Project Description
Home / Members / Graduate Students / Yichen Luo

RESEARCH AREAS:
Philosophy of Physics
Philosophy of Science
CONTACT:
Rotman Institute of Philosophy
Western University
Western Interdisciplinary Research Building, 7148
London, Ontario, Canada
N6A 3K7
YICHEN LUO
Doctoral Student;
Department of Philosophy, Western University
Yichen is a first year PhD student in the Department of Philosophy at Western (entering 2019 Fall), studying philosophy of physics and philosophy of science. He has currently been increasingly interested in the AdS/CFT duality in theoretical physics, which he believes can shed lights on our understandings of inter-theories relations and the metaphysics of physical concepts in (physical) science. Before joining Western, Yichen received a B.Sc in physics at Beijing Normal University and a M.A in philosophy of science at Tsinghua University. His bachelor thesis focused on the foundation of relativity theory, developing an axiomatic system in first-order logic of special relativity theory, and his master thesis proposed a new dynamic account of scientific representation based on a revised model which gained insights from the representation of the Unruh effect in theoretical physics.
My current academic interest lies in studying the AdS/CFT duality and its related philosophical issues. The AdS/CFT duality can build a bridge between the strongly-coupled gauge theory and the gravitational theory in AdS spacetime. It is a powerful tool in theoretical physics and is of great application. Through studying this duality, in one hand, we can gain insights in the discussions of inter-theories relations and scientific modeling in (physical) science; In another hand, it also helps us better undestand the epistemology and metaphysics in physical theories since it reveals how two different concepts are related to each other at a deep and fundamental level. Moreover, I also want to see in what aspects this duality (especially dS/CFT) will help us better discuss the philosophical topics in the philosophy of cosmology.
This research interest does not originate from nothing. I have always been fascinated by the foundation of physical theories and the philosophical enlightenments behind. My bachelor thesis focused on the foundation of relativity theory, developing an axiomatic system in first-order logic of special relativity theory. My master thesis referred to the Unruh effect and discovered that theoretical models of related but different physical theories influenced and “cooperated” with each other in representing one given effect, basing on which I proposed a concept of the “web of models” and hence developed a dynamic account of scientific representation. After all, my naïve dream is to get hints about the metaphysics from the physical world via studying the philosophy of physics.
Articles
Luo Y.C., Chen L., He W. T., Ma Y.G., and Zhang X.Y. Axiomatization of Special Relativity in First Order Logic. Communications in Theoretical Physics, 66(1):19-28, 2016.
Luo Y.C. Fiction and Scientific Representation (in Chinese). Journal of Dialectics of Nature. Accepted, 2018.11.
Luo Y.C., Gao Y., Wu X.Y., and Wang Y.S. Study of the Velocity of Ultrasonic Sound and Liquid Properties with the Ultrasonic Grating (in Chinese). College Physics, 36(8):76-81, 2017.
Luo Y.C. Through the Looking-Glass: Dodgson and Victorian Mathematics (in Chinese). Science and Culture Review, 15(2): 5-16, 2018.
MA Thesis
Luo Y.C. Making Sense of Scientific Representation: A Dynamic Picture. Beijing: Tsinghua University, 2019. Invited Talks
Conference Presentations
“Scientific Representation and Scientific Practice”, in 1st Chinese Conference on Philosophy of Scientific Practice (Tsinghua University, Beijing), 2018.11.
- Modern Western Philosophy of Science. Grader, Professor Wei Wang, Tsinghua University, 3-7/2018.
- Academic Standards and Professional Ethics. TA, Professor Yi Lei, Tsinghua University, 9-11/2018.
- Causality. Professor Gallow Dmitri, TA, 11th Pitt-Tsinghua Summer School, Institute of Science,Technology and Society, Tsinghua University, 8/2018.
- Philosophical Issues in Modern Sciences. Discussion Facilitator, Professor Wei Wang, TsinghuaUniversity, 3-7/2018.
- Epistemological Issues in Scientific Experiment. TA, Professor Sandra Mitchell, 10th Pitt-TsinghuaSummer School, Institute of Science, Technology and Society, Tsinghua University, 8/2017.
- Replaying Life’s Tape. TA, Professor John Beatty. The 3rd Tsinghua International Summer Seminar on History and Philosophy of Biology, Institute of Science, Technology and Society, Tsinghua University, 8/2016.