Is there a limit to human knowledge? Where do philosophy and physics intersect? Are we alone in the universe? Answering these and other questions, this six-part series will unite some of the most vibrant public intellectuals and communicators of today—from scientists to philosophers, and ethicists to educators—for explorations that reflect on the current state of modern physical sciences, its greatest mysteries and future endeavors, and philosophical significance for our understanding of reality and the spiritual dimension of human existence.
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Registration — Series Prices (All 6 Events)
Member $20 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $20 Nonmember $60 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $30 Registration — Individual Lecture Prices
Member $5 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $5 Nonmember $15 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $7 Purchase tickets for all six events in the series to receive a discount. You may purchase individual event tickets, or register for free online access to the events via Livestream, by clicking on the individual event links below.
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Upcoming Events
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What Does the Future Hold for Physics: Is There a Limit to Human Knowledge?
Featuring: Neal Weiner (Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University) and Vijay Balasubramanian (University of Pennsylvania)Modern physics has been remarkably successful in describing the dynamical history of our universe and producing new data that extends our knowledge of the world. Nevertheless, our understanding of some key concepts that seek to explain our universe remains unresolved. Cosmologist Neil Weiner, physicist Vijay Balasubramanian and selected other speakers will explore the limits on our ability to learn about the universe and their significance for our worldview and the notion of divine intervention.
Monday, April 25, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Where Do Physics and Philosophy Intersect?
Featuring: David Z. Albert (Columbia University), Kate Becker (The Visible Universe), Jim Holt (Why Does the World Exist? An Existential Detective Story), and Tim Maudlin (New York University)At its core, physics addresses the fundamental problems that shape our philosophical outlook. Join our distinguished panel including writer Jim Holt, philosophers Tim Maudlin and David Z. Albert, and science writer Kate Becker in a dialogue that explores the philosophical meaning of the theories of modern physics—including quantum field theory, cosmology, and quantum gravity—and considers the ability of physics as a scientific discipline to answer the question: how can it be like that?
Monday, May 9, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Complexity: A Science of the Future?
Featuring: Kevin Slavin (MIT Media Lab)The advent of sophisticated computer technology has allowed studies of complex systems such as cell colonies, neurons in the brain, the immune system, economic markets, and social groups. In complex systems, simple, nonlinear interactions are iterated over time and give rise to self-organization, evolution, learning, and adaptation—phenomena that eluded explanation until now. This panel, including computer scientist and entrepreneur Kevin Slavin and selected physicists, will explore whether studies of complexity complement traditional physics or may upend science as we know it.
Monday, May 23, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
The Rise of Human Consciousness
Featuring: David Chalmers (Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness, New York University) and Max Tegmark (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Advances in physical and information sciences, biology, and neuroscience have dramatically enhanced our knowledge of the human species. But can physical sciences solve the biggest mystery—the emergence of human consciousness? Join our panel including philosopher David Chalmers and cosmologist Max Tegmark to explore this question and its implications.
Monday, June 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Featuring: Adam Frank (University of Rochester) and Louisa Preston (astrobiologist and author)The Fermi Paradox—the apparent contradiction between the high probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of contact with such civilizations—continues to captivate our minds. Join astrophysicist Adam Frank and science writer Louisa Preston and selected physicists and philosophers as they explore the question: “Where is everybody?” as well as other questions: How does scientific knowledge direct our future scientific and technological pursuits on Earth and in space? How does science inform human ethics? Does science make us better citizens of the universe?
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind
Featuring: Daniel Harlow (Princeton Center for Theoretical Science)Schrodinger’s cat is a famous illustration of the quantum theory of superposition, a behavior that has only been observed experimentally with the smallest of particles, like electrons, and never with real-world cats. So what prevents humans (and our furry friends) from being here, there, and everywhere simultaneously? New research in quantum mechanics suggests that gravity may be the key to suppressing superposition on larger scales. This panel, including quantum physicist Daniel Harlow, will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited.
Is there a limit to human knowledge? Where do philosophy and physics intersect? Are we alone in the universe? Answering these and other questions, this six-part series will unite some of the most vibrant public intellectuals and communicators of today—from scientists to philosophers, and ethicists to educators—for explorations that reflect on the current state of modern physical sciences, its greatest mysteries and future endeavors, and philosophical significance for our understanding of reality and the spiritual dimension of human existence.
