This conference will be about the conceptual-philosophical implications of AI-based proving and autoformalisation for mathematics. Examples include the resolution of various Erdos problems by Google DeepMind&rsquo\;s Alethia model\, the recent disproof of the unit distance conjecture by OpenAI&rsquo\;s GPT model\, and the (partial) autoformalisations of sphere packing in dimension 8 and 24 by the model Gauss from Math Inc. \;
We aim to reflect on how these technologies may transform mathematical practice\, with a concentration on the practice of creating and verifying proofs. While some view the use of LLMs\, and AI in general\, as heralding a new era of machine-assisted mathematics\, others caution against overestimating their capabilities and warn of the downsides of automating mathematics. The workshop aims to critically assess the role of AI-based mathematics\, striking a balance between optimism and scepticism.
The conference will be livestreamed\, recorded\, and made available online (with speakers&rsquo\; permission).
On the Work of Howard Stein: Philosophy\, Math\, and Physics \;
\n9:00 AM to 9:30 AM - Introductory Remarks by Lydia Goehr\, Jonathan Levi\, and David Malament
\n9:30 AM to 12:30 PM - Session One - Jenann Ismael\, Chair
\nAndré\; W. Carus
\n&ldquo\;Howard Stein&rsquo\;s Dialectical Conception of Metaphysics&rdquo\;
\nIt has plausibly been argued&mdash\;and Stein himself agreed&mdash\;that his philosophy can be placed in the logical empiricist tradition of his teacher Carnap. But then why the frequent references to metaphysics? What does he mean by it? One clue is provided by his equally frequent references to &ldquo\;dialectic&rdquo\; (in the Platonic sense). It turns out there are (at least) two fundamentally different possible paths from Carnap&mdash\;the &ldquo\;ontological&rdquo\; path followed by Quine and the &ldquo\;dialectical&rdquo\; one followed by Stein. This is illustrated by one of Stein&rsquo\;s own favorite contrasts\, between Descartes and Galileo. In keeping with the dialectical spirit of Stein&rsquo\;s writings\, no firm conclusion is reached. \;
\nErich Reck
\n&ldquo\;Howard Stein\, the Second Birth of Mathematics\, and Understanding in Mathematics&rdquo\;
\nBesides his influential writings in the philosophy of physics\, Howard Stein contributed several important papers to the philosophy of mathematics as well\, although they are less widely known. \;In them he formulated and substantiated\, among others\, the striking suggestion that the nineteenth century witnesses a &ldquo\;second birth&rdquo\; of mathematics\, based on the shift from a more computational to a more conceptual way of practicing it\, and with &ldquo\;modern mathematics&rdquo\; as the result. \;In this talk I will reconsider\, further defend\, and then extend this suggestion in a number of ways\, including the following two: by tracing the trajectory of this conceptual transformation of mathematics forward into the twentieth and twenty-first centuries\; and by connecting its substantive core with current philosophical discussions about the notion of understanding in mathematics.
\n\n12:30 PM to 2:00 PM - Catered Lunch
\n\n2:00 PM to 5:00 PM - Session Two - David Albert\, Chair
\nRobert DiSalle
\n&ldquo\;Newton&rsquo\;s Revolution in Metaphysics&rdquo\;
\nHoward Stein&rsquo\;s 1967 paper\, &ldquo\;Newtonian Space-Time\,&rdquo\; had profound implications regarding not only Newton&rsquo\;s views\, but also broader questions about space-time structure\, its role in the conceptual structure of physics\, and its connection with experience. Previously\, philosophers had generally regarded Newton as a brilliant mathematician who was\, philosophically\, naive and even retrograde\; he postulated &ldquo\;absolute&rdquo\; theoretical objects just as physics was emerging from such metaphysical prejudices\, and as contemporaries such as Huygens and Leibniz supposedly foreshadowed the &ldquo\;relativistic&rdquo\; ideas of the 20th century. From Stein&rsquo\;s work\, philosophers learned that Newton&rsquo\;s arguments for &ldquo\;absolute&rdquo\; space\, time\, and motion were far more subtle\, and more firmly grounded in physics\, than his critics had understood. Subsequent debates surrounding the philosophy of space and time had\, at least\, to take Newton&rsquo\;s arguments seriously.
