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Steve Esser

@steveesser.bsky.social
404 followers 420 following 235 posts

Philosopher (Philsci, Metaphysics). Other interests: effective philanthropy, finance/economics, Philly sports. stephenesser.com

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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 18h
Ready for the season on Bsky. #sixers #nba
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 19h
These pics would fit the meme of senior faculty profile pic vs. IRL
30 yr old man smiling man60 year old smiling man
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
I was fortunate to have checked out the Less Wrong blog in 2009 where I saw EY bullying people about the interpretation of QM of all things (he was 100% off base). Never looked at it again.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
I have a blog post giving a short, informal overview of Relational Quantum Mechanics and its approach to the measurement problem. [I have begun writing a post about RQM and metaphysics, and I decided to lift out the intro so it could be an optional read.] #philsci #philsky
stephenesser.com
RQM and the Measurement Problem – Stephen Esser
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
I'm sorry to hear that physicist Rafael Sorkin has passed away. perimeterinstitute.ca/news/perimet... I thought this video (attached) which features him was a good intro to his work on Casual Set Theory.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Ok, people who know tennis better than me. I noticed the US Open used 4 game sets in the mixed doubles event. Why not best of 5 sets with 4 game sets for singles (men & women)?
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
This is a big one!
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
I blogged about another interesting paper concerning the philosophy of causal set theory by Sam Baron and @baptistelebihan.bsky.social. #philsci #philsky
stephenesser.com
More About the “Causal” in CST – Stephen Esser
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
I have a short post that updates some notes on the topic of enactivist theories of biological autonomy and agency. It is about the notion of "constraint closure" and was prompted by my re-reading of @kathrynnave.eurosky.social 's excellent recent book. #philsci #philsky
stephenesser.com
Constraint Closure and Autonomy – Stephen Esser
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
Who’d a thunk it?
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
New Paper! Some argue that a process ontology is needed to accommodate biology. John Dupré also suggests that causal process theories are more applicable to biology than appreciated. "Turning Salmon's causal theory into process ontology" develops this idea further... (1/2) #philsci #philsky
link.springer.com
Turning Salmon’s causal process theory into process ontology - Synthese
There is a contemporary movement among philosophers, inspired by biology, to advocate for a process-based metaphysics. These theorists argue that standard approaches (object or substance-based) are in...
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 07/07/2026
New Paper! Some argue that a process ontology is needed to accommodate biology. John Dupré also suggests that causal process theories are more applicable to biology than appreciated. "Turning Salmon's causal theory into process ontology" develops this idea further... (1/2) #philsci #philsky
link.springer.com
Turning Salmon’s causal process theory into process ontology - Synthese
There is a contemporary movement among philosophers, inspired by biology, to advocate for a process-based metaphysics. These theorists argue that standard approaches (object or substance-based) are in...
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 04/07/2026
Looking thru old pics- I found Bicentennial me.
Faded old photo of a boy dressed in colonial era garb.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 23/05/2026
I have a very brief post up about reading Frances Egan's book and side-quest musing on the mind-body problem. (Key graf is in screen-shot). stephenesser.com/note-on-egan... #philsky
But It got me wondering: what does even the minimal conclusion—that experience has a qualitative character—say about the mind-body problem? Not a whole lot, because it doesn’t speak to the other dimension of the so-called “hard problem of consciousness”, which is why there is subjective perceptual experience to begin with. It does not license dualism or panpsychism. On the other hand, even if you think, as I do, that the subjective/agential character of conscious experience will succumb to a naturalistic explanation, then we are left with the following: we can rule out a notion of physicalism that denies the world has any qualitative character (i.e. it can be exhaustively and satisfyingly explained by formal or mathematical treatment). Of course, “physicalism” doesn’t need to be committed to this, although most of the time this issue is not confronted head-on (Daniel Stoljar has what I found to be the clearest discussion of how this plays out when trying to offer positive definitions of physicalism).
