Manager: Hamza Waseem (Oxford Rhodes Scholar)

Format: Online and Live Discussion Session.

Description

This seminar course will present quantum theory using the diagrammatic language of category theory. The structural aspects of quantum physics will be emphasized. Ontic structural realism will be introduced to motivate a discussion on interpreting quantum physics. The course is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students of physics and philosophy of physics.   

Sessions (Saturdays at 6pm London time)

1. The Theoretical Minimum of Quantum Theory (October 22)

2. Categories for the Working Scientist and/or Philosopher (November 5)

3. Quantum Physics as a Process Theory (November 19)

4. Ontic Structural Realism and Making Sense of Quantum Physics (December 3)

Assigned Readings

1. Fong and Spivak (2018), Seven sketches in compositionality: An invitation to applied category theory. https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.05316

2. Coecke and Kissinger (2017), Picturing Quantum Processes: A First Course in Quantum Theory and Diagrammatic Reasoning. Cambridge University Press. 

3. Landry (2017), Categories for the Working Philosopher. Oxford University Press.

4. Ladyman and Ross (2007), Every Thing Must Go: Metaphysics Naturalized. Oxford University Press.