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2Is Time Unreal?In Alessandra Campo & Simone Gozzano (eds.), Einstein Vs. Bergson: An Enduring Quarrel on Time, De Gruyter. pp. 35-52. 2021.
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3Abelard, PeterIn Jon Williamson & Federica Russo (eds.), Key Terms in Logic, Continuum Press. pp. 112. 2010.
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6IdentityIn Jon Williamson & Federica Russo (eds.), Key Terms in Logic, Continuum Press. pp. 33. 2010.
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7Naturalism and Realism in the Philosophy ScienceIn Kelly James Clark (ed.), The Blackwell Companion to Naturalism, Wiley-blackwell. 2015.I discuss naturalism in the philosophy of science, with a special focus on the issue of scientific realism. After introducing the theme of naturalism in more general terms, I critically assess whether and how the debate over scientific realism lends itself to a naturalistic approach. I then carry out an analogous inquiry with respect to the relationship between metaphysics and science – a careful analysis of which appears to be particularly important from the point of view of the scientific real…Read more
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6Bayes, ThomasIn Jon Williamson & Federica Russo (eds.), Key Terms in Logic, Continuum Press. pp. 115. 2010.
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3Predicate logicIn Jon Williamson & Federica Russo (eds.), Key Terms in Logic, Continuum Press. pp. 55. 2010.
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32Review of: Anjan Chakravartty, A Metaphysics for Scientific Realism (review)Philosophy in Review 29 (2): 86-88. 2009.A review of Anjan Chakravartty's book putting forward a metaphysical background for scientific realism.
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443In this paper, we evaluate some proposals that can be advanced to clarify the ontological consequences of Relational Quantum Mechanics. We first focus on priority monism and ontic structural realism and argue that these views are not suitable for providing an ontological interpretation of the theory. Then, we discuss an alternative interpretation that we regard as more promising, based on so-called ‘metaphysical coherentism’, which we also connect to the idea of an event-based, or ‘flash’, ontol…Read more
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14Esfeld and Deckert's A Minimalist Ontology of the Natural World (review)BJPS Review of Books. 2018.
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107Towards a Working Trope OntologyIn Paolo Valore (ed.), Topics on General and Formal Ontology, Polimetrica International Scientific Publisher. pp. 191--219. 2006.A defence of trope theory as a workable ontology for quantum mechanics and quantum field theory.
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Introduction à 'Atomisme et Realisme Structural'In Textes Clés de Philosophie des Sciences, Vrin. pp. 373--382. 2004.Introduction to the French translation of a paper on structural realism by Elie Zahar.
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150From ontic structural realism to metaphysical coherentismEuropean Journal for Philosophy of Science 9 (1): 1-20. 2018.The present paper argues that the typical structuralist claims according to which invariances, symmetries and the like are fundamental – especially in physics – should not be understood in terms of physical relations being fundamental. Rather, they should be understood in terms of ‘metaphysical coherentism’ - the idea that object-like parts of reality exhibit symmetric relations of ontological dependence. The view is developed in some detail, in particular by showing that i) symmetric ontologica…Read more
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688On the Preferability of Epistemic Structural RealismSynthese 142 (1): 81-107. 2004.In the last decade, structural realism has been presented as the most promising strategy for developing a defensible realist view of science. Nevertheless, controversy still continues in relation to the exact meaning of the proposed structuralism. The stronger version of structural realism, the so-called ontic structural realism, has been argued for on the basis of some ideas related to quantum mechanics. In this paper, I will first outline these arguments, mainly developed by Steven French and …Read more
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9Oggetti fisiciLebenswelt: Aesthetics and Philosophy of Experience 5 42-52. 2014.This essay aims to discuss a potential conflict between two intuitions about material objects: a 'pluralist' one, according to which every object belongs to more than one kind, and a 'reductionist' one, according to which there is only one fundamental type of things, i.e., material things. The former view threatens to translate a merely subjective matter of fact into an ontological fact, while the latter naturally leads to an outdated form of physicalism. What then? How to satisfy both the reque…Read more
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898Interpreting Quantum Entanglement: Steps towards Coherentist Quantum MechanicsBritish Journal for the Philosophy of Science. 2018.We put forward a new, ‘coherentist’ account of quantum entanglement, according to which entangled systems are characterized by symmetric relations of ontological dependence among the component particles. We compare this coherentist viewpoint with the two most popular alternatives currently on offer—structuralism and holism—and argue that it is essentially different from, and preferable to, both. In the course of this article, we point out how coherentism might be extended beyond the case of enta…Read more
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875Tropes and PhysicsGrazer Philosophische Studien 78 (1): 185--205. 2009.Th is paper looks at quantum theory and the Standard Model of elementary particles with a view to suggesting a detailed empirical implementation of trope ontology in harmony with our best physics.
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57New Realism and Scientific RealismQuaestio 12 535-549. 2012.The recent ‘new realist’ wave in philosophy reacts to the postmodernist/deconstructivist rejection of the notions of truth and objectivity by affirming the priority of the real over the subjective and socially constructed. Crucial in this dynamics is, among other things, the refusal of the anti-scientific stance integral to the non-realist view. In light of this, it is advisable to look at the new realism vs. antirealism debate from the perspective of the seemingly more local dispute concerning …Read more
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48Identity, Individuality and IndiscernibilityProceedings of the Xxii World Congress of Philosophy 15 167-173. 2008.This paper deals with the identity and individuality of material objects. In particular, the view that identity is derivative on the qualities of things, based on the endorsement of the Principle of the Identity of the Indiscernibles, is studied in detail. This provides what seems to be a much-needed unitary look at, and up-to-date critical analysis of, the vast literature on the Identity of the Indiscernibles. It is concluded that the ‘reductionist’ view, dating back to Quine and, earlier, to L…Read more
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1625Substrata and Properties: From Bare Particulars to Supersubstantivalism?Metaphysica 12 (2): 183-195. 2011.An argument to the effect that, under a few reasonable assumptions, the bare particular ontology is best understood in terms of supersubstativalism: objects are identical to regions of space(-time) and properties directly inhere in space(-time) points or region as their bearers.