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 06/05/2026
This is a good contribution. I don't think you need to be a fan of phenomenology to understand the nature of LLMs, but it seems to help! #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 03/05/2026
I was a college freshman last time the #76ers beat the Celtics in the playoffs. Heart rate still elevated.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 30/04/2026
Very rich and interesting paper. I especially found useful the discussion of how dynamical models typically abstract away from the important features that underlie biological autonomy.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
MP Tiny Desk! m.youtube.com/watch?v=mA_f...
m.youtube.com
Mannequin Pussy: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 10/04/2026
Nice to have a digestible video all about Causal Set Theory. #physics #quantumgravity #philsci youtu.be/5EoZE1rOHAo?...
youtu.be
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 24/03/2026
Great discussion here. #philsci #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 15/03/2026
Much needed new album from Surfbort! Dani Miller and the gang deliver catchy punk with lyrics that are droll, sometimes silly, but with tons of heart. #punkrock www.todomusic.net/release/5555...
todomusic.net
SURFBORT - Reality Star. TODO.
Buy Reality Star by SURFBORT on TODO.
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Giving Green @givinggreen.earth · 02/03/2026
📽️ UPCOMING WEBINAR Biodiversity loss is accelerating. How can limited philanthropic funding have an outsized impact? Join us on Mar. 17 for the launch of our new biodiversity giving research to find out. FT. @gfi.org, @fairrinitiative.bsky.social & more. Sign up: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 18/02/2026
Great article!
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 01/02/2026
Amazing that most of my favorite albums of the last 2 years were produced by this Philly guy!
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
This is a great event if you know any undergrads that might want to participate. #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
An interesting paper arguing that recent research on host-microbiome relations (= "holobiont") creates difficulties for the enactivist program's core notions of autopoesis and autonomy. Doesn't seem like an insuperable challenge, but some work is probably needed here. #philsky #philsci
philpapers.org
Jack Alan Reynolds & Jan Baedke, From Autopoiesis to Symbiotic Entanglement: Rethinking Enactivism Through Metabolism and Microbes - PhilPapers
Enactivism has recently faced criticism for either leaning too heavily on philosophical speculation without clear scientific grounding, or relying on quite old empirical work in cognitive science, esp...
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Wow. This #Indiana football team is a remarkable sports story.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
I used to post a fair amount on my old blog in the early 2000's. Mostly philosophy but sometimes other topics, too. Here's an example from exactly 20 years ago. Appropriate for Xmas -- talks about reading books on the quest for the historical Jesus. (unfortunately some of the links are kaput).
guidetoreality.blogspot.com
John P. Meier's Quest for Jesus
This is a new topic for this blog, prompted by my recent re-reading of the three volumes of John P. Meier ’s A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the ...
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The GPPC @thegppc.bsky.social · 11/12/2025
Call for Papers! On April 18, 2026, the University of Delaware will host the annual GPPC Undergraduate Conference. Papers (less than 2000 words) may be submitted on any topic of philosophical interest. The deadline for submission is 1/31/26. See additional information on the flyer.
The Greater Philadelphia Philosophy Consortium Undergraduate Conference Call for Papers
On April 18, 2026 the University of Delaware will host the 36th annual GPPC Undergraduate Conference.  Undergraduates are invited to submit papers of less than 2000 words on any topic of philosophical interest.
The deadline for paper submission is January 31, 2026. Notices of acceptance will be sent by March 1, 2026.
Papers should be prepared as a PDF document to be reviewed anonymously. Please include a cover page with your name, university affiliation, and the paper title. Do not include any identifying information in the body of your paper, except for the title.
