Craig Callender

Professor of Philosophy


Philosophy Department, 0119
University of California, San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0119

Office phone: 858-822-4911

Office: 8077

Email: ccallenderREMOVE@ucsd.REMOVEedu

I joined the UCSD Philosophy Department in Jan 2001 and the Science Studies Program shortly therafter. From 1996-2000 I was Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in the Department of Philosophy, Logic & Scientific Method at the London School of Economics.  Before that, I obtained my PhD from Rutgers University in 1997. 

My main areas of research are:

            • Philosophy of Science                                                                                                                      

• Philosophy of Physics

• Metaphysics                                                                                                  

I also have teaching interests in environmental ethics. I’ve published in philosophy, physics and law journals--a (probably out-of-date) CV can be found by clicking here.  I’m particularly interested in the intersection of time and modern science, the interpretation of quantum mechanics (especially Bohm’s theory), the foundations of statistical mechanics, the metaphysics of science, and various issues about spacetime.  Lately I’ve been working on a large book that tries to show how our manifest image of time (present special, time flowing, etc) might arise in creatures living in a world with time as physics describes it. I've also been writing on phase transitions and the thermodynamic limit (with Tarun Menon), the equivalence principle and quantum gravity (with Elias Okon), and the temporal value asymmetry (with Chris Suhler). 

I'm an active participant in the Southern California Philosophy of Physics Reading Group, the UCSD Philosophy of Physics Research Group and the UCSD Philosophy of Science Reading Group.

This academic year (2011-2012) I'm on an FQXi-sponsored research leave in the Fall, but returning for Winter and Spring quarters. I'll teach undergraduate philosophy of physics (PHIL 146), philosophy and the environment (PHIL 148) and a graduate seminar (on a topic tbd).

What's New: This year I'm speaking at FQXi (Copenhagen), Caltech, and Minnesota, among other places; my law review article with Doug Husak got mentioned (in dissent) by Justice Kennedy (see below); and I'm running a workshop on time, physics and philosophy (more details soon).

 
    "The reciprocal relationship of epistemology and science is of noteworthy kind. They are dependent upon
     each other. Epistemology without contact with science becomes an empty scheme. Science without
     epistemology is—insofar as it is thinkable at all—primitive and muddled."  Einstein