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Registration — Series Prices (All 6 Events)
Member $20 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $20 Nonmember $60 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $30 Registration — Individual Lecture Prices
Member $5 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $5 Nonmember $15 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $7 Purchase tickets for all six events in the series to receive a discount. You may purchase individual event tickets, or register for free online access to the events via Livestream, by clicking on the individual event links below.
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Upcoming Events
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What Does the Future Hold for Physics: Is There a Limit to Human Knowledge?
Featuring: Neal Weiner (Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University) and Vijay Balasubramanian (University of Pennsylvania)Modern physics has been remarkably successful in describing the dynamical history of our universe and producing new data that extends our knowledge of the world. Nevertheless, our understanding of some key concepts that seek to explain our universe remains unresolved. Cosmologist Neil Weiner, physicist Vijay Balasubramanian and selected other speakers will explore the limits on our ability to learn about the universe and their significance for our worldview and the notion of divine intervention.
Monday, April 25, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Where Do Physics and Philosophy Intersect?
Featuring: David Z. Albert (Columbia University), Kate Becker (The Visible Universe), Jim Holt (Why Does the World Exist? An Existential Detective Story), and Tim Maudlin (New York University)At its core, physics addresses the fundamental problems that shape our philosophical outlook. Join our distinguished panel including writer Jim Holt, philosophers Tim Maudlin and David Z. Albert, and science writer Kate Becker in a dialogue that explores the philosophical meaning of the theories of modern physics—including quantum field theory, cosmology, and quantum gravity—and considers the ability of physics as a scientific discipline to answer the question: how can it be like that?
Monday, May 9, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Complexity: A Science of the Future?
Featuring: Kevin Slavin (MIT Media Lab)The advent of sophisticated computer technology has allowed studies of complex systems such as cell colonies, neurons in the brain, the immune system, economic markets, and social groups. In complex systems, simple, nonlinear interactions are iterated over time and give rise to self-organization, evolution, learning, and adaptation—phenomena that eluded explanation until now. This panel, including computer scientist and entrepreneur Kevin Slavin and selected physicists, will explore whether studies of complexity complement traditional physics or may upend science as we know it.
Monday, May 23, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
The Rise of Human Consciousness
Featuring: David Chalmers (Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness, New York University) and Max Tegmark (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Advances in physical and information sciences, biology, and neuroscience have dramatically enhanced our knowledge of the human species. But can physical sciences solve the biggest mystery—the emergence of human consciousness? Join our panel including philosopher David Chalmers and cosmologist Max Tegmark to explore this question and its implications.
Monday, June 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Featuring: Adam Frank (University of Rochester) and Louisa Preston (astrobiologist and author)The Fermi Paradox—the apparent contradiction between the high probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of contact with such civilizations—continues to captivate our minds. Join astrophysicist Adam Frank and science writer Louisa Preston and selected physicists and philosophers as they explore the question: “Where is everybody?” as well as other questions: How does scientific knowledge direct our future scientific and technological pursuits on Earth and in space? How does science inform human ethics? Does science make us better citizens of the universe?
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind
Featuring: Daniel Harlow (Princeton Center for Theoretical Science)Schrodinger’s cat is a famous illustration of the quantum theory of superposition, a behavior that has only been observed experimentally with the smallest of particles, like electrons, and never with real-world cats. So what prevents humans (and our furry friends) from being here, there, and everywhere simultaneously? New research in quantum mechanics suggests that gravity may be the key to suppressing superposition on larger scales. This panel, including quantum physicist Daniel Harlow, will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited.
Is there a limit to human knowledge? Where do philosophy and physics intersect? Are we alone in the universe? Answering these and other questions, this six-part series will unite some of the most vibrant public intellectuals and communicators of today—from scientists to philosophers, and ethicists to educators—for explorations that reflect on the current state of modern physical sciences, its greatest mysteries and future endeavors, and philosophical significance for our understanding of reality and the spiritual dimension of human existence.
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Registration — Series Prices (All 6 Events)
Member $20 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $20 Nonmember $60 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $30 Registration — Individual Lecture Prices
Member $5 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $5 Nonmember $15 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $7 Purchase tickets for all six events in the series to receive a discount. You may purchase individual event tickets, or register for free online access to the events via Livestream, by clicking on the individual event links below.
