The Metaphysics of Entanglement project, based in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Oxford and directed by Dr Anna Marmodoro, offers a series of essay prizes open to students and early career researchers. The 2015 prize will be for papers in the philosophy of physics with a metaphysical orientation.
There will be a special issue of the international peer-reviewed journal Synthese on the metaphysics of entanglement edited through the research group, and it is expected that the winning essay will be published in this special issue.
Possible topics include:
1. The case for a strongly metaphysical reading of entanglement. Essays in this area might deal with the interpretation of nonseparability in the quantum-mechanical formalism, the interpretation of Bell’s theorem or the metaphysics of the various interpretations of quantum mechanics.
2. Discussion of the ways in which tools of analytic metaphysics may be used to clarify the nature of the strong metaphysical reading; for example, supervenience, ontological priority or grounding.
3. The impact that entanglement has, or should have, on themes in mainstream metaphysics; for example, the compatibility or otherwise of quantum mechanics and Humean supervenience.
Submission requirements:
1. Submissions are invited from postgraduate students and from early career researchers (understood as being within 8 years of receipt of PhD, though exceptions will be considered – please email for advice in the latter case).
2. Since it is expected that the winning essay will be published in the Synthese special issue, entries should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
3. The limit is 8000 words.
4. Submissions should be sent to on or before Friday 25th September 2015.
The monetary value of the prize is £250.
Please contact with any queries. Details of the prize are also at http://www.metaphysics-of-entanglement.ox.ac.uk/Essay_Prize_2015
The Project, and the prize, is funded by the generous support of the Templeton World Charity Foundation.