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48Individual particles, properties and quantum statisticsIn Mauricio Suárez, Mauro Dorato & Miklós Rédei (eds.), EPSA Philosophical Issues in the Sciences · Launch of the European Philosophy of Science Association, Springer. pp. 175--185. 2009.Although there have been several attempts to resist this conclusion, it is commonly held that the peculiar statistical behaviour of quantum particles is due to their non-individuality. In this paper, a new suggestion is put forward: quantum particles are individuals, and the distinctive features of quantum statistics are determined by the fact that all the state-dependent properties described by quantum statistics are emergent relations
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1072Are the bundle theory and the substratum theory really twin Brothers?Axiomathes 19 (1): 73--85. 2009.In a recent paper, Jiri Benovsky argues that the bundle theory and the substratum theory, traditionally regarded as ‘deadly enemies’ in the metaphysics literature, are in fact ‘twin brothers’. That is, they turn out to be ‘equivalent for all theoretical purposes’ upon analysis. The only exception, according to Benovsky, is a particular version of the bundle theory whose distinguishing features render unappealing. In the present reply article, I critically analyse these undoubtedly relevant claim…Read more
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32Truth and success, again: Reply to Held on generalist versus particularist (anti-) realismThe Reasoner 6 (6). 2012.A reply to Held's response to a previous critical note.
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154Nils-Eric Sahlin, ed., Ramsey's Ontology (review)Philosophy in Review 25 (5): 380-382. 2005.Review of a collection of papers on the ontological aspects of Ramsey's work.
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752Identity in physics: Statistics and the (non-)individuality of quantum particlesIn Henk W. de Regt (ed.), EPSA Philosophy of Science: Amsterdam 2009, Springer. 2011.This paper discusses the issue of the identity and individuality (or lack thereof) of quantum mechanical particles. It first reconstructs, on the basis of the extant literature, a general argument in favour of the conclusion that such particles are not individual objects. Then, it critically assesses each one of the argument’s premises. The upshot is that, in fact, there is no compelling reason for believing that quantum particles are not individual objects.
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129Humean Supervenience, Composition as Identity and Quantum WholesErkenntnis 81 (6): 1173-1194. 2016.In this paper, we focus on two related reductive theses in metaphysics—Humean Supervenience and Composition as Identity—and on their status in light of the indications coming from science, in particular quantum mechanics. While defenders of these reductive theses claim that they can be updated so as to resist the quantum evidence, we provide arguments against this contention. We claim that physics gives us reason for thinking that both Humean Supervenience and Composition as Identity are at leas…Read more
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96Science-based Metaphysics: On Some Recent Anti-metaphysical ClaimsPhilosophia Scientiae 19 57-70. 2015.This paper critically evaluates some arguments against metaphysics recently formulated by Bas Van Fraassen. A more positive view of the relationship between science and metaphysics is outlined.
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1121Is There a Compelling Argument for Ontic Structural Realism?Philosophy of Science 78 (5): 1165-1176. 2011.Structural realism first emerged as an epistemological thesis aimed to avoid the socalled pessimistic metainduction on the history of science. Some authors, however, have suggested that the preservation of structure across theory change is best explained by endorsing the metaphysical thesis that structure is all there is. Although the possibility of this latter, ‘ontic’ form of structural realism has been extensively debated, not much has been said concerning its justification. In this article, …Read more
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807Bundles, Individuation and IndiscernibilityEuropean Journal of Analytic Philosophy 7 (1): 36-48. 2011.In a recent paper, Sun Demirli (2010) proposes an allegedly new way of conceiving of individuation in the context of the bundle theory of object constitution. He suggests that allowing for distance relations to individuate objects solves the problems with worlds containing indiscernible objects that would otherwise affect the theory. The aim of the present paper is i) To show that Demirli’s proposal falls short of achieving this goal and ii) To carry out a more general critical assessment of the…Read more
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707The Partial Identity Account of Partial Similarity RevisitedPhilosophia 39 (3): 527-546. 2011.This paper provides a defence of the account of partial resemblances between properties according to which such resemblances are due to partial identities of constituent properties. It is argued, first of all, that the account is not only required by realists about universals à la Armstrong, but also useful (of course, in an appropriately re-formulated form) for those who prefer a nominalistic ontology for material objects. For this reason, the paper only briefly considers the problem of how to …Read more
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2079Ontological priority, fundamentality and monismDialectica 63 (3): 271-288. 2009.In recent work, the interrelated questions of whether there is a fundamental level to reality, whether ontological dependence must have an ultimate ground, and whether the monist thesis should be endorsed that the whole universe is ontologically prior to its parts have been explored with renewed interest. Jonathan Schaffer has provided arguments in favour of 'priority monism' in a series of articles (2003, 2004, 2007a, 2007b, forthcoming). In this paper, these arguments are analysed, and it is c…Read more
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Università degli Studi Roma TreDipartimento di Filosofia, Comunicazione e SpettacoloAssociate Professor
Areas of Specialization
Metaphysics |
Philosophy of Physical Science |
General Philosophy of Science |