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Al Wilson

@modalizing.bsky.social
358 followers 253 following 11 posts

Philosopher at Leeds, besotted dad, and general utility monster.

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Reposted by Al Wilson
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science @thebjps.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
If you missed this year's BSPS annual conference, fear not! By the power of technology, we bring you Eleanor Knox's keynote talk, 'The Scale (and Context) Relativity of Spacetime Structure' youtu.be/pAQVXHcZXiY #philsci #philsky
youtu.be
Eleanor Knox, 'The Scale (and Context) Relativity of Spacetime Structure'
Keynote address delivered in July 2026 at the annual conference of the British Society for the Philosophy of Science #philsci
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Al Wilson @modalizing.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Hello philosophers - I've written an introduction to philosophy of physics (100K words) for Routledge. I'll be finalizing it around end of summer and am keen to take soundings as to how it could be made more useful for students and teachers. Please comment below if you'd like a copy of the MS!
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Leeds Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science @hpsleeds.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Another exciting event coming up at the Leeds centre for HPS in July
hpsleeds.wordpress.com
Workshop on Emily Adlam’s “Saving Science from Quantum Mechanics”
Schedule: 11.00 – 11.10                    Welcome – Alastair Wilson (Leeds) 11.10 – 12.10                    “Ways of Closing the Circle” – Margherita Moro (Leeds) and Alastair Wilson (Leeds) 12.10 – 13.30 Lunch 13.30 – 14.30                    Comments on Adlam – Lina Jansson (Nottingham) 14.30 – 15.30                    “Epistemic Solutions for Epistemic Problems?” – Lucy Mason (Pittsburgh) 15.30 – 16.00 Break 16.00 – 17.00                    “Future directions in Epistemology of QM” – Emily Adlam (Chapman University)
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Nicholas Emmerson @nicemm.bsky.social · 08/06/2026
Hot off the press, my latest article wades into the quagmire that is debate between generalists/particularists about moral principles. I defend a novel(ish) position which I call "moral invariantism". I'm told it'll be open-access for the next three months at the link below.
scholarlypublishingcollective.org
Moral Invariantism
Abstract. Traditional debate concerning the existence of moral principles has been dominated by two opposing positions. Moral generalists maintain that moral principles, characterized as exceptionless...
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Reposted by Al Wilson
British Journal for the Philosophy of Science @thebjps.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
From the new issue: Theoretical Relicts: Progress, Reduction, and Autonomy – Katie Robertson & Alastair Wilson Abstract in alt text or read it here (open access): www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/10.1086/... #philsci #philsky
ABSTRACT. Sometimes when a physical theory is abandoned, its theoretical entities continue to be used. What should scientific realists say about these entities? The usual answer is that they are useful fictions. We offer a different answer. We start by distinguishing horizontal reduction from vertical reduction. We describe a verticalization procedure that transforms horizontal reductions into vertical reductions. We identify a sense in which the higher-level theory describes distinct subject matters from the lower-level theory, enabling in certain cases the higher-level theory to retain distinctive explanatory power even in the presence of reduction. We suggest that theoretical entities from superseded theories should be retained in a scientific realist account when, reinterpreted as higher-level abstractions, those theories and their entities perform distinctive work in providing the best explanation for less fundamental phenomena of interest. Or: a good relict is an emergent relict.
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Pekka Väyrynen @vayrynen.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
📣JOB ALERT📣 Lectureship in Liberal Arts and Philosophy/Religion at University of Leeds. We are looking for an academic at Philosophy/Religion interface to run our Liberal Arts BA programme. Closing date: 01 February 2026. More info at: jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx... #Philosophy #PhilosophyJobs
jobs.leeds.ac.uk
Job Opportunity at University of Leeds: Lectureship in Liberal Arts and Religion/Philosophy (Teaching and Research)
Are you an academic with the ambition and proven abilities to carry out research and teaching in Liberal Arts, at the interface of Religion and/or Philosophy? Are you an enthusiastic and innovative ed...
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Reposted by Al Wilson
British Society for the Philosophy of Science @thebsps.bsky.social · 06/11/2025
The rumours are true: Leeds is hosting BSPS 2026! Make sure you put the date in your calendars (21-23 July) and, while you're at it, consider submitting a symposium proposal (CFS closes on 14th January 2026)! www.thebsps.org/news/bsps-an...
thebsps.org
Annual Conference | 2025
The BSPS Annual Conference takes place on 15-17 July 2025 at the University of Glasgow
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Pekka Väyrynen @vayrynen.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
CFP: The Leeds Analytic Philosophy Graduate Conference, 20-21 April 2026. Abstract submission deadline 15 Nov 2025. Each speaker will present for 30 minutes followed by a 10-minute faculty response and 20-minute general Q&A. More info: philevents.org/event/show/1.... Spread the word! #philosophy
philevents.org
The Leeds Analytic Philosophy Graduate Conference
The Leeds Analytic Philosophy Graduate Conference (LAP) is the inaugural postgraduate philosophy conference hosted at the University of Leeds, taking place on the 20th-21st of April. We aim to provide...
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Al Wilson @modalizing.bsky.social · 06/05/2025
Can we causally interact with other quantum parallel universes? I wrote about my current research on this question for our Centre for Theoretical Philosophy blog ahc.leeds.ac.uk/centre-theor...
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
Cause and effect in the many worlds of quantum physics
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Leeds Centre for the History and Philosophy of Science @hpsleeds.bsky.social · 03/04/2025
Two Collaborative PhD Studentships in History of Science The Centre for History & Philosophy of Science is offering two fully-funded PhD scholarships to support research in the history of science and gender, and the history of trust in meteorology. The two projects – supported by Collaborative…
hpsleeds.wordpress.com
Two Collaborative PhD Studentships in History of Science
The Centre for History & Philosophy of Science is offering two fully-funded PhD scholarships to support research in the history of science and gender, and the history of trust in meteorology. The two projects – supported by Collaborative Doctoral Awards from the Arts & Humanities Research Council – will offer supervision through project partners including the Royal Society and Cambridge University Library…
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Elsa Kugelberg @elsakugelberg.bsky.social · 17/12/2024
Kal’s book is out!!🚨 In it @kkale.bsky.social explores key questions in the metaphysics of race and discusses prominent accounts in the literature, such as biological racial realism, social constructivism about race, and racial anti-realism. @cambridgeup.bsky.social www.cambridge.org/core/element...
cambridge.org
Metaphysics of Race
Cambridge Core - Epistemology and Metaphysics - Metaphysics of Race
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Al Wilson @modalizing.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
An 18-chapter volume on Levels of Explanation, co-edited with Katie Robertson. It's out in hardback on 31 Dec, but it's also open access and the PDF is already free to download: global.oup.com/academic/pro...
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Al Wilson @modalizing.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
A new short book on science and modality, with Amanda Bryant. Free to download until the end of 2024: www.cambridge.org/core/element...
cambridge.org
Modal Naturalism
Cambridge Core - Epistemology and Metaphysics - Modal Naturalism
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Al Wilson @modalizing.bsky.social · 18/12/2024
Hello Bluesky! I have two new philosophy-of-science shiny things for you to download. See next two posts.
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Reposted by Al Wilson
Ali Boyle @aliboyle.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Philosophers of science - please submit your abstracts and symposium proposals for the British Society for Philosophy of Science 2025 Annual Conference, to be held in Glasgow 15-17 July! Symposium proposals due by 24 Jan, abstracts by 21 Feb. More info here: www.thebsps.org/annual-confe...
thebsps.org
BSPS Annual Conference 2025
The BSPS Annual Conference takes place on 15-17 July 2025 at the University of Glasgow
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