-
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What Does the Future Hold for Physics: Is There a Limit to Human Knowledge?
Featuring: Neal Weiner (Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University) and Vijay Balasubramanian (University of Pennsylvania)Modern physics has been remarkably successful in describing the dynamical history of our universe and producing new data that extends our knowledge of the world. Nevertheless, our understanding of some key concepts that seek to explain our universe remains unresolved. Cosmologist Neil Weiner, physicist Vijay Balasubramanian and selected other speakers will explore the limits on our ability to learn about the universe and their significance for our worldview and the notion of divine intervention.
Monday, April 25, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Where Do Physics and Philosophy Intersect?
Featuring: David Z. Albert (Columbia University), Kate Becker (The Visible Universe), Jim Holt (Why Does the World Exist? An Existential Detective Story), and Tim Maudlin (New York University)At its core, physics addresses the fundamental problems that shape our philosophical outlook. Join our distinguished panel including writer Jim Holt, philosophers Tim Maudlin and David Z. Albert, and science writer Kate Becker in a dialogue that explores the philosophical meaning of the theories of modern physics—including quantum field theory, cosmology, and quantum gravity—and considers the ability of physics as a scientific discipline to answer the question: how can it be like that?
Monday, May 9, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Complexity: A Science of the Future?
Featuring: Kevin Slavin (MIT Media Lab)The advent of sophisticated computer technology has allowed studies of complex systems such as cell colonies, neurons in the brain, the immune system, economic markets, and social groups. In complex systems, simple, nonlinear interactions are iterated over time and give rise to self-organization, evolution, learning, and adaptation—phenomena that eluded explanation until now. This panel, including computer scientist and entrepreneur Kevin Slavin and selected physicists, will explore whether studies of complexity complement traditional physics or may upend science as we know it.
Monday, May 23, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
The Rise of Human Consciousness
Featuring: David Chalmers (Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness, New York University) and Max Tegmark (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Advances in physical and information sciences, biology, and neuroscience have dramatically enhanced our knowledge of the human species. But can physical sciences solve the biggest mystery—the emergence of human consciousness? Join our panel including philosopher David Chalmers and cosmologist Max Tegmark to explore this question and its implications.
Monday, June 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Featuring: Adam Frank (University of Rochester) and Louisa Preston (astrobiologist and author)The Fermi Paradox—the apparent contradiction between the high probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of contact with such civilizations—continues to captivate our minds. Join astrophysicist Adam Frank and science writer Louisa Preston and selected physicists and philosophers as they explore the question: “Where is everybody?” as well as other questions: How does scientific knowledge direct our future scientific and technological pursuits on Earth and in space? How does science inform human ethics? Does science make us better citizens of the universe?
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind
Featuring: Daniel Harlow (Princeton Center for Theoretical Science)Schrodinger’s cat is a famous illustration of the quantum theory of superposition, a behavior that has only been observed experimentally with the smallest of particles, like electrons, and never with real-world cats. So what prevents humans (and our furry friends) from being here, there, and everywhere simultaneously? New research in quantum mechanics suggests that gravity may be the key to suppressing superposition on larger scales. This panel, including quantum physicist Daniel Harlow, will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited.
Is there a limit to human knowledge? Where do philosophy and physics intersect? Are we alone in the universe? Answering these and other questions, this six-part series will unite some of the most vibrant public intellectuals and communicators of today—from scientists to philosophers, and ethicists to educators—for explorations that reflect on the current state of modern physical sciences, its greatest mysteries and future endeavors, and philosophical significance for our understanding of reality and the spiritual dimension of human existence.
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Registration — Series Prices (All 6 Events)
Member $20 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $20 Nonmember $60 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $30 Registration — Individual Lecture Prices
Member $5 Member (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $5 Nonmember $15 Nonmember (Student / Postdoc / Resident / Fellow) $7 Purchase tickets for all six events in the series to receive a discount. You may purchase individual event tickets, or register for free online access to the events via Livestream, by clicking on the individual event links below.
-
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, April 5, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
What Does the Future Hold for Physics: Is There a Limit to Human Knowledge?
