Tomasz Placek
Biographic Data
| ID | 958446 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Tomasz Placek |
| GIVEN NAMES | Tomasz |
| FAMILY NAME | Placek |
| SIGNATURE | PLACEK T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Jagiellonian University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8566-7749 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 19 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 39 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 17 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 2 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1999 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
On testimony in scenarios with Wigner and Friend
The paper constructs a semi-formal language suited to the analysis of Wigner’s Friend scenarios: it represents an epistemic notion of rational beliefs and perspectives, to accommodate the insights of perspectival interpretations of quantum mechanics. The language is then used to analyze a paradox put forward by Frauchiger and Renner (Nat Commun, 9(1):3711, 2018). Their argument is presented as a semi-formal derivation with specified rules of reas…
Past, present and future modally introduced
We investigate the concepts of past, present, and future that build upon a modal distinction between a settled past and an open future. The concepts are defined in terms of a pre-causal ordering that is determined by the qualitative differences between alternative possible histories. We look what an event’s past, present, and future look like in the so-called Minkowskian Branching Structures, one in which histories are isomorphic to Minkowski spa…
Interpreting Non-Hausdorff (Generalized) Manifolds in General Relativity
The article investigates the relations between Hausdorff and non-Hausdorff manifolds as objects of general relativity. We show that every non-Hausdorff manifold can be seen as a result of gluing together some Hausdorff manifolds. In the light of this result, we investigate a modal interpretation of a non-Hausdorff differential manifold, according to which it represents a bundle of alternative space-times, all of which are compatible with a given …
Laplace’s demon tries on Aristotle’s cloak
The paper describes two approaches to determinism: one focuses on the features of global objects, such as possible worlds or models of a theory, whereas the other’s concern is the possible behaviour of individual objects. It then gives an outline of an individuals-based analysis of the determinism of theories. Finally, a general relativistic spacetime with non-isometric extensions is described and used to illustrate a conflict between the two app…
Defining Determinism
The article puts forward a branching-style framework for the analysis of determinism and indeterminism of scientific theories, starting from the core idea that an indeterministic system is one whose present allows for more than one alternative possible future. We describe how a definition of determinism stated in terms of branching models supplements and improves current treatments of determinism of theories of physics. In these treatments, we id…
The History and Philosophy of Polish Logic
On individuals in branching histories
Against the background of the theory of branching space-times (BST), the paper sketches a concept of individuals. It discusses Kripkean modal intuitions concerning individuation, and, finally it addresses Lewis’s objections to branching individuals
Indeterminism is a modal notion
The paper defends an Aristotelian notion of indeterminism, as rigorously formulated in the framework of branching space-times (BST) of Belnap (1992), against criticism by Earman’s (2008) based on a model-theoretic characterization of indeterminism. It delineates BST branching against the background provided by Earman’s (2008) distinction between individual versus ensemble branching. Partly in order to motivate our responses to Earman, it describe…
On Minkowskian branching structures
On infinite EPR-like correlations
Branching space-times
Counterfactuals and Historical Possibility
Quantum state holism
Philosophy and Logic in Search of the Polish Tradition
A philosopher's understanding of quantum mechanics. Possibilities and impossibilities of a modal interpretation
On Cartwright's models for EPR
Against a Minimalist Reading of Bell's Theorem
Stochastic Outcomes in Branching Space-Time
The paper extends the framework of outcomes in branching space-time (Kowalski and Placek [1999]) by assigning probabilities to outcomes of events, where these probabilities are interpreted either epistemically or as weighted possibilities. In resulting models I define the notion of common cause of correlated outcomes of a single event, and investigate which setups allow for the introduction of common causes. It turns out that a deterministic comm…
Outcomes in Branching Space-Time and GHZ-Bell Theorems
The paper intends to provide an algebraic framework in which subluminal causation can be analysed. The framework merges Belnap's 'outcomes in branching time' with his 'branching space-time' (BST). it is shown that an important structure in BST, called 'family of outcomes of an event', is a boolean algebra. We define next non-stochastic common cause and analyse GHZ-Bell theorems. We prove that there is no common cause that accounts for results of …
Indeterminism is a modal notion
The paper defends an Aristotelian notion of indeterminism, as rigorously formulated in the framework of branching space-times (BST) of Belnap (1992), against criticism by Earman’s (2008) based on a model-theoretic characterization of indeterminism. It delineates BST branching against the background provided by Earman’s (2008) distinction between individual versus ensemble branching. Partly in order to motivate our responses to Earman, it describe…
Counterfactuals and Historical Possibility
On infinite EPR-like correlations
Stochastic Outcomes in Branching Space-Time
The paper extends the framework of outcomes in branching space-time (Kowalski and Placek [1999]) by assigning probabilities to outcomes of events, where these probabilities are interpreted either epistemically or as weighted possibilities. In resulting models I define the notion of common cause of correlated outcomes of a single event, and investigate which setups allow for the introduction of common causes. It turns out that a deterministic comm…
Interpreting Non-Hausdorff (Generalized) Manifolds in General Relativity
The article investigates the relations between Hausdorff and non-Hausdorff manifolds as objects of general relativity. We show that every non-Hausdorff manifold can be seen as a result of gluing together some Hausdorff manifolds. In the light of this result, we investigate a modal interpretation of a non-Hausdorff differential manifold, according to which it represents a bundle of alternative space-times, all of which are compatible with a given …
