast, I consider how an instrumentalist might think about the reconstruction theorems, and, having made a distinction between ‘reconstructing’ quantum theory and ‘reinventing’ quantum theory, I suggest tha…Read more
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58Partha Ghose testing quantum mechanics on new groundBritish Journal for the Philosophy of Science 52 (1): 207-209. 2001.
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21James T. Cushing, 1937–2002Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 33 (3): 601-603. 2002.
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85Quantum Logic Is Alive [Logical And] (It Is True [Logical Or] It Is False)Philosophy of Science 68 (S1). 2001.Is the quantum-logic interpretation dead? Its near total absence from current discussions about the interpretation of quantum theory suggests so. While mathematical work on quantum logic continues largely unabated, interest in the quantum-logic interpretation seems to be almost nil, at least in Anglo-American philosophy of physics. This paper has the immodest purpose of changing that fact. I shall argue that while the quantum-logic interpretation faces challenges, it remains a live option. The u…Read more
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92The light at the end of the tunneling: Observation and underdeterminationPhilosophy of Science 66 (3): 58. 1999.If observation is 'theory-laden', how can there be 'observationally equivalent theories'? How can the observations 'laden' by one theory be 'the same as' those 'laden' by another? The answer might lie in the expressibility of observationally equivalent theories in a common mathematical formalism
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20We consider an extension of signaling games to the case of prediction, where one agent perceives the current state of the world and sends a signal. The second agent perceives this signal, and makes a prediction about the next state of the world. We suggest that such games may be the basis of a model for the evolution of successful theorizing about the world.
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21Quantum Logic Is Alive ∧Philosophy of Science 68 (3): 274-287. 2001.Is the quantum-logic interpretation dead? Its near total absence from current discussions about the interpretation of quantum theory suggests so. While mathematical work on quantum logic continues largely unabated, interest in the quantum-logic interpretation seems to be almost nil, at least in Anglo-American philosophy of physics. This paper has the immodest purpose of changing that fact. I shall argue that while the quantum-logic interpretation faces challenges, it remains a live option. The u…Read more
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49From physics to philosophy Jeremy Butterfield, Constantine PagonisBritish Journal for the Philosophy of Science 52 (2): 397-399. 2001.
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14Review of Partha Ghose: Testing Quantum Mechanics on New Ground (review)British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 52 (1): 207-209. 2001.
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92Antidote or Theory?Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 27 (2): 229-238. 1996.
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125Review of Tomasz F. Bigaj, Non-Locality and Possible Worlds: A Counterfactual Perspective on Quantum Entanglement (review)Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews 2007 (7). 2007.
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26Quantum dialogue: The making of a revolution - Mara beller; the university of chicago press, chicago, 1999, XV + 365 pp., US $35.00, ISBN 0-226-04181- (review)Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics 33 (3): 565-569. 2002.
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50Logical foundations for modal interpretations of quantum mechanicsPhilosophy of Science 63 (3): 329. 1996.This paper proposes a logic, motivated by modal interpretations, in which every quantum mechanics propositions has a truth-value. This logic is completely classical, hence violates the conditions of the Kochen-Specker theorem. It is shown how the violation occurs, and it is argued that this violation is a natural and acceptable consequence of modal interpretations. It is shown that despite its classicality, the proposed logic is empirically indistinguishable from quantum logic
Columbia, South Carolina, United States of America
Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Music |
Aesthetic Representation |
Areas of Interest
Medieval Philosophy: Topics |