Overview
Background
Pete is currently a Lecturer in Philosophy specialising in the philosophy of science, particularly the philosophy of physics. His research interests include time and causation in modern physics, especially quantum foundations, and the epistemology and methodology of science, especially analogue experimentation. He completed in 2021 an ARC Discovery Early Career Research Award project, "A philosophical exploration of simulating and controlling the quantum world", which examines how a novel laboratory technique, analogue quantum simulation, illuminates the epistemology of analogue experimentation. In 2023 he was a collaborator in the FQxI project "Information as fuel" based in the School of Mathematics and Physics. Pete's philosophical research is informed by the latest experimental and theoretical results from the physical sciences.
Availability
- Dr Peter Evans is:
- Available for supervision
- Media expert
Fields of research
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts, Australian National University
- Bachelor of Science, Australian National University
- Doctor of Philosophy, University of Sydney
Research interests
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Philosophy of Physics
Philosophy of space and time, relativity, and quantum foundations
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Philosophy of Science
Epistemology of science, methodology of science
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Quantum foundations
Quantum information, quantum causal models
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Metaphysics
Philosophy of causation
Works
Search Professor Peter Evans’s works on UQ eSpace
2024
Journal Article
How to engineer a quantum wavefunction
Evans, Peter W., Hangleiter, Dominik and Thébault, Karim P. Y. (2024). How to engineer a quantum wavefunction. Philosophy of Science, 91 (1), 37-57. doi: 10.1017/psa.2023.87
2023
Journal Article
Physical grounds for causal perspectivalism
Milburn, Gerard J., Shrapnel, Sally and Evans, Peter W. (2023). Physical grounds for causal perspectivalism. Entropy, 25 (8) 1190, 1-24. doi: 10.3390/e25081190
2021
Journal Article
A sideways look at faithfulness for quantum correlations
Evans, Peter W. (2021). A sideways look at faithfulness for quantum correlations. The Journal of Philosophy, 118 (1), 28-42. doi: 10.5840/jphil202111812
2020
Journal Article
The end of a classical ontology for quantum mechanics?
Evans, Peter W. (2020). The end of a classical ontology for quantum mechanics?. Entropy, 23 (1) 12, 12-18. doi: 10.3390/e23010012
2020
Journal Article
What can bouncing oil droplets tell us about quantum mechanics?
Evans, Peter W. and Thébault, Karim P. Y. (2020). What can bouncing oil droplets tell us about quantum mechanics?. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 10 (3) 39. doi: 10.1007/s13194-020-00301-0
2020
Journal Article
On the limits of experimental knowledge
Evans, P. W. and Thébault, K. P. Y. (2020). On the limits of experimental knowledge. Philosophical Transactions A. Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 378 (2177) 20190235, 20190235. doi: 10.1098/rsta.2019.0235
2020
Journal Article
Perspectival objectivity: Or: how i learned to stop worrying and love observer-dependent reality
Evans, Peter W. (2020). Perspectival objectivity: Or: how i learned to stop worrying and love observer-dependent reality. European Journal for Philosophy of Science, 10 (2) 19, 1-21. doi: 10.1007/s13194-020-00286-w
2019
Book Chapter
Retrocausality in quantum mechanics
Evans, Peter W. and Friederich, Simon (2019). Retrocausality in quantum mechanics. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. edited by Edward N. Zalta. Stanford, CA, United States: Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University.
2018
Journal Article
What's so spatial about time anyway?
Baron, Sam and Evans, Peter W. (2018). What's so spatial about time anyway?. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 72 (1), 000-000. doi: 10.1093/bjps/axy077
2018
Journal Article
Quantum causal models, faithfulness, and retrocausality
Evans, Peter W. (2018). Quantum causal models, faithfulness, and retrocausality. The British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 69 (3), 745-774. doi: 10.1093/bjps/axw037
2017
Journal Article
Do Reichenbachian common cause systems of arbitrary finite size exist?
Mazzola, Claudio and Evans, Peter W. (2017). Do Reichenbachian common cause systems of arbitrary finite size exist?. Foundations of Physics, 47 (12), 1543-1558. doi: 10.1007/s10701-017-0124-1
2016
Journal Article
Ψ-epistemic quantum cosmology?
Evans, Peter W., Gryb, Sean and Thébault, Karim P. Y. (2016). Ψ-epistemic quantum cosmology?. Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in History and Philosophy of Modern Physics, 56, 1-12. doi: 10.1016/j.shpsb.2016.10.005
2015
Journal Article
Review: Nicholas J.J. Smith. Logic: The Laws of Truth
Evans, Peter W. (2015). Review: Nicholas J.J. Smith. Logic: The Laws of Truth. Philosophy in Review, 35 (1), 41-43.
2015
Journal Article
Retrocausality at no extra cost
Evans, Peter W. (2015). Retrocausality at no extra cost. Synthese, 192 (4), 1139-1155. doi: 10.1007/s11229-014-0605-0
2013
Journal Article
New slant on the EPR-Bell experiment
Evans, P. W., Price, Huw and Wharton, K. B. (2013). New slant on the EPR-Bell experiment. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 64 (2), 297-324. doi: 10.1093/bjps/axr052
2010
Journal Article
From Timeless Physical Theory to Timelessness
Baron, Sam, Evans, Peter and Miller, Kristie (2010). From Timeless Physical Theory to Timelessness. Humana.Mente Journal of Philosophical Studies, 13 (13), 35-60.
2006
Journal Article
Comparison of quark mixing in the standard and generation models
Evans, PW and Robson, BA (2006). Comparison of quark mixing in the standard and generation models. International Journal of Modern Physics E, 15 (3), 617-625. doi: 10.1142/S0218301306004077
Funding
Past funding
Supervision
Availability
- Dr Peter Evans is:
- Available for supervision
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Supervision history
Current supervision
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Master Philosophy
Testimony: A Social Solution to the Problem of Other Minds
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Joel Katzav
Completed supervision
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2020
Doctor Philosophy
The limits of classical mereology: Mixed fusions and the failures of mereological hybridism
Principal Advisor
Other advisors: Honorary Professor Daniel Nolan, Associate Professor Joel Katzav
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2021
Master Philosophy
Is there a Need for a New, an Environmental, Metaphysic? Val Plumwood's Environmental Philosophy Radically Naturalised
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Associate Professor Gilbert Burgh, Professor Deborah Brown
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2016
Doctor Philosophy
Using Interventions to discover quantum causal structure
Associate Advisor
Other advisors: Professor Gerard Milburn
Media
Enquiries
Contact Dr Peter Evans directly for media enquiries about:
- Interpretations of quantum mechanics
- Nature of causation
- Nature of time
- Philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics
- Philosophy of physics
- Philosophy of science
- Scientific method
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