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I am an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). My primary research interests are philosophy of physics, philosophy of science, and metaphysics. I also have interests in philosophy of mind, decision theory, formal epistemology, philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of religion, and Chinese philosophy.
I am also an associate editor of the journal Foundations of Physics, a fellow of the John Bell Institute for the Foundations of Physics, and an affiliated faculty member of the UCSD Chinese studies program. I have received the Popper Prize for my 2021 BJPS paper on time's arrow, quantum mechanics, and the "Wentaculus." Here is a short summary of the paper. Here is a brief interview about me in the American Philosophical Association (APA) Blog, and a longer interview with Richard Marshall at 3:16AM. My recent work on the vagueness of physical laws was featured as a cover story in New Scientist. Currently I am a collaborator of the interdisciplinary project "Life on the Edge," funded by a grant from the Templeton Foundation. I received a Ph.D in philosophy, a M.Sc in mathematics, and a graduate certificate in cognitive science from Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ in 2019. I also have a side interest in using films to popularize philosophical and scientific ideas. Currently, I'm co-writing a screenplay about a time-travel romance (partly based on this fascinating article in the SEP). |
Book
Laws of Physics
Cambridge University Press, in preparation
Articles
The Quantum Wave Function Isn't Real [IAI TV website] [Popular article about the Wentaculus view of quantum mechanics]
The Institute of Art and Ideas, 2022
Governing without a Fundamental Direction of Time: Minimal Primitivism about Laws of Nature (with Sheldon Goldstein) [Abstract] [Video] [Book]
Yemima Ben-Menahem (ed.), Rethinking the Concept of Law of Nature, Springer, 2022
Uniform Probability Distribution Over All Density Matrices (with Roderich Tumulka) [Abstract] [Journal]
Quantum Studies: Mathematics and Foundations, 2022
Fundamental Nomic Vagueness [Abstract] [Journal] [Video]
The Philosophical Review, 2022
Welcome to the Fuzzy-Verse [Penultimate] [Magazine]
[Featured as the New Scientist cover story "The Flaw at the Heart of Reality: Why precise mathematical laws can never fully explain the universe"; popular version of "Fundamental Nomic Vagueness"]
New Scientist, Issue 3298, Sep 5th, 2020
Time's Arrow and Self-Locating Probability [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 2021
The Past Hypothesis and the Nature of Physical Laws [Abstract]
Barry Loewer, Eric Winsberg, and Brad Weslake (eds.), Time’s Arrows and the Probability Structure of the World, Harvard University Press, forthcoming
Bell's Theorem, Quantum Probabilities, and Superdeterminism [Abstract] [Book]
Eleanor Knox and Alastair Wilson (eds.), The Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Physics, Routledge, 2021
The Cosmic Void [Abstract] [Book]
Sara Bernstein and Tyron Goldschmidt (eds.), Non-Being: New Essays on the Metaphysics of Nonexistence, Oxford University Press, 2021
From Time Asymmetry to Quantum Entanglement: The Humean Unification [Abstract] [Journal]
Noûs, 2020 [2022]
Time's Arrow in a Quantum Universe: On the Status of Statistical Mechanical Probabilities [Abstract] [Book]
Valia Allori (ed.), Statistical Mechanics and Scientific Explanation: Determinism, Indeterminism and Laws of Nature, World Scientific, 2020
Realism about the Wave Function [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy Compass, 2019
Quantum Mechanics in a Time-Asymmetric Universe: On the Nature of the Initial Quantum State [Abstract] [Journal] [Audio Summary] [Interview in "Author Meets Physics" on YouTube] [IAITV]
The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 2018 [2021]
-Awarded the 2021 BJPS Popper Prize
Surreal Decisions (with Daniel Rubio) [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 2018 [2020]
Our Fundamental Physical Space: An Essay on the Metaphysics of the Wave Function [Abstract] [Journal]
The Journal of Philosophy, 2017
Great Expectations: Introducing Surreal Decision Theory (with Daniel Rubio) [Proceedings]
Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Logic, Rationality, and Interaction (LORI-V), Springer-Verlag, 2015
Book Reviews:
Richard Healey, The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy [Abstract] [Journal]
The Philosophical Review, 2020
Preprints
The Simplicity of Physical Laws [Draft]
Strong Determinism [Abstract][Video]
The Wentaculus: Density Matrix Realism Meets the Arrow of Time [Draft]
The Intrinsic Structure of Quantum Mechanics [arXiv]
Other Works in Progress:
Philosophy of Physics, Philosophy of Science, and Metaphysics:
Varieties of Intrinsicality and the Hardest Road to Nominalism [Video][Slides]
The Best Summary of the Quantum World: The Universal Wave Function as a Humean Law
Decision Theory:
Surreal Decisions II: Infinite State Space (with Daniel Rubio)
Philosophy of Religion:
Evil and the Quantum Multiverse (with Daniel Rubio)
Chinese Philosophy:
A Hybrid Voluntarist Interpretation of Xunzi
Philosophy of Mind:
Comparativism about the Mind: From Metaphysics of Quantities to the Nature of Mentality
Master's Thesis:
Quantum States of a Time-Asymmetric Universe: Wave Function, Density Matrix, and Empirical Equivalence (Supervisor: Sheldon Goldstein) [Rutgers University Repository] [arXiv]
Department of Mathematics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2019