Publications/Preprints/Drafts                            

  1. "Looking at the World Sideways" slides from Sept 2012
  2. "Turn and Face the Strange...Ch-ch-changes: Philosophical Questions Raised by Phase Transitions" with Tarun Menon
  3. "Does Quantum Mechanics Clash with the Equivalence Principle--and Does it Matter?" with Elias Okon, European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 2011.
  4. "Hot and Heavy Matters in the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics", Foundations of Physics, 2011.
  5. "The Past Histories of Molecules", in Claus Beisbart and Stephan Hartmann's (eds) Probabilities in Physics, Oxford University Press, 2011.
  6. "Is Time an Illusion?" Scientific American, June 2010. [Reprinted in SciAm's special edition, A Matter of Time 2012.]
  7. "Metaphysics and Philosophy of Science" in French and Saatsi's Continuum Companion to Philosophy of Science.
  8. "Time's Ontic Voltage" in Routledge's Future of Philosophy of Time, edited by Adrian Bardon.
  9. "The Redundancy Argument Against Bohm's Theory" just something I wrote without any real intention to publish
  10. "What Makes Time Special" submission to FQXi essay contest, http://fqxi.org/community/essay; won third place
  11. "Special Sciences, Conspiracy and the Better Best System Account of Laws", Erkenntnis 2010 73: 427-447, with Jonathan Cohen.
  12. "A Better Best System Account of Lawhood" with Jonathan Cohen, Philosophical Studies 145(1):1-34, 2009.
  13. "The Past Hypothesis Meets Gravity" draft, in Gerhard Ernst and Andreas Hüttemann (eds.): Time, Chance and Reduction. Philosophical Aspects of Statistical Mechanics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  14. "The Metaphysics in Quantum Theory" Compendium of Quantum Physics: Concepts, Experiments, History and Philosophy, edited by F. Weinert, K. Hentschel and D. Greenberger. Springer
  15. "Interview on Philosophy of Physics" Philosophy and Foundations of Physics, Interviews.
  16. "The Common Now" Philsophical Issues 18, 339-361, 2008.
  17. "The Emergence and Interpretation of Probability in Bohmian Mechanics" Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 38, 2007, 351-370.
  18. “On Finding ‘Real’ Time in Quantum Mechanics”Absolute Simultaneity. (Eds) W.L. Craig and Q. Smith. NY: OxfordUniversity Press, 2007.
  19. “There is No Special Problem of Scientific Representation” with Jonathan Cohen, special issue on scientific representation, Theoria, 2006.
  20.  "Time" (for kids!) in World Book Encyclopedia
  21. “An Answer in Search of a Question: ‘Proofs’ of the Tri-Dimensionality of Space” (draft) Studies in History & Philosophy of Modern Physics, 36, 1, March 2005, 113-136.                   
  22. “Time in Physics” Encyclopedia of Philosophy, (draft) 2nd edition.
  23.  “Realist Ennui and Base Rates” Philosophy of Science, 71(3): 320-338. July 2004, with P.D. Magnus.
  24.  “Measures, Explanation and the Past: Should ‘Special’ Initial Conditions Be Explained?” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 2004, 55, 195-217.
  25. “Is There is a Puzzle about the Low Entropy Past?” in Hitchcock, C. (ed.) Contemporary Debates in the Philosophy of Science, chapter 12, Blackwell, 2003.
  26.  “Who’s Afraid of Maxwell’s Demon-and Which One?”Quantum Limits to the Second Law, edited by D. Sheehan, American Institute of Physics, December 2002, pp. 399-407.  Reprinted as “A Collision Between Dynamics and Thermodynamics” in Entropy 2004, 6, 11-20.
  27. “Chapter 8: Philosophy of Space-time Physics” in Blackwell Guide to Philosophy of Science, edited by Peter Machamer and Michael Silberstein, (Basil Blackwell, 2002), with Carl Hoefer, pp. 173-198.
  28. “Taking Thermodynamics (Too) Seriously” Studies in the History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 32, 4, 2001, 539-53.
  29. “Thermodynamic Time Asymmetry” The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2001 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.)
  30. "Why Quantize the Gravitational Field (or any other Field for that Matter)?Philosophy of Science, 68 (Proceedings), 2001, S382-S394, with Nick Huggett
  31. "Humean Supervenience and Rotating Homogeneous Matter"  Mind, 110, Jan. 2000, 25-43.
  32. “Shedding Light on Time” Philosophy of Science (Proceedings), 67, 2000, S587-S599.
  33.  "Is Time 'Handed' in a Quantum World?"Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society, June, 2000, 247-269.
  34. “Introduction” Studies in the History & Philosophy of Modern Physics; 2000, 31B, 2, 129-134.
  35. "Topology Change and the Unity of Space" Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 31B, 2, 2000, 227-246, with R.Weingard.
  36. “Reducing Thermodynamics to Statistical Mechanics: The Case of Entropy” Journal of Philosophy, XCVI, July 1999, 348-373.
  37. “Nonlocality in the Expanding Infinite Well” Foundations of Physics Letters 11, 1998, No. 5, 495-98, with R. Weingard. http://springerlink.metapress.com/content/l63m4u324v874188/
  38. “The View From No-when” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 49, 1998, 135-159.
  39. "What is ‘The Problem of the Direction of Time’”? Philosophy of Science (Supplement), 63, v.2, 1997, 223-34.
  40. "Trouble in Paradise? Problems for Bohm’s Theory” Monist, 1997, 80, 1, 24-43, with R. Weingard.
  41. "Time, Bohm's Theory and Quantum Cosmology” Philosophy of Science, 1996, 63, 470-74, with R. Weingard
  42. "Answer to Question #22" [“Is there a gravitational force or not?,”] American Journal of Physics, 1996, 64,5, 528, with R. Weingard.
  43. "An Introduction to Topology" Monist, 1996, 79, No. 1, 21-33, with R. Weingard.
  44. "Bohmian Cosmology and the Quantum Smearing of the Initial Singularity” Physics Letters A 208, 1995, 59-61, with R. Weingard.
  45. "The Metaphysics of Time Reversal: Hutchison on Classical Mechanics”British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 1995,  46, No. 3, 331.
  46. "Answer to Question #15 [What space scales participate in cosmic expansion?]" American Journal of Physics, 1995, 63,9, 780, with R. Weingard.
  47. "Wilful Ignorance, Knowledge, and the “Equal Culpability” Thesis: A Study of the Deeper Significance of the Principle of Legality” Wisconsin Law Review, 1994, 1, 29-69, with D. Husak. [Cited in Justice Kennedy's dissent in GLOBAL-TECH APPLIANCES, INC. v. SEB S. A. ( No. 10-6 )!]
  48. “A Bohmian Model of Quantum Cosmology” Proceedings of the Philosophy of Science Association 1994, 1, 228-237, with R.Weingard.
  49. "Function, Contemplation, and Eudaimonia” Dialogue (Phi Sigma Tau) 1990, 32, 2/3, 33-9.
 