\n\; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; \; But Stein&rsquo\;s account of Newton went further than this: he showed that the traditional picture of Newton was not only too dismissive\, but\, in an important respect\, backwards. It was Newton who was remarkably forward-looking\, in that he saw the nature of space and time as inextricably bound to the laws of physics: space and time must be understood\, not through traditional philosophical conceptions of them\, but through the structural connections between the two that are implicit in the principles of dynamics. Newton&rsquo\;s freedom from contemporary metaphysical boundaries\, and his focus on mathematical representations of phenomena\, led him to insights into the nature of space\, time\, and gravity&mdash\;and of physical interaction in general&mdash\;that remain central to theoretical physics.
\nJB Manchak
\n&ldquo\;Howard Stein on Gö\;del Spacetime&rdquo\;
\nIn his 1970 paper &ldquo\;On the Paradoxical Time-Structures of Gö\;del\,&rdquo\; Howard Stein helps us better understand the strange geometry of Gö\;del spacetime which allows for &ldquo\;time travel&rdquo\; of a certain kind. He also considers (variations of) a central question: &ldquo\;Consider either an arbitrary given cosmological model\, or a model having the structure of one of the sorts assumed to hold in the real world. Then&hellip\;is it ((a) ever\, (b) always) possible to introduce into such a model a continuous deformation of the structure\, leading through intermediate states\, all compatible with Einstein&rsquo\;s theory\, to a state in which Gö\;del-type relationships occur?&rdquo\; In this talk\, I will first give a short primer on the geometry of Gö\;del spacetime and Stein's own contributions to our understanding of it. I will then explore several ways of making precise the central question mentioned above. Finally\, I will catalogue what is presently known concerning these precise questions and what is still left unsettled some fifty-odd years on.
\n5:00 PM to 6:15PM - Reception
ORGANIZER;CN=Alyssa Timin: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260914T083509Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Istanbul:20261103T090000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Istanbul:20261105T170000 SUMMARY:36th Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics UID:20260914T135332Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:cc4b:43ff:fe63:b1f2%3 TZID:Europe/Istanbul LOCATION:İstanbul\, Turkey DESCRIPTION:36th Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics
\n&lsquo\;(Perceived) Dichotomies in Mathematics: Opposites\, Boundaries\, and Tensions in the History and Philosophy of Mathematics&rsquo\;
\n&mdash\; Call for Abstracts &mdash\;
\nhttps://novembertagung.wordpress.com/novembertagung-2026/ \;
\nThe Novembertagung on the History and Philosophy of Mathematics is an international conference aimed at PhD students and early-career researchers in the history\, philosophy of mathematics and related areas. This event offers an opportunity to share your work in progress in a collegial atmosphere and receive feedback.
\nThe 36th edition of the Novembertagung will take place in Istanbul (Turkey) from November 3rd to 5th\, 2026. It will be hosted by theInstitute for the History of Science at Istanbul Medeniyet University. The keynote speakers will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Please see the website for the most up-to-date information.
\nThe conference is planned as an in-person event. For those who require financial assistance\, please indicate so in your application as we may be able to provide some funding.
\nThis year&rsquo\;s Novembertagung theme centres on Opposites\, Boundaries and Tensions in the History and Philosophy of Mathematics. We will explore the ways in which mathematical belief\, disagreement and conflict are both formed and conducted\, and the ways that these tensions and disagreements shape both the content and perception of mathematical belief. Believing that mathematical disagreement is much more substantial than a question of &lsquo\;right&rsquo\; and &lsquo\;wrong&rsquo\;\, we call for papers that explore how Opposites\, Boundaries and Tensions are formed\, expressed and entrenched throughout mathematical history.
\nAbstracts about the following\, non exhaustive\, list of topics will be welcomed:
\nAbstract dichotomies: objects and concepts\, theory and practice\, informal and formal reasoning\, etc.
\nThe formation of mathematical disciplines
\nThe resolution of mathematical disputes
\nThe roles of institutions in forming mathematical culture
\nHistorical and Philosophical approaches to the treatment of mathematical disputation
\nHow mathematical and &lsquo\;extra-mathematical&rsquo\; thought interact in shaping mathematical and non-mathematical belief
\nHistoriographical work that explores how these concepts are treated in the literature. \;
\nWhile the topic of the submission should ideally be related to the conference&rsquo\;s theme\, most topics that fall under the broader heading of philosophy or history of mathematics\, and that can fruitfully be connected to it will be welcomed as valuable additions to the conference. Early-Career and graduate students working on conflict theory in academia and society more general\, or at the intersection of the History of Mathematics and science more generally for example\, are also welcome to submit their work.
