9-11 January, 2013
St Anne’s College, Oxford
This miniseries will explore the theological and, by extension, metaphysical questions that pertain to cosmology. The origin and order of the cosmos have helped inspire belief in a “Supreme Being” or “First Cause” for millennia; but what bearing, if any, does the modern scientific approach to studying cosmology have on such beliefs? Does introducing God into the discussion add anything?
Lectures can be viewed on YouTube Videos. Continue reading
30 April – 2 May 2012
St Anne’s College,Oxford
This miniseries was the first of several on philosophy of cosmology to take place in Oxford and Cambridge. Speakers included Joe Silk, Roger Penrose, Jeremy Butterfield, John Barrow and David Wallace. Videos for the conference can be found here. Continue reading
A conference in honour of John Polkinghorne’s 80th birthday
26th-29th September 2010
St Anne’s College Oxford
Co-Chairs: Andrew Briggs, Jeremy Butterfield and Anton Zeilinger
Characterising Science and Beyond
A conference in honour of George Ellis
20th -22nd September 2009
St Anne’s College Oxford
Scientific Organizing Committee: John Barrow, Jeremy Butterfield, George Ellis, Simon Saunders and Joe Silk
Thursday 19th – Saturday 21st July 2007
Quantum mechanics has been with us for over 80 years and still there is no consensus on what it means. The Everett interpretation has now been with us for 50 of those years and is now arguably the simplest most credible explanation we have of the world. It requires no additional assumptions, no conceptual divisions between observers and observed, applies to the universe as a whole, and naturally explains probabilities arising from quantum mechanics.
July sees the 50th anniversary of the publication of Hugh Everett III’s only paper on physics, the seminal “Relative State Formulation of Quantum Mechanics”. This is an opportunity for the leading advocates and critics to come together and debate the Everett interpretation.
Sponsored by FQXi and hosted in the Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University, 40 of the world’s top academics will come together for three days on July 19th, 20th, and 21st to see if Everett’s explanation of quantum mechanics has at last come of age.