Book Reviews
  1. "Stephen Hawking Says There is No Theory of Everything" New Scientist, September 2010. (Review of Hawking and Mlodinow's The Grand Design)
  2. "Can the Multiverse Explain Time's Arrow?" New Scientist, January 2010. (Review of Carroll's From Eternity to Here)
  3. "Review of Robin LePoidevin's Images of Time" Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 2008
  4. “Review of M. Jammer's Concepts of Simultaneity" Isis.
  5. "Not So Cool", Metascience, 2007, 16, 147-151.
  6. "Review of J. Butterfield’s Arguments of Time”, Philosophy of Science, July 2005.
  7. “Review of C. Liu and G. Emch’s Logic of Thermo-Statistical Physics”, Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, Sept., 2004, 35, 541-544.
  8. “Review of D. Albert’s Time and Chance” Metascience, 2002, 11, 1, 43-46.
  9. “Review of P. Smith’s Explaining Chaos” Mind, 2001, 439, 839-844.
  10. “Review of J. Earman’s Bangs, Crunches, Whimpers and Shrieks”Philosophical Review, 1998, 107, 142-146.
  11. “Review of J. Cushing, A. Fine and S.Goldstein (eds).  Bohmian Mechanics and Quantum Theory: An Appraisal” British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 1998, 49, 332-337.
  12. “Review of H. Price’s Time’s Arrow and Archimedes’ Point”Metascience, roundtable review, 1997, 11, 68-71.
  13. "Review of M. Dorato's Time and Reality" British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 1997, 48, 117-20.
  14. "Review of S. Savitt's Time's Arrow Today" Canadian Philosophical Reviews, 16, 1, 1996, 59-61.


Other:

FQXi: (video of me speaking in Copenhagen)

Blogginheads.tv (video of me discussing string theory with Woit, quantum mechanics and time's arrow with Maudlin, time w/ Barbour, and the environment w/ Odenbaugh)

Philosophy TV (video of me discussing metaphysics with Schaffer, multiverse and entropy with Carroll)

“Why I Eat Vegetarian Burritos” ppt slides for my Nov 2005 talk at the annual Muir College “Burritos Lecture”, sponsored by Don Carlos Burrito.  It presents the overwhelming case for being vegetarian.  (Most of the pics come from the PETA website.)

 

Books 

Philosophy Meets Physics at the Planck Scale, CUP,2001, edited with Nick Huggett

Time, Reality & Experience, CUP, 2002

Introducing Time, 2001,2004,2010 Totem Books, (Croatian edition, 2003; French edition, Flammarion 2004; Italian edition 2009; Thai edition, 2007; Popular Science review: "a little cracker.." new edition and format)

Oxford Handbook on Philosophy of Time, 2011.

   Software: Microsoft Office  Software: Microsoft Office   Software: Microsoft Office    Software: Microsoft Office croatian cover italian

Teaching

Below are some of the courses I have taught or will teach. Links lead to class webpages, where available:

  1. Philosophy of Physics 146, Winter 2012 (tentative syllabus)
  2. Modality (grad seminar)
  3. Philosophy 26: Science, Society & Values syllabus (Winter 2010: Science v Pseudo-science)
  4. Philosophy 148: Philosophy and the Environment (completely new syllabus! Spring 2011 slides) Phil1482011
  5. Environmental Studies 130 (Spring 2010) Slides
  6. Philosophy 14: Introduction to Philosophy: Metaphysics (Winter 2010) Slides
  7. Philosophy 146: Philosophy of Physics (Fall 2009: Philosophy of Spacetime Physics)
  8. Environmental Studies 130: Social Science (Spring 2009)
  9. Philosophy 115: Philosophical Research Methods: Temporal Reflections (Spring 2009)
  10. Environmental Studies 102 with Naomi Oreskes (Winter 2008)
  11. Heat, Time and Roulette Wheels, with Chris Wuthrich (Spring 2008)
  12. Philosophy 115: Philosophical Methods Seminar: Happiness (Fall 2007)
  13. Phil 146: Philosophy of Physics  Fall 2006: Locality and Determinism in Classical and Quantum Physics
  14. Philosophy 245: The Fundamental Structure of the World (Spring 2006)
  15. Philosophy 146: Philosophy of Physics (Fall 2005: Foundations of Spacetime Physics)
  16. Philosophy 87: Philosophy Through Science Fiction (Fall 2005)
  17. Philosophy 245: The Metaphysics of the Quantum World (Spring 2004)
  18. Philosophy 146: Philosophy of Physics (Fall 2004: Quantum Mechanics)
  19. Freshman Seminar 87: The Nature of Time (Spring 2004)
  20. Philosophy 131: Topics in Metaphysics
  21. Philosophy 146: Philosophy of Physics (Spring 2003: Foundations of Spacetime Physics
  22. Freshman Seminar 87: Geometry, Philosophy & the Fourth Dimension (Spring 2003)
  23. Philosophy 148: Philosophy and the Environment (Fall 2003)

Some of the topics on which I have given graduate seminars include: Modality, The Direction of Time, Philosophy of Physics, the First Year Pro-Seminar, Scientific Realism and the Value of Knowledge, The Metaphysics of the Quantum World, Humean Supervenience, and the Foundations of Statistical Mechanics. .

Conferences

Time, Physics and Philosophy, UCSD, May 2012

PPRG Spring Retreat, James Reserve, April 2009.

PPRG Spring Retreat, James Reserve, June 2008.

Society for Exact Philosophy Annual Conference: UCSD, May 18-21, 2006, organized with Jonathan Cohen.

Philosophy of Science Workshop: UCSD, June 6-7, 2003 Click here.