Digest Week 5 Michaelmas Term 2018

POP-Grunch | 1.15-2.45pm, Meeting Room 4, Philosophy Faculty 

Speaker: David Schroeren (Princeton) 

Title: Symmetry Holism

Abstract: Philosophers and physicists alike have claimed that symmetries are fundamental aspects of reality. But there is a serious obstacle to making sense of this claim: the physical notion of symmetry is first and foremost an abstract mathematical notion introduced by way of the mathematical formulations of physical theories. If we are to make sense of the claim that symmetries are fundamental, we need to explain what is conveyed about the fundamental structure of the reality by the fact that it can be represented in terms of physical theories whose mathematical formulations involve symmetries. The goal of this paper is to do just that. According to the view I call symmetry holism, mathematical symmetry transformations correspond to fundamental modal relations among possible states of the world. This view is holistic in the sense that facts about which possible state is actual, together with facts about the relations between possible states, are metaphysically prior to facts about the constituents of the world—such as particles, fields, and everyday objects.

The Oxford Kant Colloquium | 5.00- 6:30pm, Merton College, St Alban's Quad, Room 4.2b

Presentations on Kantian Topics

If you intend to participate please email christopher.benzenberg@stx.ox.ac.uk

Epistemology and Language Reading Group | 5.30 - 7.00pm, Meeting Room 4, Philosophy Faculty 

Reading: Sarah Moss (2018) 'Chapter 4: Indicative Conditionals' in Probabilistic Knowledge OUP: Oxford 

If you intend to participate please email Matt Hewson or James Kirkpatrick

Metaphysics Reading Group | 11am -12:30pm, Oriel College

First Reading: Rosen (2006) 'The Limits of Contingency'  

If you intend to participate please email katherine.hong@philosophy.ox.ac.uk 

New Acquisitions Show | John Stuart Mill Library | 9:30am - 5:00pm, Somerville College 

Roger Crisp will be present from 1-2pm 

Models of Leadership in Plato | 12:30-1:15pm, Saïd Business School

Dominic Scott: Engaging with the Humanities 

Free, but please register here

Seminar Series on Reproducibility and Open Research | 4.30-6.00pm, All Souls College: Old Library

Marjan Bakker (Tilberg University, Netherlands): ‘Human Factors in Science’

All are welcome; refreshments will be provided.

Feminisms: Being a Woman and.... | Intersectional Discussion Group | 18:00 - 19:30pm, Ryle Room

Please contact the organisers to be put on the mailing list to receive the weekly readings 

Please email chiara.martini@pmb.ox.ac.uk, chongming.lim@philosophy.ox.ac.uk, alesia.preite@sjc.ox.ac.uk or maya.krishnan@balliol.ox.ac.uk

Graduate Ancient Philosophy Work in Progress | Caterina Pavoni | 2:00pm, Somerville Lodge

GAPWiP is a regular meeting of postgraduates and early career researchers to discuss work in progress prior to the Ancient Philosophy Seminar, each week is led by someone who presents their work, followed by a discussion.

All postgraduates in philosophy are welcome to attend and contribute to discussion.

Set Theory Reading Group | 2:00pm, TBC 

Reading Professor Joel Hamkins' notes on Boolean ultrapowers and large cardinals (to be circulated to participants).

Please email Alex Paseau if you would like to be involved.

Science Fictions: The Triumph of the Imagination and the Invention of Scientific Creativity | Inaugural Lecture of Professor Iliffe | 17:00pm, South Schools, Examination Schools

All are welcome, the lecture will be followed by a drinks reception in the North School.

Vagueness Reading Group | Higher-Order Vagueness I | 17:00 - 19:00pm, Ertegun House

Williamson, T. (1999) 'On the Structure of Higher-Order Vagueness', in Mind 108: 127-143. 

If you intend to participate please email alexander.roberts@philosophy.ox.ac.uk or annina.loets@philosophy.ox.ac.uk