\nPhD students and early-career researchers are invited to submit abstracts.
\nAbstracts should be written in English and not exceed 300 words.
\nAll submissions should be suitable for a 20-minute presentation\, followed by a 10-minute discussion.
\nAbstracts should be sent as a PDF file prepared for blind review (do not put your name nor affiliation in the abstract\, only in your email) to
\nnovembertagung.hpm@gmail.com \;
\nPlease include your full name and affiliation in your email.
\nWe expect to secure funding for accommodation expenses\, or travel in exceptional cases\, as mentioned earlier. Please\, let us know in your application if you would like to be considered for funding.
\nThe deadline for submissions is May 31st\, 2026.
\nIf you have any further questions\, feel free to contact the organisers atnovembertagung.hpm@gmail.com
ORGANIZER: METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260914T083509Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Paris:20261118T130000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Paris:20261120T170000 SUMMARY:Eighteenth French Philosophy of Mathematics Workshop (FPMW18) UID:20260914T135333Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@fe80:0:0:0:cc4b:43ff:fe63:b1f2%3 TZID:Europe/Paris LOCATION:71 rue Henri Serre \, Montpellier\, France\, 34090 DESCRIPTION:\;Eighteenth French Philosophy of Mathematics Workshop (FPMW18)
\n18-20 November 2026\, Montpellier\, France
\n\;
\nCall for abstracts
\nThe eighteenth edition of the French Philosophy of Mathematics Workshop \;(FPMW18) will be held from the afternoon of the 18th November to the 20th of November 2026 at the \;University Paul Valé\;ry Montpellier.
\nThe workshop will feature five talks by invited speakers\, and five contributed talks (the programs of previous editions of the workshop are available at the following address: \;https://philmath.hypotheses.org/fpmw).
\nThe invited speakers are:
\n- \; \; \; \; \; \; \;Bruno Durand (Université\; de Montpellier\, LIRMM)
\n- \; \; \; \; \; \; \;Alberto Naibo (Université\; Paris 1 Panthé\;on-Sorbonne\, IHPST)
\n- \; \; \; \; \; \; \;Mario Piazza (Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa) \;
\n- \; \; \; \; \; \; \;Eleonora Sammarchi \;(Universitä\;t Bern)
\n- \; \; \; \; \; \; \;TBC
\nFor the five contributed talks\, all topics within philosophy of mathematics and the philosophy of computer science are welcome\, including contributions highlighting connections with the history of mathematics and computer science\, mathematical cognition\, and mathematical education. The workshop is also open to philosophical talks about mathematics which do not fall under the philosophy of mathematics in a strict sense. \;
\nSubmission deadline: August 16th\, 2026.
\nNotification of acceptance (by email): \;6th September 2026.
\nDuration of talks: 45 minutes of presentation plus 30 minutes of discussion.
\nThe languages of the workshop will be English and French.
\nAnonymous proposals (15 000 characters maximum\, spaces included) should be sent in format DOCX or PDF to the address \;fpmw18@sciencesconf.org \;with a copy to \;Marianna.Antonutti-Marfori@univ-paris1.fr \;in an email with object &ldquo\;FPMW18&rdquo\;.
\nThe workshop is organized with the financial support of the Research Network \;&ldquo\;Philosophy of Mathematics&rdquo\; funded by the (PhilMath GDR 3719\, \;https://philmath.hypotheses.org/about)\, the University of Montpellier and the LIRMM (https://www.lirmm.fr)\, and the CNRS \;International \;Research \;Network \;IRN-LI \;(https://irn-li.math.cnrs.fr/index.html).
\nScientific committee:
\nMarianna Antonutti Marfori
\nVincenzo De Risi
\nViviane Durand-Guerrier
\nEmmylou Haffner \;
\nYacin Hamami \;
\nFré\;dé\;ric Jaë\;ck
\nZoe Mcconaughey
\nBaptiste Mé\;lè\;s \;
\nFrancesca Poggiolesi
\nDavid Rabouin \;
\nChristian Ré\;toré\; \;
\nOrganising committee:
\nLoï\;c Allè\;gre\, Vincent Blazy\, \;Christian \;Retoré\; (University of Montpellier/LIRMM) \;
\nViviane Durand-Guerrier\, Nicolas Saby \;(University of Montpellier/IMAG) \;
\nHenri Wagner (University Paul Valé\;ry Montpellier 3/CRISES)
ORGANIZER;CN="Christian Retoré": METHOD:PUBLISH END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR