The boundary between physics and philosophy is porous and continually shifting. Many questions traditionally addressed by philosophers---such as: did the universe have a beginning? Or: is the universe spatially infinite?---have come to be seen as part of physics. Conversely, questions arising from physical theory (like quantum mechanics) have lead physicists toward philosophy. Moreover, we find ourselves at a historical juncture where physical theorizing seems to have outstripped our abilities to gather empirical evidence that might adjudicate between rival theories of quantum gravity (such as String Theory and Loop Quantum Gravity). This has led to public debates between rival physics regarding “post-empirical physics” and “non-empirical theory confirmation” which put them squarely in the territory of philosophy of science.

We believe that philosophers and physicists have much to learn from one another, and this summer school will provide an opportunity for a diverse group of around 30 graduate students and junior scholars to learn about these common interests (and, potentially, conflicts) from leading lights in both physics and philosophy. Rather than studying other intellectual disciplines from a distance, we provide an opportunity for students to have face-to-face contact with experts over five days, and with one another. The professional and personal connections they will make have the potential to transform their worldview, research or career.

For more information, visit https://beyondspacetime.net/summer-school-2018/