CFP: Synthese Special Issue - Symmetries and Asymmetries in Physics

Call For Papers

Special Issue: Symmetries and Asymmetries in Physics 

Guest Editors: Radin Dardashti (University of Wuppertal), Mathias Frisch (Leibniz University Hannover), Joshua Luczak (Leibniz University Hannover), and Giovanni Valente (Politecnico di Milano)

Special Issue Description: 

This issue will focus on symmetries and asymmetries in physics. Symmetries play crucial roles in the formulation of scientific theories and raise important philosophical questions. For example, do they simply function as a heuristic tool or do they instead reflect the actual structure of the physical world? The fact that certain symmetries are broken in physical phenomena, e.g. in phase transitions, raises conceptual issues for highly debated topics in philosophy of physics. These topics include emergence, reduction, and idealizations. Furthermore, the time asymmetry characterizing phenomenological, macroscopic irreversibility underlies the traditional problem of the arrow of time. 

Appropriate Topics for Submission include, among others: the role of symmetries and symmetry-breaking in physical theories, the ontological and epistemic status of symmetries in physical theories, and thermodynamic, casual, and epistemic asymmetries. 

Submissions: Contributions must be original and not under review elsewhere. Although there is no prescribed word or page limit for submissions to Synthese, as a rule of thumb, papers typically tend to be between 15 and 30 printed pages (in the journal's printed format). Submissions should also include a separate title page containing the contact details of the author(s), an abstract (150-250 words) and a list of 4-6 keywords. All papers will be subject to the journal's standard double-blind peer-review. Manuscripts should be submitted online through the journal's Editorial Manager. Please choose the appropriate article type for your submission by selecting ``S.I. : Symmetries and Asymmetries in Physics" from the relevant drop down menu. 

Submission deadline: August 15th

For further information, please contact the guest editor(s):  [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] 

Radin Dardashti, Mathias Frisch, Joshua Luczak, and Giovanni Valente