Louis Loeb Collegiate Professor; Department Chair
About
Laura Ruetsche's research focuses on the foundations of physical theories, particularly quantum theories. Her book Interpreting Quantum Theories (Oxford), published in May 2011, was a co-winner of the 2013 Lakatos Award in philosophy of science. The book aims to use peculiar features of quantum field theories to challenge entrenched accounts of what a quantum theory is and how a physical theory comes to be associated with a collection of worlds that are by its lights possible. Laura is also interested in the question of what gender (and similar sorts of social locatedness) might have to do with the epistemic dimension of scientific inquiry. Laura has held tenure-track appointments at the University of Pittsburgh and Middlebury College, visiting appointments at Cornell and Rutgers, and fellowships from the ACLS (the Charles Ryskamp fellowship) and the Center for Advanced Study of the Behavioral Sciences.
Publications
(2018), "Renormalization Group Realism: The Ascent of Pessimism," Philosophy of Science (DOI: 10.1086/699719)
(2015), “The Shaky Game + 25, or: On Locavoracity,” Synthese (DOI: 10.1007/s11229-014-0551-x)
(2011), Interpreting Quantum Theories: The Art of the Possible (Oxford). Co-recipient of 2013 Lakatos Award
(2006), “Johnny’s So Long at the Ferromagnet,” Philosophy of Science 73 [Proceedings]: 473-486.
(2004), “Virtue and Contingent History: Possibilities for Feminist Epistemology,” Hypatia 19: 73-101.
