I was born in Milan in 1965. After obtaining my degree in mathematics from ETH Zurich and my doctorate in philosophy from the University of Cambridge, I was Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Cambridge, and at Balliol College, Oxford. I was Junior Lecturer at Oxford University, Assistant Professor at the University of California at Berkeley, Humboldt Fellow at the University and the IGPP of Freiburg, CNRS Researcher at the IHPST in Paris, and Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Time of the University of Sydney before coming to Aberdeen first as Senior Lecturer, then (since August 2011) Reader in Philosophy.

^ top

Research Interests

My main field of research is the philosophy of physics, in particular the philosophy of quantum theory. I also work on the history of quantum theory and have published a book on the 1927 Solvay conference (together with A. Valentini). My Ph.D. was on the so-called modal interpretation of quantum theory, but I have been working since on a variety of other approaches. I am also interested in the foundations of probability and in issues of time symmetry and asymmetry.

^ top

Current Research

My largest research project at present is a new book, together with my postdoc Elise Crull, with the provisional title 'The Einstein Paradox': The debate on nonlocality and incompleteness in 1935. As with my earlier book on the fifth Solvay conference, this project lies between history of quantum mechanics and philosophy of quantum mechanics. Further current work includes projects on non-equilibrium in Nelson's stochastic mechanics, decoherence and its relation to time symmetry, probabilities in quantum theory, and the figure and work of Grete Hermann.

^ top

Research Grants

Leverhulme Research Project (2011-2013) on '"The Einstein Paradox": the debate on nonlocality and incompleteness in 1935'.

^ top

Teaching Responsibilities

Postgraduate coordinator in philosophy.

Programme co-ordinator: M.Litt. in Philosophy. Programme co-co-ordinator: M.Litt. in History and Philosophy of Science (with Ben Marsden).

PG courses: Philosophy Proseminar, Work in Progress Seminar, Philosophy of Physics.

UG courses [not 2011-2013]: Philosophy of Science (level 2), Philosophy of Time (level 3), Philosophy of Physics (level 4).

^ top

External Responsibilities

Co-director of the philosophy of physics team (director Dennis Dieks) within the ESF Research Networking Programme 'Philosophy of Science in a European Perspective'.

Associate Member of IHPST, Paris.

Committee Member of the Scots Philosophical Association.

Trustee of the Archive for Mathematical Sciences and Philosophy.

Associate Editor in philosophy of physics for the British Journal for the Philosophy of Science.

Member of the Editorial Advisory Board, Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics.

^ top

Publications

Working Papers and Discussion Papers

Working Papers

Bacciagaluppi, G. & Crull, E. 'Translation of: W. Heisenberg, ‘Ist eine deterministische Ergänzung der Quantenmechanik möglich?’'.
[Online] AURA: Heis1935_EPR_Final_translation.pdf

Contributions to Journals

Articles

Bacciagaluppi, G. (2013). 'Insolubility Theorems and EPR Argument'. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, vol 3, no. 1, pp. 87-100.
[Online] DOI: 10.1007/s13194-012-0057-7
[Online] AURA: insolubility_absolutely_final_version.pdf
Bacciagaluppi, G. (2012). 'Non-equilibrium in Stochastic Mechanics'. Journal of Physics. Conference Series, vol 361, no. 1.
[Online] DOI: 10.1088/1742-6596/361/1/012017
Bacciagaluppi, G. (2010). 'Collapse Theories as Beable Theories'. Manuscrito, vol 33, no. 1, pp. 19-54.
Bacciagaluppi, G. & Crull, E. (2009). 'Heisenberg (and Schroedinger, and Pauli) on Hidden Variables'. Studies In History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies In History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, vol 40, no. 4, pp. 374-382.
[Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.shpsb.2009.08.004
[Online] AURA: SHPMP_paper_07_10_09.pdf

Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings

Chapters

Bacciagaluppi, G. (2010). 'Probability and Time Symmetry in Classical Markov Processes'. M Suarez (ed.), in: Probabilities, Causes and Propensities in Physics. vol. 347, Synthese Library, vol. 347, Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands, pp. 41-60.
[Online] DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4020-9904-5
[Online] AURA: Bacciagaluppi2010a.pdf
Bacciagaluppi, G. (2009). 'Is Logic Empirical?'. K Engesser, D Gabbay & D Lehmann (eds), in: Handbook of Quantum Logic and Quantum Structures: Quantum Logic. Elsevier Science and Technology, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 49-78.
Bacciagaluppi, G. (2009). 'Leggett's Theorem Without Inequalities'. L Accardi, G Adenier, A Khrennikov, C Fuchs, G Jaeger, J-A Larsson & S Stenholm (eds), in: Foundations of Probability and Physics: 5, Växjö, Sweden 24-27 August 2008. Conference Proceedings, vol. 1101, American Institute of Physics, Melville, NY, USA, pp. 233-240, 5th Conference on Foundations of Probability and Physics, Växjö, Sweden, 24-27 August.
[Online] DOI: 10.1063/1.3109945

Entries for Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Bacciagaluppi, G. (2012). 'The Role of Decoherence in Quantum Mechanics'. in: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University, Stanford.

Conference Proceedings

Bacciagaluppi, G. (2008). 'The Statistical Interpretation according to Born and Heisenberg'. C Joas, C Lehner & J Renn (eds), in: HQ-1: Conference on the History of Quantum Physics. MPIWG Preprint Series, no. 350, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Berlin, Germany, pp. 269-288, HQ-1 Conference on the History of Quantum Physics, Berlin, Germany, 2-6 July.

Books and Reports

Books

Bacciagaluppi, G. & Valentini, A. (2009). 'Quantum Theory at the Crossroads: Reconsidering the 1927 Solvay Conference'. first edn, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

^ top

update | about Staff Pages

‹ back

Centre for History and Philosophy of Science, Technology and Medicine

Edward Wright Building
Dunbar Street

Aberdeen AB24 3QY

Tel: +44 (0)1224 272000

Fax: +44 (0)1224 272000

For Students

For Staff

University Resources