Featuring: Neal Weiner (Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, New York University) and Vijay Balasubramanian (University of Pennsylvania)Modern physics has been remarkably successful in describing the dynamical history of our universe and producing new data that extends our knowledge of the world. Nevertheless, our understanding of some key concepts that seek to explain our universe remains unresolved. Cosmologist Neil Weiner, physicist Vijay Balasubramanian and selected other speakers will explore the limits on our ability to learn about the universe and their significance for our worldview and the notion of divine intervention.
Monday, April 25, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Where Do Physics and Philosophy Intersect?
Featuring: David Z. Albert (Columbia University), Kate Becker (The Visible Universe), Jim Holt (Why Does the World Exist? An Existential Detective Story), and Tim Maudlin (New York University)At its core, physics addresses the fundamental problems that shape our philosophical outlook. Join our distinguished panel including writer Jim Holt, philosophers Tim Maudlin and David Z. Albert, and science writer Kate Becker in a dialogue that explores the philosophical meaning of the theories of modern physics—including quantum field theory, cosmology, and quantum gravity—and considers the ability of physics as a scientific discipline to answer the question: how can it be like that?
Monday, May 9, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Complexity: A Science of the Future?
Featuring: Kevin Slavin (MIT Media Lab)The advent of sophisticated computer technology has allowed studies of complex systems such as cell colonies, neurons in the brain, the immune system, economic markets, and social groups. In complex systems, simple, nonlinear interactions are iterated over time and give rise to self-organization, evolution, learning, and adaptation—phenomena that eluded explanation until now. This panel, including computer scientist and entrepreneur Kevin Slavin and selected physicists, will explore whether studies of complexity complement traditional physics or may upend science as we know it.
Monday, May 23, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
The Rise of Human Consciousness
Featuring: David Chalmers (Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness, New York University) and Max Tegmark (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)Advances in physical and information sciences, biology, and neuroscience have dramatically enhanced our knowledge of the human species. But can physical sciences solve the biggest mystery—the emergence of human consciousness? Join our panel including philosopher David Chalmers and cosmologist Max Tegmark to explore this question and its implications.
Monday, June 13, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Are We Alone in the Universe?
Featuring: Adam Frank (University of Rochester) and Louisa Preston (astrobiologist and author)The Fermi Paradox—the apparent contradiction between the high probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of contact with such civilizations—continues to captivate our minds. Join astrophysicist Adam Frank and science writer Louisa Preston and selected physicists and philosophers as they explore the question: “Where is everybody?” as well as other questions: How does scientific knowledge direct our future scientific and technological pursuits on Earth and in space? How does science inform human ethics? Does science make us better citizens of the universe?
Wednesday, June 29, 2016 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Did Einstein Kill Schrödinger’s Cat? A Quantum State of Mind
Featuring: Daniel Harlow (Princeton Center for Theoretical Science)Schrodinger’s cat is a famous illustration of the quantum theory of superposition, a behavior that has only been observed experimentally with the smallest of particles, like electrons, and never with real-world cats. So what prevents humans (and our furry friends) from being here, there, and everywhere simultaneously? New research in quantum mechanics suggests that gravity may be the key to suppressing superposition on larger scales. This panel, including quantum physicist Daniel Harlow, will discuss the fascinating interplay between two great theories of the 20th century—quantum theory and general relativity—and how these phenomena may be exploited.
We live in an increasingly polarized society, not just in terms of political and social issues, but also when it comes to our very understanding of the world. An increasing number of people question the authority of science, rejecting well established notions such as evolution, climate change, and the safety of vaccines. They prefer to engage in pseudoscientific thinking, according to which the universe bends to our will (the “law of attraction”) or God personally created every species on earth. On the opposite side of the barricade there are those who display a smug overconfidence about the powers of science — known as scientism. They ridicule other disciplines as well as religious belief, and argue that if a question cannot be approached scientifically than it amounts to nonsense. What is to be done about such ideological excesses? Can we develop a more reasonable model of human understanding? And how do we chart a course between scientism and pseudoscience? Join us as Massimo Pigliucci leads us in this very important discussion.
