The Curious Case of the mole

Posted on October 17, 2016April 1, 2017 by jewolff

In this paper I take a close look at the SI base quantity “amount of substance”, and its unit, the… Read more The Curious Case of the mole

Naturalistic Quietism or Scientific Realism?

Posted on April 30, 2016March 26, 2017 by jewolff

Realists about science tend to hold that our scientific theories aim for the truth, that our successful theories are at… Read more Naturalistic Quietism or Scientific Realism?

Heisenberg’s observability principle

Posted on April 30, 2016March 26, 2017 by jewolff

Werner Heisenberg’s 1925 paper “Quantum-theoretical re-interpretation of kinematic and mechanical relations” marks the beginning of quantum mechanics. Heisenberg famously claims… Read more Heisenberg’s observability principle

Workshop: Kinds and Quantities – Classifying and Measuring in Science

Posted on April 27, 2015January 16, 2016 by jewolff

Theme of the Conference One of the central topics in the metaphysics of science is the status of natural kinds… Read more Workshop: Kinds and Quantities – Classifying and Measuring in Science

Philosophy of Physics

Posted on August 28, 2013 by jewolff

In this course we will explore the relationship between physics and philosophy at various points in the history of the… Read more Philosophy of Physics

Using defaults to understand token causation

Posted on April 6, 2013March 26, 2017 by jewolff

Friends of the counterfactual theory of causation have recently employed the notion of a default to respond to standard problem… Read more Using defaults to understand token causation

Metaphysics

Posted on January 20, 2013April 6, 2013 by jewolff

Metaphysics is one of the most contested areas of philosophy. Different philosophers mean very different things by ‘metaphysics’, and a… Read more Metaphysics

Are Conservation Laws Metaphysically Necessary

Posted on January 5, 2013March 26, 2017 by jewolff

Are laws of nature necessary, and if so, are all laws of nature necessary in the same way? This question… Read more Are Conservation Laws Metaphysically Necessary

Do Objects Depend on Structures?

Posted on January 4, 2013March 26, 2017 by jewolff

Ontic Structural Realists hold that structure is all there is, or at least all there is fundamentally. This thesis has… Read more Do Objects Depend on Structures?

Kant’s Critical Philosophy

Posted on December 28, 2012April 5, 2013 by jewolff

The topic of this class is Kant’s Critical Philosophy, a period of Kant’s work beginning with the publication of the… Read more Kant’s Critical Philosophy