Curriculum Vitae Joshua D. Norton [email protected] www. foundgroundless.com (last updated 12/28/14) EDUCATION University of California, San Diego B.A. Pure Mathematics, June 2006 University of Illinois at Chicago M.S. Physics, 2014 University of Illinois at Chicago Ph.D. (Dissertation: Quantum Ontology, ABD spring 2015) Supervised by Nick Huggett AOS AOC Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Physics Logic, Epistemology, Philosophy of Religion HONORS UIC, Provost Award (Competitive travel award, 2009) UIC, Invited Participant, Geneva Summer School: Philosophy of Physics (2009) UIC, Ruth Barcan Marcus award (Outstanding member of the graduate program, 2013) UIC, Chancellor’s award (Competitive interdisciplinary project award 2014 and 2015) UIC, Dean’s Scholar award (Dissertation fellowship 2014-2015) PUBLICATIONS (1) “Weak Discernibility for Quanta, The Right Way,” in British Journal for the Philosophy of Science (2013), with Nick Huggett. (2) “Weak Discernibility and Relations Between Quanta,” in Philosophy of Science, forthcoming, (2015) TALKS (1) “Time Travel,” at the Vicious Circle, UIC (2013) (2) “Weak Discernibility and Relations Between Quanta,” at the PSA (2014) (3) ‘’No Time for Problems” at Beyond Spacetime II (March, 2015) CURRENT PROJECTS TEACHING EXPERIENCE (1) “The Hole Argument Against Everything” (2) “Loop Quantum Ontology: abstract physical objects” (3) “Loop Quantum Ontology: emerging time and local geometry” UIC, Intro to Logic, Primary instructor 3 semesters, T.A. 5 semesters. UIC, Intro to Philosophy, Primary instructor 2 semesters, T.A. 1 semester. UIC, Intro to Philosophy of Science, co-instructed 1 semester. UIC, Intermediate Philosophy of Science, Primary instructor 2 semesters. UIC, Advanced Logic, Primary instructor 2 semesters UIC, Ethics and the Law, Primary instructor 1 semester. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES BOOK REVIEWS Philosophy of Science Association 2008-current Chicagoland Philosophy of Physics Colloquia 2008-current American Philosophical Association 2013-current Referee: Foundations Of Physics (2014-current) (1) Rickles, Dean (ed.) The Ashgate Companion to Contemporary Philosophy of Physics, Heythrop Journal 52 (2):304-305 (2011) Shorter Dissertation Abstract Quantum Ontology In “Quantum Ontology” I explore the ontological status of various quantum systems. The dissertation addresses the status of: entangled systems in standard quantum mechanics and quantum-space-time in loop quantum gravity (LQG). With respect to entangled systems, I argue that we are not justified in predicating relational properties of them; in particular, I argue that we are not justified in claiming that particles in the singlet state of spin have opposite spin. This is important for philosophers since Leibniz’s principle of the identity of indiscernibles comes under attack in the presence of such quantum systems. In the context of loop quantum gravity, I provide a physical interpretation of the mathematics which avoids the inconsistencies present in the received account. Two surprising benefits of this project are that the “problem of time” dissolves and the theory of LQG is seen to be committed to the existence of abstract physical objects. With regard to the ontological commitments of LQG, the usual criteria for being an abstract object fail: there are physical systems which are neither in space-time nor are causal. (See below for the Longer Dissertation Abstract).
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