Number of Things
International conference
Venue: Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy
Dates: 6-7 September 2022
How are objects (and processes) individuated and counted? This question raises important issues from contemporary debates often discussed under headings such as individuation, identity and indeterminism. The conference will address the question from multiple perspectives including metaphysics, the philosophy of science, and the philosophy of physics (and QM in particular), with the aim of creating a dialogue across these differing perspectives.
09:00
09:15
10:30
11:00
12:15
13:45
14:45
15:45
16:15
17:30
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09:00
09:15
10:30
11:00
12:15
13:45
15:00
15:30
16:45
Tuesday 6 September
Meet and Greet
Michael Esfeld (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) Quantum physics and the metaphysics of objects
Coffee
Elisa Paganini (Università degli Studi di Milano, IT) Where to look for vague existence
Lunch
Cristian Mariani (Institut Néel, France) Emergent quantum indeterminacy
Leonard Weiss (University of Sheffield, UK) Hegel on individuation
Tea
Massimiliano Carrara (Università di Padova, IT) Is “counting” counting by identity?
Close
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Wednesday 7 September
Meet and Greet
Anna Marmodoro (Durham & Oxford, UK) The number of a thing.
Coffee
Thomas Sattig (University of Tübingen, Germany) Counting and Grounding
Lunch
John Pemberton (LSE, Oxford & Durham, UK) Acting, existence, indeterminism
Tea
Johanna Seibt (Aarhus University, Denmark) Why 'one' and 'the same' is not one and the same
Close
Invited chairpersons
Andrea Bottani (Università di Bergamo)
Giorgio Lando (Università degli Studi dell'Aquila)
Francesco Orilia ​(Università di Macerata)
Sara Papic (Università degli Studi di Milano, IT)
Giuliano Torrengo (Università degli Studi di Milano, IT)
This conference will be open to all and will be held in person.
No advanced registration needed.
The venue is wheelchair accessible. We aim to conform to BPA/SWIP guidelines - please contact the organisers if you would like any further information.
Conference organisers: Anna Marmodoro, Elisa Paganini and John Pemberton - with the assistance of Sara Papic
Contact email: NoTEnquiries@gmail.com
Under the patronage of Università degli Studi di Milano, SIFA (Italian Society for Analytic Philosophy) and XXVth WCP (World Conference of Philosophy).
Abstracts
Massimiliano Carrara: Is “counting” counting by identity?
In (1996: 440) Ted Sider claims that “part of the meaning of “counting” is counting by identity”. Is it true? If it is true identity is involved in general in quantification and, in particular, it is presupposed in the deductive rules of universal quantification of first order logic (see Bueno 2014:329). Aim of the talk is to discuss these theses.
Michael Esfeld: Quantum physics and the metaphysics of objects
In this talk, I'll argue for a conservative ontology of objects also in the context of quantum physics: there is a very large, but presumably finite number of point particles that are individuated by the distance relations in which they stand and the change in these relations. These are absolutely discernible individuals, like classical atoms. Relying on the de Broglie-Bohm-Bell quantum theory, I show how one can give an account of quantum physics, including quantum field theory, on this basis that avoids the usual conceptual problems that plague the metaphysics of quantum physics. Hence, whatever reasons people may have to abandon such a conservative metaphysics of objects, quantum physics is per se no such reason.
Anna Marmodoro (Durham & Oxford, UK): Parts and Number
Elisa Paganini (Università Statale Milano, IT): Where to look for vague existence
John Pemberton (LSE, Oxford & Durham, UK): Acting, existence, indeterminism
In this presentation I shall review a wide range of entities we find in the world that folk and / or science take to be concrete things or processes. I will argue that, contrary to mainstream philosophical views, all such entities (except for the elementary ones) are the acting together of their parts. By this I mean that their parts in concert are bringing about mutual changing in such a way that the acting-together is surviving through time. Such surviving acting-together of parts is what these entities are at each stage. Acting is then, I argue, a principle of physical existence. Understanding existence in this way licenses a precise account of the forms of indeterminism associated with the physical beings that we find in our world.
Thomas Sattig (University of Tübingen, Germany): Counting and Grounding
Johanna Seibt (Aarhus University, Denmark): Why ‘one’ and ‘the same’ is not one and the same
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