• Wednesday April 27th 2016 at UIC – Karen Crowther: The Correspondence Principle in Quantum Gravity

Abstract: “The difficulties in discovering a theory of quantum gravity are due not only to its apparently extreme experimental inaccessibility, but the fact that there are no commonly accepted, formally established constraints that define its basic structure and objectives. I critically examine the role of the correspondence principle in quantum gravity, to evaluate its prospects as such a constraint. I find that there is a form of correspondence that serves as an essential heuristic guide in developing the theory, but that another form of correspondence has acquired a status of undue weight. It seems that the stress on deriving general relativity in the low-energy regime is unwise at this stage of theory-development, and possibly altogether.”  In terms of technical difficulty, this talk rates 3/5  

Two short talks, from both sides of the Atlantic:

(1) In Geneva, Giuliano Torrengo (Milan): The experience of the passage of time

(2) In Chicago, James Read (Oxford): Background Independence and Holography

For more information follow the links above.

Our speaker this week is Oliver Pooley, giving a talk in Geneva on Relativity and the growing block. Join us there, or at UIC via video link. More details in the links above.

We are thrilled to announce the winners of our first essay prize!

In alphabetical order:
“Back to Parmenides” Henrique Gomes (Perimeter Institute)
“Taking Up Superspace” Tushar Menon (Oxford)
“What can (mathematical) categories tell us about space time?” Ko Sanders (Leipzig)

We have the polished version of Richard Dawid’s talk on YouTube now — and the livestream version of Dean Rickles’ is also available (we are busy polishing a version of that too!).

April is a busy month for the project – we have talks scheduled from Dean Rickles (April 6th), Oliver Pooley (April 13th), and Karen Crowther (April 27th). Join us in person or virtually. Full details under the tab above.

Rickles will be talking on Dual theories: ‘Same but different’ or ‘different but same’?

We are very excited to announce a fellowship for PhD students at other institutions to join the project at UIC for six months or a year. If you are writing a dissertation in the philosophy of quantum gravity broadly construed, we can provide a (generous) stipend for you to spend time working with us in Chicago, and participating in the activities of the project. For information on the position(s) and how to apply, see above or the following link.

https://beyondspacetime.net/uic-pre-doctoral-fellowship/

Please share this news!

(Note: the position can start in fall 2016, but we will seriously consider applications for periods after that.)

Many apologies to entrants to our essay prize contest for the delay in announcing the results. We were delayed first by extending the submission deadline, and then for a couple more weeks by events beyond our control. But our process should have been more resilient, so we do apologize, and thank you for your patience.

We now confidently expect to make an announcement by April 8th.

Just a reminder that applications for our (close to) Chicago summer school are due by March 16th – no registration fee, and we provide room and board. Please contact us with any questions.

For full information, https://beyondspacetime.net/2016summerschool/.

• On Wednesday February 24th, Richard Dawid will speak at UIC on String Dualities and Empirical Equivalence.

• Next week, Wednesday March 2nd, we have our first double header:

(1) Eddy Keming Chen (Rutgers): Our Fundamental Physical Space and the Quantum Wave Function

(2) Alastair Wilson (Birmingham): Emergent Spacetime: Grounded or Caused?

More details on the Speakers page that you can access above. We expect to livestream both events on YouTube.