Grete hermann workshop

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CHPSTM Workshop on: ‘Grete Hermann: between physics and philosophy’

Divinity Library, King's College, University of Aberdeen, 5-6 May 2012

Grete Hermann (1901-1984) was a pupil of mathematical physicist Emmy Noether and follower and coworker of neo-Kantian philosopher Leonard Nelson. Although most of her activities focused on ethics, politics and education, she is also known for her work on the philosophy of modern physics in the 1930s. Her best-known work in this field appeared in 1935, after months of intense discussions with Werner Heisenberg and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker in Leipzig. Hermann’s avowed aim was to counter the perceived threat to the Kantian notion of causality stemming from the new quantum mechanics. She not only succeeded to her satisfaction, but also discussed in depth the question of ‘hidden variables’ (including the first critique of von Neumann’s alleged impossibility proof) and provided an extensive analysis of Bohr’s notion of complementarity. This work also appears to shed considerable light on some of Heisenberg’s views at the time. It places her in the first rank among philosophers who wrote about modern physics in the first half of the last century. Nevertheless, Hermann is a relatively little-known figure (especially in the English-speaking world).

This workshop aims to reassess Grete Hermann’s work in the philosophy of physics, and attempt to place it in the context of her wider work. It brings together physicists and historians and philosophers of physics with interests relating to Hermann, philosophers working in/on the Nelsonian tradition, and even a personal friend from Hermann’s wartime period as a refugee in Britain.

The workshop will take place on the main campus of the University of Aberdeen, situated in Old Aberdeen, away from the city centre. You can find maps of the University campus at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/maps/old-aberdeen-download.php Talks are in the Divinity Library (number 29 on the map).

It is planned to record the workshop for the Archive of Mathematical Sciences and Philosophy (http://www.archmathsci.org/).

Registration is free, but due to space limitations, please email Dr G. Bacciagaluppi if you wish to attend.

The workshop is made possible through the generous support of the Centre for History and Philosophy of Science, Technology and Medicine (University of Aberdeen), the School of Divinity, History and Philosophy (University of Aberdeen), the Scots Philosophical Association, and the Mind Association.

Organisers:

Guido Bacciagaluppi and Elise Crull (University of Aberdeen)

Invited participants (confirmed):

Roberto Angeloni (University of Cagliari)

Thomas Filk (Institut für Grenzgebiete der Psychologie und Psychohygiene, Freiburg)

Mélanie Frappier (University of King's College, Halifax)

Martin Jähnert (Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin)

Dieter Krohn (Philosophisch-Politische Akademie)

Fernando Leal Carretero (University of Guadalajara)

Giulia Paparo (University of Utrecht)

Rene Saran (Society for Furtherance of Critical Philosophy)

Gregor Schiemann (University of Wuppertal)

Michiel Seevinck (University of Nijmegen)

Patricia Shipley (Birkbeck College, London)

Léna Soler (Archives Henri Poincaré, Nancy)

See below for Schedule:

Final Schedule

Suggested accommodation:

Here are a few B&Bs/guest houses close by.

The Alba Guest House:
http://www.albaguesthouse.co.uk/

The Arkaig Guest House:
http://www.arkaig.co.uk/

The Ashgrove Guest House:
http://guide.visitscotland.com/vs/guide/5,en,SCH1/objectId,ACC5202Svs,curr,GBP,season,at1,selectedEntry,home/home.html#contactDetails
The Brentwood Villa Guest House:
http://www.brentwoodvillabandb.com/

The Jays Guest House:
http://www.jaysguesthouse.co.uk/index.htm

Lillian Cottage:
http://www.lilliancottage.com/

Or see http://guide.visitscotland.com/ and search in 'Aberdeen'.

Other general information:
(1) Weather: Aberdeen is the sunniest city in Scotland, and there are many hours of daylight in May. You should not expect high temperatures, however.

