Digest Week 8 Michaelmas Term 2018

POP-Grunch | 1.15 - 2.45pm, Ryle Room, Philosophy Faculty 

Speaker: Caspar Jacobs 

Title:Inequivalent Representations and the Coalesced Structures Approach: Non-Radically Unpristine

Abstract:Ruetsche (2011) argues that the occurrence of unitarily inequivalent representations in quantum theories with an infinite number of degrees of freedom forces us to reject the ideal of pristine interpretation. This is the idea that the act of theory interpretation happens a priori, without taking contingent and contextual factors into account. Ruetsche puts the non-pristine Coalesced Structures Approach forward as an alternative. In this essay, I critically assess one of Ruetsche’s cases in favour of the Coalesced Structures Approach, namely the inability of pristine interpretations of QM∞ to account for the broken symmetries of the ferromagnet. I agree with Ruetsche to the limited extent that a departure from the pristine ideal is indeed necessary to account for ferromagnetic phase structure. However, I disagree on the consequences of this departure. I argue that the version of the Coalesced Structures Approach necessary to account for the ferromagnet is non-radically unpristine: it leaves the core tenets of the ideal of pristine interpretation untouched.

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

Interdisciplinary Seminars in Psychoanalysis | St John's College Research Centre | 8.15pm, Lecture Room, St John's College Research Centre

Sarah Marks (Birbeck, University of London); The Unconscious in the Soviet Sphere; Psychoanalysis Underground and in Plain Sight

The seminar is open free of charge to members of the University and to mental health professionals but space is limited.

To attend it is helpful (but not essential) to e-mail Paul Todd

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

If you intend to participate please email Katherine Hong 

Join the incoming organising committee for the Oxford Graduate Philosophy Conference 2019! | 11am, Faculty of Philosophy - Radcliffe Humanities 

To discuss this rewarding opportunity, the outgoing organising committee will be holding an interest meeting.

If you cannot attend the meeting but would like to take part, please email Ruby Shao.

Israel Studies Seminars | 2:15 - 4:00pm, The Board Room, Middle East Centre, St Antony's College 

Brian Klug (Oxford):  'Defining Antisemitism, Demonizing Zionism'

Summa Contra Gentiles | Reading, Commentary and Translation Group | 1:00 - 2:00pm, Blackfriars Hall, Front Seminar Room

This term, the focus of the group will be on Aquinas' understanding of the relationship between body and soul in the Summa Contra Gentiles Part Two, Questions 49 -101, in the Marietti manuscript.

If you would like to join, or have any questions, please contact Sean Costello.

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

Ben Marwick (University of Washington, USA): ‘Four Ordered Principles to Improve Reproducibility of Research’

All are welcome; refreshments will be provided.

Feminism: 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 either Chiara Martini, CM Lim, Alesia Preite or Maya Krishnan

Royal Institute of Philosophy Public Lectures | 7:00 - 8:30pm, Blackwells (Broad Street, Oxford

Adam Toon (Exeter), 'Mind as Metaphor' 

Graduate Ancient Philosophy Work in Progress | Ruby Shao | 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.

Vagueness Reading Group | Columnar vs. Hierarchical Approaches | 17:00 - 19:00pm, Ertegun House

Bobzien, S. (2015) 'Columnar Higher Order Vagueness, or Vagueness is Higher Order Vagueness', in Aristotelian Society in Supplementary Volume 89: 61-87.  

If you intend to participate please email Alex Roberts or Annina Loets

Reading Group: Propositional Attitudes (Philosophy of Mind) | 12:00pm, Seminar Room 1, St Anne's College  

Reading:Uriah Kriegel's  'Belief-that and Belief-in: Which Reductive Analysis?' in A. Grzankowski and M. Montague (eds.), Non-Propositional Intentionality, (2018), pp. 192-214.

Intended audience: graduate students, faculty members and visiting faculty 

Organisers: Umut Baysan and Matt Hewson