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Welcome!

Welcome to the UCSC Institute for the Philosophy of Cosmology homepage!


Organizers: David Albert (Columbia, NYU), Joel Primack (University of California Santa Cruz), and Barry Loewer (Rutgers University)

 

 

 

Program

Videos and Slides of the lectures will be posted on this page immediately after they have occurred.

Download PDF version

Week 1: June 24-28

Monday 6/24 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10:00-12pm Introduction to Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics David Albert [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
2-4pm The Reversibility Objections, the Past Hypothesis, the Mentaculus, the Special Sciences David Albert [Video]
5pm BBQ on the Lawn
Tuesday 6/25 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10:00-12pm Laws. The nature of Statistical-Mechanical probabilities. The specialness of the initial conditions David Albert [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
2-4pm The epistemic and causal arrows of time David Albert [Video]
4pm Coffee in the lounge
Wednesday 6/26 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10:00-12pm Further considerations, and alternate perspectives, on the foundations of Statistical Mechanics and the nature of the special sciences Craig Callender [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
2-4pm How to Derive the Equilibrium Velocity Distribution Two Ways (Neither of Which You Are Expecting) Tim Maudlin [Slides] [Video]
4pm Coffee in Room 242
4:45-6:15pm Introductory and Foundational Remarks on Cosmology Priyamvada Natarajan [Slides] [Video]
Thursday 6/27 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10:00-12pm Introduction ot the foundations of Quantum Mechanics. The phenomenon of superposition. The Measurement Problem. Non-locality David Albert [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
2-4pm Survey of proposals for solving the measurement problem David Albert [Video]
4pm Coffee in Room 242
4:45-6:15pm The Life of Hugh Everett Peter Byrne [Slides] [Video]
Friday 6/28 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10:00-12pm The architecture of fundamental theories. The idea of Typicality Shelly Goldstein [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
2-4pm The Many-Worlds Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics David Wallace [Video]
4pm Coffee in the lounge
Week 2: July 1-5
Monday 7/1 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm The History of Dark matter Joel Primack [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm An introduction to General Relativity Anthony Aguirre [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Quantizing gravity, and why it is difficult Leonard Susskind [Video]
Tuesday 7/2 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Introduction to Cosmology Joel Primack [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Introduction to the Cosmic Microwave Background and what it tells us Matt Johnson [Slides] [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Discussion  
Wednesday 7/3 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Inflation and its alternatives Matt Johnson [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Eternal Inflation and the multiverse  Anthony Aguirre [Slides] [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Black holes? Leonard Susskind [Video]
Thursday 7/4 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Observational Horizons in Early universe cosmology Matt Johnson [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Self-Sampling, Anthropics, Measures, and other thorny conundra Anthony Aguirre [Slides] [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Simulating the universe Joel Primack [Slides] [Video]
5pm 4th of July BBQ dinner (India Joze)
Friday 7/5 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm The big picture of astrophysics; Long term future of astrophysical systems Fred Adams [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm The black-hole information paradox, complementarity, and firewalls Susskind [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Discussion  
Week 3: July 8-12
Monday 7/8 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Lecture II: How studying the future evolution of the cosmos
affects our understanding of the universe
Fred Adams [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Initial state/origin of the universe I Sean Carroll [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Initial state/origin of the universe II Sean Carroll [Video]
Tuesday 7/9 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Comment on Carroll Chris Smeenk [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Fine-tuning I Luke Barnes [Slides] [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Fine-tuning II Luke Barnes [Slides] [Video]
Wednesday 7/10 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Shortcomings of the inflationary paradigm Anna Ijjas [Slides]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Bohmian mechanics and cosmology Ward Struyve [Slides] [Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Discussion  
Thursday 7/11 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-12pm Emergence of space time in quantum gravity Tiziana Vistarini [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm Implications of cosmology for the philosophy of religion I Alex Pruss [Slides I] [Slides II][Video]
3-3:30pm Coffee in Room 242
3:30-5pm Implications of cosmology for the philosophy of religion II Alex Pruss [Slides I] [Slides II][Video]
6pm Dinner in the Alumni Room
Friday 7/12 Subject | Speaker
9:30-10am Coffee in Room 242
10-11pm Implications of cosmology for the philosophy of religion II (Continued) Alex Pruss [Slides I] [Slides II][Video]
11-12pm Kepler's elliptic orbits in wave mechanics and problems with the de Broglie - Bohm interpretation of Schrödinger's wave function Michael Nauenberg [Slides] [Video]
12-1:30pm Lunch
1:30-3pm General Discussion  
3-3:30pm Coffee in the lounge

Photos

All photos by Trudy E. Bell

Directions and Transportation

Directions
This year's UCSC Institute for the Philosophy of Cosmology will be held at College 8 Room 242.

Please click here for a College 8 Printable PDF Map.If you wish to explore the UCSC campus please use our interactive map provided on the right.

Directions to University of California Santa Cruz http://www.ucsc.edu/visit/maps-directions.html

Housing
Please register for housing here. The cost is $801. To view a "Virtual Tour" please click here

Your registration includes linens and you will live in a very basic apartment with no cleaning services. Although a refrigerator and stove are available, there is no kitchen equipment. For general information about housing and staying on campus please click here

Checking In
Check in hours for the conference will be from 2-4 p.m. When you arrive, please look for a large check-in table in front of our apartment building (Apt. Bldg. 2). If you are unable to arrive during those hours, you can check in nearby in the West Conference Office (Apt. Bldg 1). Their office is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you will be arriving after 8 p.m. please contact Sue Grasso for instructions.