Monday, November 21 at 6pm. This event is part of the Philosophy Series at The Cornelia Street Café, located at 29 Cornelia Street, New York, NY 10014 (near Sixth Avenue and West 4th St.). Admission is $10, which includes the price of one drink. Reservations are recommended (212. 989.9319)
Prof. Pigliucci has a PhD in Evolutionary Biology from the University of Connecticut and a PhD in Philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He currently is the K.D. Irani Professor of Philosophy at the City College of New York. His research interests include the philosophy of biology, the relationship between science and philosophy, the nature of pseudoscience, and the practical philosophy of Stoicism. He is a prolific author and editor, including the recently published Philosophy of Pseudoscience: Reconsidering the Demarcation Problem (University of Chicago Press), co-edited with Maarten Boudry.
The Causality in the Sciences conference series brings together philosophers and scientists to explore various aspects of causality. This 12th conference in the series will focus on the relationship between time and causality.
The conference will explore all facets of the relationship between time and causality across philosophy, computation, and specific scientific disciplines. Some key themes include: arrow of time * causal inference from time series data * role of time in causal perception and judgment * time and causal metaphysics * applications to longitudinal datasets
Abstracts should be no more than 500 words, submitted via easychair: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=tacits2017
Important dates:
March 15 – Submission
April 15 – Notification of acceptance
Organizers: Samantha Kleinberg (Stevens), Michael Strevens (NYU)
Steering Committee: Phyllis Illari (UCL), Bert Leuridan (University of Antwerp), Julian Reiss, (Durham), Federica Russo (UvA), Erik Weber (Ghent) Jon Williamson (Kent)
In light of the chaos and fear caused for travel to the US by the possible immigration ban, and resulting calls to boycott US conferences, we have discussed whether we should go ahead with TaCits NY in June http://tacits.stevens.edu/. Given the work already put in by local organisers, and the fact that US academics would also appreciate support just now, we have decided to continue.
We are, however, very aware that some people may be unable or unwilling to travel to the conference. We ask that citizens of countries who wish to submit abstracts, but are potentially affected by the ban, get in touch with us, so that we can see whether it is possible to make any arrangements for some kind of remote access. We know that this is at best a half-solution, and apologise for that.
All the very best,
Causality in the Sciences steering committee
Love
is patient, it is kind, it is cruel, it is blind, it hurts, it heals, it is a sickness, it is the drug, it is like oxygen, it is all you need, it stinks, it is supreme, it is eternal, it fades, it is the answer, it is life.
Join us for a symposium on that which makes us human.
Thursday, February 15, 2018 at 8p.m. At Las Tapas Bar and Restaurant, 808 W 187th Street, New York, NY 10033. (Take the A Train) Admission is $15, which includes one complimentary tapa and drink. Reservations are recommended (646.590.0142)
Leo Glickman is a partner in Stoll, Glickman & Bellina, LLP. He has devoted his professional life of over two decades to holding the powerful accountable and obtaining justice for the underserved. As a civil rights litigator, he has successfully represented hundreds of people whose rights have been abused by police and correction officers. He has also upheld the rights of protestors, successfully litigating settlements for high-profile Occupy Wall Street participants.
Jane LeCroy is a poet, performance artist and educator who fronts the band The Icebergs and was a part of Sister Spit, the famed west coast women’s poetry troupe. Since 1997 Jane has been publishing student work and teaching writing, literature and performance to all ages through artist-in-the-schools organizations such as Teachers & Writers Collaborative and DreamYard, and as adjunct faculty at the university level. Her poetry book, Names was published by Booklyn as part of the award winning ABC chapbook series, purchased by the Library of Congress along with her braid! Signature Play, her multimedia book from Three Rooms Press, features a poem that was nominated for a Pushcart Prize.
Joseph S. Biehl, earned earned a B.A. in philosophy from St. John’s University and a Ph.D. from the Graduate School and University Center, CUNY. He has written on ethics, meta-ethics, and politics. He has taught philosophy in New York and in Cork, Ireland, and is a member of the Governing Board and former co-director of the Felician Institute for Ethics and Public Affairs. He is the founder and executive director of the Gotham Philosophical Society and Young Philosophers of New York.
There are numerous books about the philosophy of science, but relatively few focus on the philosophy of engineering. Why has the philosophy of engineering been undeveloped in contrast to science? While many engineers prefer to build new things rather than philosophize, a key explanation for the neglect of engineering is an unjustified misconception about the importance of abstract theoretical and scientific knowledge versus engineering knowledge.