Outcomes in Branching Space-Time and GHZ-Bell Theorems
The paper intends to provide an algebraic framework in which subluminal causation can be analysed. The framework merges Belnap's 'outcomes in branching time' with his 'branching space-time' (BST). it is shown that an important structure in BST, called 'family of outcomes of an event', is a boolean algebra. We define next non-stochastic common cause and analyse GHZ-Bell theorems. We prove that there is no common cause that accounts for results of …
Defining Determinism
The article puts forward a branching-style framework for the analysis of determinism and indeterminism of scientific theories, starting from the core idea that an indeterministic system is one whose present allows for more than one alternative possible future. We describe how a definition of determinism stated in terms of branching models supplements and improves current treatments of determinism of theories of physics. In these treatments, we id…
On individuals in branching histories
Against the background of the theory of branching space-times (BST), the paper sketches a concept of individuals. It discusses Kripkean modal intuitions concerning individuation, and, finally it addresses Lewis’s objections to branching individuals
Against a Minimalist Reading of Bell's Theorem
Laplace’s demon tries on Aristotle’s cloak
The paper describes two approaches to determinism: one focuses on the features of global objects, such as possible worlds or models of a theory, whereas the other’s concern is the possible behaviour of individual objects. It then gives an outline of an individuals-based analysis of the determinism of theories. Finally, a general relativistic spacetime with non-isometric extensions is described and used to illustrate a conflict between the two app…
Philosophy and Logic in Search of the Polish Tradition
Outcomes in Branching Space-Time and GHZ-Bell Theorems
The paper intends to provide an algebraic framework in which subluminal causation can be analysed. The framework merges Belnap's 'outcomes in branching time' with his 'branching space-time' (BST). it is shown that an important structure in BST, called 'family of outcomes of an event', is a boolean algebra. We define next non-stochastic common cause and analyse GHZ-Bell theorems. We prove that there is no common cause that accounts for results of …
Stochastic Outcomes in Branching Space-Time
The paper extends the framework of outcomes in branching space-time (Kowalski and Placek [1999]) by assigning probabilities to outcomes of events, where these probabilities are interpreted either epistemically or as weighted possibilities. In resulting models I define the notion of common cause of correlated outcomes of a single event, and investigate which setups allow for the introduction of common causes. It turns out that a deterministic comm…
Against a Minimalist Reading of Bell's Theorem
A philosopher's understanding of quantum mechanics. Possibilities and impossibilities of a modal interpretation
On Cartwright's models for EPR
Philosophy and Logic in Search of the Polish Tradition
Quantum state holism
Branching space-times
Counterfactuals and Historical Possibility
On Minkowskian branching structures
On infinite EPR-like correlations
On individuals in branching histories
Against the background of the theory of branching space-times (BST), the paper sketches a concept of individuals. It discusses Kripkean modal intuitions concerning individuation, and, finally it addresses Lewis’s objections to branching individuals
Indeterminism is a modal notion
The paper defends an Aristotelian notion of indeterminism, as rigorously formulated in the framework of branching space-times (BST) of Belnap (1992), against criticism by Earman’s (2008) based on a model-theoretic characterization of indeterminism. It delineates BST branching against the background provided by Earman’s (2008) distinction between individual versus ensemble branching. Partly in order to motivate our responses to Earman, it describe…
The History and Philosophy of Polish Logic
Defining Determinism
The article puts forward a branching-style framework for the analysis of determinism and indeterminism of scientific theories, starting from the core idea that an indeterministic system is one whose present allows for more than one alternative possible future. We describe how a definition of determinism stated in terms of branching models supplements and improves current treatments of determinism of theories of physics. In these treatments, we id…
Laplace’s demon tries on Aristotle’s cloak
The paper describes two approaches to determinism: one focuses on the features of global objects, such as possible worlds or models of a theory, whereas the other’s concern is the possible behaviour of individual objects. It then gives an outline of an individuals-based analysis of the determinism of theories. Finally, a general relativistic spacetime with non-isometric extensions is described and used to illustrate a conflict between the two app…
Interpreting Non-Hausdorff (Generalized) Manifolds in General Relativity
The article investigates the relations between Hausdorff and non-Hausdorff manifolds as objects of general relativity. We show that every non-Hausdorff manifold can be seen as a result of gluing together some Hausdorff manifolds. In the light of this result, we investigate a modal interpretation of a non-Hausdorff differential manifold, according to which it represents a bundle of alternative space-times, all of which are compatible with a given …
Past, present and future modally introduced
We investigate the concepts of past, present, and future that build upon a modal distinction between a settled past and an open future. The concepts are defined in terms of a pre-causal ordering that is determined by the qualitative differences between alternative possible histories. We look what an event’s past, present, and future look like in the so-called Minkowskian Branching Structures, one in which histories are isomorphic to Minkowski spa…
On testimony in scenarios with Wigner and Friend
The paper constructs a semi-formal language suited to the analysis of Wigner’s Friend scenarios: it represents an epistemic notion of rational beliefs and perspectives, to accommodate the insights of perspectival interpretations of quantum mechanics. The language is then used to analyze a paradox put forward by Frauchiger and Renner (Nat Commun, 9(1):3711, 2018). Their argument is presented as a semi-formal derivation with specified rules of reas…
Quantum Mechanics and Applications (14 works) · Epistemology (13 works) · Philosophy (13 works) · Physics (13 works) · Mathematics (12 works) · Philosophy and History of Science (11 works) · Computer Science (10 works) · Metaphysics (8 works) · Philosophy of language (8 works) · Philosophy of science (8 works)