Please Note: Dining is very limited on campus on the weekends. On June 23, College 8 Dining Hall will be open from 5-6:30 p.m. only. You can pay cash at the door if you would like to eat there after checking in. If you arrive after those dining hours, you will either need to head to town for dinner or have already eaten.

Dining
Weekday lunches are included with registration, along with a morning and afternoon snack. There will also be one dinner each week hosted by the Institute. Participants are responsible for any other meals. Eating ptions include purchasing meals at the College 8 dining hall, eating in your apartment (remember no kitchen equipment or microwave, very basic) or eating at one of the restaurants on campus or in town. There are a couple of restaurant options and a small grocery store on campus (Express Store). Please check our interactive map for Joe's, the Global Village Cafe, and the Express Store.

Parking
If you're bringing a car you can register for a parking permit along with housing. Parking on the UCSC campus is regulated 24-hours, 7 days a week and all vehicles parked on the campus are required to have a parking permit. UCSC Parking Information

Airport shuttles:

  • Santa Cruz Flyer:  $40 from SJC and $55 from SFO, with fixed shuttle times.
  • Santa Cruz Airport Shuttles: $50 for a shuttle from SJC and $80 from SFO(Extra $10 for each additional passenger) Website: http://SantaCruzShuttles.com/
  • Early Bird Shuttles: $75 from SJC and $115 from SFO (extra $10 for each additional passenger after the first 3) website: http://www.earlybirdairportshuttle.com


Blue Water Limo (for Sedan airport transfer, not limo):

  • SJC, one-way (incl. all tax/gratuity): $98.00
  • SFO, one-way (incl. all tax/gratuity): $147.60
  • Web: www.blue-water-limo.com/contact | Telephone: (831) 477-0170
  • NOTE: Passenger must tell them that this is "UCSC Business" to qualify for rate when making reservation.


Public transport
Transportation around the UCSC campus can be done through the campus shuttle services found here. Please note their summer schedules are still to be determined.
Public transportation options to, from, and around Santa Cruz can be done through the Santa Cruz Metro.

Car Rentals on UCSC Campus
Zipcars are available to rent on the campus of UCSC. For more information please visit http://www.zipcar.com/santacruz/find-cars

Recreation Facilities
Conference participants will be able to use the UCSC recreation facilities, as available, during normal operating hours for a fee of $5/day.


Other Useful Information


Things to do in Santa Cruz

Download PDF


Contact
Sue Grasso hipacc@ucsc.edu | Phone: (831) 459-1531

Lecturers

Name University Philosophy/Physics
David Albert Columbia University  Philosophy
Craig Callender University of California, San Diego Philosophy
David Wallace Oxford University Philosophy
Tim Maudin New York University Philosophy
Priyamvada Natarajan Yale University Physics
Peter Byrne King's College Philosophy
Shelly Goldstein Rutgers University Philosophy
Joel Primack University of California, Santa Cruz Physics
Anthony Aguirre University of California, Santa Cruz Physics
Leonard Susskind Stanford University Physics
Matt Johnson York University Physics
Fred Adams University of Michigan Physics
Sean Carroll Cal Tech Physics
Chris Smeenk Western University Philosophy
Anna Ijjas Rutgers / Princeton Physics
Tiziana Vistarini Ruters University Philosophy
Luke Barnes University of Sydney Physics
Ward Struyve Rutgers Philosophy
Alex Pruss Baylor University Philosophy
Dean Zimmerman Rutgers University Philosophy

 

Students

Name University Philosophy/Physics
Amedo Balbi Roma Tor Vergata Physics
Yann Benétreau-Dupin Western Univ. Philosophy
Thomas Blanchard Rutgers Univ.  Philosophy
Neil Dewar Oxford Univ Philosophy
Alison Fernandes Columbia Univ. Philosophy
Andrew Friedman MIT Physics
Genco Guralp Johns Hopkins Univ. Phil/Physics
Michael Hicks Rutgers Philosophy
Alex Kaiserman Oxford Univ. Phil/Physics
Emre Keskin Univ. of South Florida Philosophy
Anna Ijjas Harvard/Rutgers Physics
Christian Loew Univ. of North Carolina Philosophy
Saman Majd Physics
Casey McCoy UCSD Philosophy
Michael Miller Pittsburgh Univ. Philosophy
Thomas Moller-Nielsen Oxford Univ Phil/Physics
Elliot Nelson Penn State Physics
Chloe Park Columbia Philosophy
Williams Porter Columbia Univ. Philosophy
Matthew Pusey Imperial Univ. Physics
Joseph Rachiele Princeton Univ. Philosophy
Charles Sebens Michigan Phil/Physics
Arianne Shahvisi Cambridge Univ Philosophy
Olla Solomyak NYU Philosophy
Clément Stahl Oxford Univ. Phil/Physics
Ward Struyve Rutgers Philosophy
Manus Visser Amsterdam Phil/Physics
Tiziana Vistarini Rutgers Univ.  Philosophy
Max Wainwright UCSC Physics
Christopher Weaver Rutgers Univ.  Philosophy
Alastair Wilson Birmingham Univ. Philosophy

 

Registration

Registration is $300, and students will need to pay $801 for housing by June 7.

Please register here for housing

Students who will be receiving an honorarium from Rutgers will need to fill out a W9 form and send it to Jean Urteil, either electronically (jurteil@philosophy.rutgers.edu), by fax (732-932-8617), or by mail (below).  Please include "Summer Institute" as the subject of faxes and emails.

Any questions regarding registration may be directed to Sue Grasso at hipacc@ucsc.edu or by phone at 831-459-1531

Message Boards

We have created a message board to discuss lectures, exchange contact information, share travel, and more!

Link: http://ipc.boardhost.com/