Doctoral Dissertation:
Essays on the Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics (Supervisors: Barry Loewer and David Albert) [Rutgers University Repository]
Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2019
Laws of Physics
Cambridge University Press, in preparation
Articles
The Quantum Wave Function Isn't Real [IAI TV website] [Popular article about the Wentaculus view of quantum mechanics]
The Institute of Art and Ideas, 2022
Governing without a Fundamental Direction of Time: Minimal Primitivism about Laws of Nature (with Sheldon Goldstein) [Abstract] [Video] [Book]
Yemima Ben-Menahem (ed.), Rethinking the Concept of Law of Nature, Springer, 2022
Uniform Probability Distribution Over All Density Matrices (with Roderich Tumulka) [Abstract] [Journal]
Quantum Studies: Mathematics and Foundations, 2022
Fundamental Nomic Vagueness [Abstract] [Journal] [Video]
The Philosophical Review, 2022
Welcome to the Fuzzy-Verse [Penultimate] [Magazine]
[Featured as the New Scientist cover story "The Flaw at the Heart of Reality: Why precise mathematical laws can never fully explain the universe"; popular version of "Fundamental Nomic Vagueness"]
New Scientist, Issue 3298, Sep 5th, 2020
Time's Arrow and Self-Locating Probability [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 2021
The Past Hypothesis and the Nature of Physical Laws [Abstract]
Barry Loewer, Eric Winsberg, and Brad Weslake (eds.), Time’s Arrows and the Probability Structure of the World, Harvard University Press, forthcoming
Bell's Theorem, Quantum Probabilities, and Superdeterminism [Abstract] [Book]
Eleanor Knox and Alastair Wilson (eds.), The Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Physics, Routledge, 2021
The Cosmic Void [Abstract] [Book]
Sara Bernstein and Tyron Goldschmidt (eds.), Non-Being: New Essays on the Metaphysics of Nonexistence, Oxford University Press, 2021
From Time Asymmetry to Quantum Entanglement: The Humean Unification [Abstract] [Journal]
Noûs, 2020 [2022]
Time's Arrow in a Quantum Universe: On the Status of Statistical Mechanical Probabilities [Abstract] [Book]
Valia Allori (ed.), Statistical Mechanics and Scientific Explanation: Determinism, Indeterminism and Laws of Nature, World Scientific, 2020
Realism about the Wave Function [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy Compass, 2019
Quantum Mechanics in a Time-Asymmetric Universe: On the Nature of the Initial Quantum State [Abstract] [Journal] [Audio Summary] [Interview in "Author Meets Physics" on YouTube] [IAITV]
The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 2018 [2021]
-Awarded the 2021 BJPS Popper Prize
Surreal Decisions (with Daniel Rubio) [Abstract] [Journal]
Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, 2018 [2020]
Our Fundamental Physical Space: An Essay on the Metaphysics of the Wave Function [Abstract] [Journal]
The Journal of Philosophy, 2017
Great Expectations: Introducing Surreal Decision Theory (with Daniel Rubio) [Proceedings]
Proceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Logic, Rationality, and Interaction (LORI-V), Springer-Verlag, 2015
Book Reviews:
Richard Healey, The Quantum Revolution in Philosophy [Abstract] [Journal]
The Philosophical Review, 2020
Preprints
The Simplicity of Physical Laws [Draft]
Strong Determinism [Abstract][Video]
The Wentaculus: Density Matrix Realism Meets the Arrow of Time [Draft]
The Intrinsic Structure of Quantum Mechanics [arXiv]
Other Works in Progress:
Philosophy of Physics, Philosophy of Science, and Metaphysics:
Varieties of Intrinsicality and the Hardest Road to Nominalism [Video][Slides]
The Best Summary of the Quantum World: The Universal Wave Function as a Humean Law
Decision Theory:
Surreal Decisions II: Infinite State Space (with Daniel Rubio)
Philosophy of Religion:
Evil and the Quantum Multiverse (with Daniel Rubio)
Chinese Philosophy:
A Hybrid Voluntarist Interpretation of Xunzi
Philosophy of Mind:
Comparativism about the Mind: From Metaphysics of Quantities to the Nature of Mentality
Master's Thesis:
Quantum States of a Time-Asymmetric Universe: Wave Function, Density Matrix, and Empirical Equivalence (Supervisor: Sheldon Goldstein) [Rutgers University Repository] [arXiv]
Department of Mathematics, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2019
Doctoral Dissertation:
Essays on the Metaphysics of Quantum Mechanics (Supervisors: Barry Loewer and David Albert) [Rutgers University Repository]
Department of Philosophy, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, 2019
Links
From Ants to Quantum Non-Locality (with Isaac Wilhelm)
Google Scholar
PhilPapers
arXiv page
Orcid.org/0000-0001-5144-0952
Erdős number
4 (E.K. Chen>S. Goldstein>P.A. Ferrari>P.E. Ney>P. Erdős).
Citation Information
Please cite my last name as "Chen."
Example of an in-text citation: "Chen (2019) discusses several realist interpretations of the wave function."
Example of a bibliographic entry: Chen, E. K. (2019). Realism about the wave function. Philosophy Compass, 14(7): e12611.
From Ants to Quantum Non-Locality (with Isaac Wilhelm)
Google Scholar
PhilPapers
arXiv page
Orcid.org/0000-0001-5144-0952
Erdős number
4 (E.K. Chen>S. Goldstein>P.A. Ferrari>P.E. Ney>P. Erdős).
Citation Information
Please cite my last name as "Chen."
Example of an in-text citation: "Chen (2019) discusses several realist interpretations of the wave function."
Example of a bibliographic entry: Chen, E. K. (2019). Realism about the wave function. Philosophy Compass, 14(7): e12611.