The speaker will talk about his experiences in engineering and policy, to show how these philosophical ideas shape engineering, which in turn shapes the world around us. Philosophical claims about engineering date back to at least Socrates, who argued for the value of abstract, theoretical knowledge. The history of U.S. science policy based its post-World War II funding policies off of the linear model of innovation, where advances in engineering are assumed to be traceable to earlier advances in science. Historians and philosophers have shown many of these philosophical views are wrong-headed. In particular, Vincenti’s What Engineers Know and How They Know It illuminates the richness of engineering knowledge, showing that it is not merely applied science. After reviewing how these philosophical ideas manifest in the real world of engineering, the presentation will show how a better understanding of what engineers know also offers a way to better push engineering towards more ethical ends.
Zachary Pirtle recently co-chaired the 2018 Forum on Philosophy, Engineering and Technology. He has worked as an engineer to support exploration systems for human space flight, and was previously a Fulbright scholar to Mexico and a Mirzayan science and technology policy graduate fellow at the National Academy of Engineering.
Co-presented with Brooklyn Public Philosophers.
From basic arithmetic to the calculation of rocket trajectories, mathematics provides an elegant means of systematically understanding and quantifying the world around us. Beyond its computational functions, however, mathematics serves an even more vital purpose: It illuminates the most fundamental knowledge of our universe, furnishing the tools that classical physics, quantum mechanics, and astronomy use to develop and build upon their findings.
But why should mathematics be so effective in explaining our universe, as first noted by Nobel laureate physicist Eugene Wigner? Why have fundamental laws discovered through pure mathematics turned out to describe the behavior of our physical world with such remarkable precision, from the fundamental law of gravitation to Maxwell’s electromagnetic equations? Given that our physical universe is comprised of mathematical properties, some have posited that mathematics is the language of the universe, whose laws reveal what appears to be a hidden order in the natural world. But are there also limits to what mathematics can reveal about the mystery of our universe?
Theoretical physicist S. James Gates Jr. and science writer Margaret Wertheim join Steve Paulson to explore the mystery of our universe and the uncanny potential of mathematics to reveal the laws of nature.
*Reception to follow
This event is part of the Conversations on the Nature of Reality series.
Moderated by journalist Steve Paulson, Executive Producer of Wisconsin Public Radio’s To the Best of Our Knowledge, this three-part series at the New York Academy of Sciences brings together leading scientists and thinkers to explore the fundamental nature of reality through the lens of personal experience and scientific inquiry.
To learn more about each lecture and to purchase tickets, click on the links below.
- The Mystery of Our Mathematical Universe, Wednesday, October 10, 2018
- Human Cognition and the AI Revolution, Thursday, December 6, 2018
- Reality is Not As it Seems, Thursday, February 7, 2019
When we’re asked to give examples of philosophical questions, we’re likely to think of questions that are very, very old. Is the physical world all there is? How should I live? How do we know what we know? But some philosophical problems are quite new, made possible or urgent by new developments in science and culture. These are often the most exciting problems to think through.
On March 7th at 7:30 PM, Derek Skillings joins Brooklyn Public Philosophers to share his work on the philosophical consequences of the fact that we are holobionts – biological units composed of hosts and their associated swarms of microorganisms. If you’re interested in health, the problem of personal identity, the philosophy of biology in general, or the philosophical consequences of the fact that we’re made up of a bunch of little things which are themselves alive in particular, you’ll want to check this one out. Here’s the abstract:
“I, holobiont. Are you and your microbes a community or a single entity?”
You are a holobiont – a biological unit made up of a host and its associated microbiome (bacteria, protists, viruses and other microscopic entities). What consequences does this have for how we understand ourselves and other similar organisms? What are our spatial and temporal boundaries, and what does it mean to be a healthy holobiont? In this talk I will look at some alternatives for making sense of both holobiont individuality and “healthy holobiont/microbiome” talk. I will argue that existing accounts of human health are not appropriate for microbiomes, and that notions of ecosystem health face similar shortcomings. I will end by looking at some possibilities for understanding overall host health given the importance and ubiquity of microbiomes.
As usual, we meet at the Dweck Center at the Grand Army Plaza branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. Here’s the Facebook event! Tell everyone, please!