Please send your papers & questions to: thegppc@gmail.com
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
Since I had put this out there I need to add one more: the Die Spitz debut album (from September). Powerful young band: 3 of the members trade off lead vocals and principal songwriting, covering multiple punk/hard rock styles. #punkrock
diespitz.bandcamp.com
Something To Consume, by Die Spitz
11 track album
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 06/12/2025
I do think 'panqualityism' is the more defensible cousin of panpsychism. This implies that one sees subjectivity/agency ultimately succumbing to scientific explanation, but also that the natural world has a qualitative character that outruns our abstract models of its causal web.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
A short post for giving season. stephenesser.com/top-charity-...
stephenesser.com
Top Charity Funds – Stephen Esser
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
This was well done. A really interesting look at an example of GiveWell decision-making this year.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
The old man guild said I can now wear this hat.
Selfie of man in black coat with a flat cap.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 18/11/2025
Crazy stuff.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Enjoyed this paper. Hard to see how one can do philosophy of mind or cognitive science while remaining innocent of biology. #philsci #philsky
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Giving Green @givinggreen.earth · 05/11/2025
🎊📣 New climate giving research & Top Climate Nonprofits just dropped! 📣🎊 Plus, we’re proud to announce $26M in grants to high-impact climate nonprofits, our largest grant cycle yet. 🔎Learn more: tinyurl.com/bdem7mh4 #ClimatePhilanthropy #EffectiveGiving #Decarbonization
tinyurl.com
Giving Green Announces $26 Million for High-Impact Climate Solutions, 2025-2026 Top Climate Nonprofits, and New Grantees | Giving Green
We are thrilled to announce $26 million in grants to high-impact climate nonprofits—the largest grantmaking cycle in our fund’s history.
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Joey Politano🏳️‍🌈 @josephpolitano.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
The beautiful trains of Philadelphia Pennsylvania
A picture of a PCC streetcar in Philadelphia Pennsylvania A picture of a 36 eastwick trolley exiting the tunnel in Philly A picture of a PATCO train rumbling across the Ben Franklin bridge A picture of ACELA, Northeast corridor, and freight rail trains at a yard in Philadelphia
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
First 4 games for the #Sixers have been crazily entertaining.
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Giving Green @givinggreen.earth · 06/10/2025
We’re flying the nest! 🦋 Giving Green is now an independent nonprofit, with a fresh brand & site to match. Huge thanks to IDinsight for supporting our growth since we were a side project 💚 Learn more: tinyurl.com/yc5eyvx6
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
Thoughtful essay grounded in understanding of history of Christianity and Judaism from Adam.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 13/09/2025
This is the way.
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The GPPC @thegppc.bsky.social · 11/09/2025
Sept. 19-20: Retirement conference in honor of Gary Hatfield at UPenn. Speakers include Aleksandra Igdalova, Rolf-Peter Horstmann, Ben Baker, Peter Schwartz, Louise Daoust, and Uljana Feest. For those interested in attending, RSVP here: upenn.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_... #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Not teaching is no defense against being spammed by Canvas/infrastructure as a new semester begins. #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 03/09/2025
Starting reading the new Emily Adlam monograph on QM. Very pumped up about it. #philsci
global.oup.com
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 28/08/2025
A positive for me right now is that I haven't been as excited about new music in a long time. For me, this is punk(ish) and harder guitar-driven rock. Most bands I love now are led by women - this is their time it seems. Here’s a thread of bands w/recent outstanding albums. 1/6 #rockmusic #punkrock
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
Happy one year anniversary of me submitting a paper to a philosophy journal. A couple weeks later it was sent out to reviewers. *The reviews have not been returned* PS: I am fortunate: this isn’t doing me harm since I’m not working in academia. OTOH I’m getting old! #philsci #philsky
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
This is a fresh (to me) and apt perspective on this topic. Great work!
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Our World in Data @ourworldindata.org · 28/07/2025
In a new article, @hannahritchie.bsky.social and @spoonerf.bsky.social look at why there are such large differences in TB death rates, and what can be done to consign tuberculosis to the history books, everywhere: ourworldindata.org/ending-tuber...
ourworldindata.org
The world left its fight against tuberculosis unfinished — how can we complete the job?
If we get it right, the world could save more than 1.2 million lives every year.
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Steve Esser @steveesser.bsky.social · 17/07/2025
Great series of posts! #philsci
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