[Vdp] Boris Kožnjak, "Metaphysical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics: An Aristotelian Perspective" - Physics meets Philosophy

Dear all, You are hereby invited to the next "Physics meets Philosophy" talk by Boris Kožnjak (Institute of Philosophy, Zagreb) Title: Metaphysical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics: An Aristotelian Perspective (see abstract below) Date: June 5th (Thursday) Time: 13:30-15:00 Location: IQOQI Seminar room (Boltzmanngasse 3, 2nd floor) Zoom link (for those that cannot join in person): https://univienna.zoom.us/j/62865750030?pwd=Fe2gRi4waS8oramaalaIP2zvDPdLfb.1 Abstract: Since the earliest days of quantum mechanics in the 1920s, efforts have been made to establish its metaphysical foundations. One of the earliest of these was proposed by Werner Heisenberg, one of the theory’s founding figures, who suggested that such foundations might be found in Aristotle’s metaphysics, particularly in the concepts of potentiality (dunamis) and actuality (energeia). Although this perspective has since evolved into various dispositional interpretations of quantum mechanics, little attention has been paid to what these metaphysical foundations would indeed look like when grounded in Aristotle’s original philosophy, a project Heisenberg outlined only in broad strokes. Drawing on the author’s previous work, this lecture will explore the historical and philosophical dimensions of an Aristotelian interpretation of quantum mechanics, aiming to remain as faithful as possible to Aristotle’s metaphysical framework. For more information on "Physics meets Philosophy", see https://sites.google.com/view/physphilvienna Best wishes Sebastian