S.M. (Simon) Friederich, Dr
Research interests
I have very diverse research interests. The following is a broad overview of them that gives you an impression of my main philosophical ideas and preferences.
Philosophy of physics
I am intrigued by the challenge to make sense of quantum theory. In this video for "University of the Netherlands", I explain why this is such a fascinating challenge and outline the types of reactions to it that have been proposed:
Why does nobody understand quantum physics?
I have recently started to develop a new approach to quantum
foundations, based on the phase space formulation of quantum
theory, see here. Since 2023
I work on a research project "Saving Reality with Exotic
Causality", funded by an NWO Vidi grant, to work on this approach.
I have a particular interest in accounts that postulate
retrocausality to solve the foundational problems of quantum theory
and related strategies, see here
for a review article that I wrote with Pete Evans on such
approaches and their motivation for the Stanford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy. An excellent brief account of my earlier work on
quantum theory has been writtenis by Richard Healey's in his
SEP-entry "Quantum-Bayesian
and Pragmatist Views of Quantum Theory", Section 5.1. My papers
concerning the prospects for epistemic accounts of quantum states
can be found here, here,
here, here, and a paper
concerning the compatibility of (so-called) non-local quantum
correlations with relativity theory here.
My monograph "Interpreting
Quantum Theory -- A Therapeutic Approach" brings together all
the different threads of my earlier work on quantum theory. It was
reviewed for Erkenntnis
by Florian Boge.
In addition, the significance of symmetries and symmetry breaking
in physics have intrigued me, in particular how symmetries connect
to questions of identity among physical states (here) and what it
actually means for different types of symmetries to be
spontaneously broken (here, here). I was guest
editor of a special section on philosophical perspectives on
particle physics after the Higgs discovery in Studies in
History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, together with Dennis
Lehmkuhl, see here.
Philosophy of technology
In the last few years I have become active in the philosophy of technology. I have worked on challenges posed by advanced AI systems, when it comes to liberal democracy and scientific progress. Together with Jonathan Symons I have developed an argument as to why sustainability is at best of limited help as an investment criterion for safeguarding the future. Elsewhere we point out a tension between global energy justice and local democracy. Together with Maarten Boudry I have developed a new argument as to why nuclear energy use can be ethically mandated in light of climate change. At my own university and at LMU Munich I have given courses and talks (e.g. here) on "existential risks", i.e. risks that threaten the extinction of humanity itself. Together with Emilie Aebischer I reviewedToby Ord's book "The Precipice" on existential risks.
"Epistemology of the Multiverse"
Until summer 2019 I was working on a research project "Epistemology of the Multiverse", funded by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) through a Veni grant. The project explored the prospects for empirically testing theories according to which the laws of nature and the constants vary across space-time or even across universes that together form a "multiverse". Easily accessible introductions to the themes of the projects can be found here and here. Often a "fine-tuning" for life of the laws and constants of nature is claimed to provide evidence that we live in a multiverse. I give an overview of that debate in my article on "Fine-tuning" for the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. A systematic overview of all my thoughts and reflection on these topics will be found in my forthoming book "Multiverse Theories: A Philosophical Perspective", which will appear in 2020 with Cambridge University Press.
General philosophy of science
Some of my work on quantum theory has a direct bearing on questions with a general relevance for philosophy of science, in particular concerning the nature of objective probabiliy and causation (here). Together with Koray Karaca and theoretical physicist Robert Harlander I wrote a paper on the notion "ad hoc hypothesis" and its application to methodological issues concerning the Higgs mechanism, in particular the violation of "naturalness" (here).
Epistemology
My work in epistemology focuses on problems of rational self-locating belief, a topic that has a bearing on diverse issues, from everyday contexts to the evaluation of cosmological theories. Two papers of mine in this field (here and here) explore the relevance of an epistemic agent's causal context and the appearance of anomalous causal powers according to some suggested accounts of self-locating belief.
Energy, ethics, sustainability and global risks
I have recently started to work on energy, ethics, sustainability, and global risks. At my own university and at LMU Munich I give courses and talks (e.g. here) on "existential risks", i.e. risks that threaten the extinction of humanity itself. I am currently working on an article on the ethics of nuclear energy deployment (see also my "Further Interests") together with Maarten Boudry, and on an article on dynamical accounts of sustainability with Jonathan Symons.
Philosophy of Mathematics
To understand mathematics and mathematical activity, it is crucial to have a clear view of the functioning of mathematical language. I am tempted by Wittgenstein's idea that mathematical language has an essentially normative, rather than descriptive, mode of use. Whereas Wittgenstein applied this perspective on mathematics predominantly with an eye on applications of mathematics, I argue that it fits surprisingly well with the modern axiomatic approach to pure mathematics (here). As I see it, such a Wittgensteinian approach to mathematical language supports deflationary perspectives on mathematical truth and mathematical objects (in German). Inasmuch as a structuralist view of mathematical objects is compatible with such perspectives, I think that it can and should be extended to meta-mathematics (here).
Physics
As a PhD student in physics I co-authored three papers on high-temperature superconductivity and its relation to anti-ferromagnetism in a simple model of fermions on a lattice, the so-called Hubbard model (see here for the final installment of the series). This work is based on a renormalization group approach to the development of which my physics PhD supervisor Christof Wetterich made decisive contributions.
Further Interests
You can find information about my further interests and activities here on my personal webpage.