(2) Getting Here:
By train: There is one train station in Aberdeen, on the main Edinburgh to Inverness line. The station is located in the city centre. The easiest buses to take to the university (mostly from Union Street) are numbers 1, 2, 19, 20 and 40 (number 40 is slightly quicker). The fare to the university is £2.00 (exact change needed).

By air: The airport is Aberdeen Dyce (ABZ), a few miles NW of the city, with direct links to several other U.K. airports and some European airports, principally Amsterdam and Paris.(Flights via Amsterdam tend to be somewhat cheaper than flights via Paris.)

There are taxi ranks at the train station and airport. A taxi from the airport (the most convenient option from there) to the University costs approximately £15 – £20. A taxi from the station costs approximately £6 - £10. Taxis can be ordered from:
Rainbow/Bucksburn Taxis 01224 878787
Comcabs 01224 353535
Central Taxis 01224 898989

By car: Entering the city from the south or west, follow signs for the A90 (Fraserburgh and Peterhead). This leads round the ring road (Anderson Drive). Exiting from a roundabout (signed Old Aberdeen) onto Cairncry Road, continue to follow the A90 signs through two further roundabouts onto St. Machar Drive. After a third roundabout, the road bisects Old Aberdeen and local signs will direct you to University sites. From the north, Old Aberdeen is signposted on the A96 (from Dyce and Inverness) and on the A90 (from Peterhead). Parking at the university is by permit only during the week, but there are no restrictions between Friday 4pm and Monday 10am.

(3) Internet Access while at the University:
Wireless internet access is available in most buildings on campus. Visitors from participating institutions (essentially U.K. universities) can connect to the eduroam network when visiting Aberdeen by using credentials provided by their home institution. Guest IDs and passwords will be available for other participants. More information can be found at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/wireless/index.shtml

(4) Banks: Most banks are closed on Saturdays and all day Sunday. There is a Bank of Scotland on campus, which has an ATM, this is located in the High Street. There is also an ATM machine outside 'The Hub' on campus.

(5) Restaurants: Old Aberdeen is a very quiet place, with no restaurants. If you fancy a walk across the beautiful Seton Park and over the mediaeval Brig o'Balgownie (or taking buses 1 or 2 heading N over the river Don), you will find the Shish Tandoori (and a Chinese I have not tried yet). For other restaurants, you will have to make your way to the city centre. The closest in that direction, almost at the other end of King's Street is Manzil (also Indian). Turning into Union Street and then left into the Adelphi passage there is Goulash (a bit weird but good, Hungarian of course). In the streets to the North side of Union Street you will find a Pizza Express (Belmont Street), Nargile (a very good Turkish on Skene Street), and Pasta Plus, a tiny delicatessen in the Rosemount district that also serves very genuine meals, and arguably the only good espresso in town (I am not sure whether they serve in the evenings, though). On the South of Union Street, off Crown Street, you will find Cafe Boheme, a French restaurant and a favourite with CHPSTM events. Back on Union Street going West there is a further Pizza Express, and Cinnamon (another Indian). Some way off the far end of Union Street, Malmaison (Queen's Road) has good Scots/international food. Fish is a specialty of course, and for the adventurous who will want to explore the unusual former fishing village of Footdee (pronounced Fittee) at the mouth of the river Dee, the Silver Darling is reputed to be the best restaurant in town.

For those on a tight budget, there are a few take-aways on the roundabout at the NE corner of campus (notably the L.A. Tandoori), and lots more in the centre of town.

You can get links to a range of restaurants from http://www.webcafe.co.uk/ most of which provide a sample menu and an indication of price.

(6) Second-hand Bookshops: Aberdeen is not Edinburgh, and to our shame we only have two second-hand bookshops (apart from the Oxfam Bookshop). You will find the Old Aberdeen Bookshop if you take the High Street/College Bounds heading S. In the centre, look out for Books and Beans, on Belmont Street. For details, see http://www.inprint.co.uk/thebookguide/shops/scotland/aberdeen.shtml

(7) Smoking: Please note there is no smoking allowed in any enclosed public area in Scotland.

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