Time in Cosmology

COVID-19 information for PI Residents and Visitors

Conference Date: 
Monday, June 27, 2016 (All day) to Thursday, June 30, 2016 (All day)
Pirsa Collection: 
Scientific Areas: 
Cosmology
Quantum Foundations
Quantum Gravity

 

The aim of this conference is to discuss key questions in early universe cosmology in the
light of the question as to whether time is fundamental or emergent, i.e. is time an
essential aspect of nature that must be a part of the fundamental description that governs
the universe at its earliest instants, or is time rather like temperature, an emergent
quantity that plays a role at the semiclassical or large scales but is inessential to the
fundamental description. These questions include whether the initial Big Bang
singularity was the first moment of time or a transition from a previous era, whether laws
of physics evolve, what is responsible for the arrows of time, and what determined the
choices of the laws and initial conditions. The plan is to bring together for critical and
focused discussions several of the most influential and provocative contemporary
thinkers on these questions. We hope to involve leaders with diverse views on the nature
of time. The workshop will be organized around focused discussions and debates, with a
few talks.
 
Sponsorship for this conference has been provided by:
 
 
  • Niayesh Afshordi, Perimeter Institute & University of Waterloo
  • Aida Ahmadzadegan, University of Waterloo
  • David Albert, Columbia University
  • Andreas Albrecht, University of California, Davis
  • Stephon Alexander, Brown University
  • Abhay Ashtekar, Pennslvania State University
  • James Bardeen, University of Washington
  • Richard Bond, CITA
  • Jens Boos, Perimeter Institute
  • Robert Brandenberger, McGill University
  • Jimena Canelas, Harvard University
  • Sean Carrol, California Institute of Technology
  • Marina Cortes, Institute for Astronomy
  • Bianca Dittrich, Perimeter Institute
  • Fay Dowker, Imperial College London
  • Barbara Drossel, Darmstadt University of Technology
  • Avshalom Elitzur, Israeli Institute for Advanced Research
  • George Ellis, University of Cape Town
  • Adam Frank, University of Rochester
  • Laurent Freidel, Perimeter Institute
  • Lisa Glaser, University of Nottingham
  • Henrique de Andrade Gomes, Perimeter Institute
  • Sean Gryb, Radboud University Nijmegen
  • Giulia Gubitosi, Imperial College London
  • Lucien Hardy, Perimeter Institute
  • Viqar Husain, University of New Brunswick
  • Jenann Ismael, University of Arizona
  • Stuart Kaufmann, University of Calgary
  • Brian Keating, University of California, San Diego
  • Tim Kowlowski, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
  • Jurek Kowalski-Glikman, University of Wroclaw
  • Andrew Liddle, University of Edinburgh
  • Renate Loll, Radboud University Nijmegen
  • Joao Magueijo, Imperial College London
  • Robert Mann, University of Waterloo
  • Flavio Mercati, Perimeter Institute
  • Alvaro Mozota, Perimeter Institute
  • Markus Mueller, Perimeter Institute & University of Western Ontario
  • Richard Muller, University of California, Berkeley
  • Ali Nayeri, Chapman University
  • Elliot Nelson, Perimeter Institute
  • Daniele Oriti, Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics
  • Kaisa Rejzner, Perimeter Institute
  • Carlo Rovelli, Universite de la Mediterranee
  • Chris Smeenk, University of Western Ontario
  • Matteo Smerlak, Perimeter Instittue
  • Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute
  • Chopin Soo, National Cheng Kung University
  • Rafael Sorkin, Perimeter Institute
  • Robert Spekkens, Perimeter Institute
  • Neil Turok, Perimeter Institute
  • Francesca Vidotto, Radboud University Nijmegen
  • Roberto Mangabeira Unger, Harvard Law School
  • Steve Weinstein, University of Waterloo
  • Amanda Weltman, University of Cape Town
  • Wolfgang Wieland, Perimeter Institute
  • I-Sheng Yang, Perimeter Institute

Note:  All talks are 10 + 5 minute introductions to discussions.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Time

Event

Location

9:30 – 10:00am

Registration

Reception

 

Day 1:  Cosmological Time

 

10:00 – 10:45am

Welcome and Opening Remarks
Neil Turok, Perimeter Institute
Marina Cortes, Institute for Astronomy
Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute

Sky Room

10:45 – 12:00pm

The origin of arrows and time I
David Albert, Columbia University
Steve Weinstein, University of Waterloo

Sky Room

12:00 – 2:00pm

Lunch

Bistro – 2nd Floor

2:00 – 4:00pm

The origin of arrows of time II
Marina Cortes, Institute for Astronomy
Sean Carroll, California Institute of Technology
Tim Koslowski, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Sky Room

4:00 – 4:30pm

Coffee Break

Bistro – 1st Floor

4:30 – 6:00pm

The origin of arrows of time II 
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

 

Tuesday June 28, 2016

Time

Event

Location

 

Day 2:  Observing time as asymmetry – Origins of Irreversibility

 

10:00 – 12:30pm

Testing time asymmetry in the early universe
Brian Keating, University of California, San Diego
Richard Muller, University of California, Berkeley
Andrew Liddle, University of Edinburgh
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

12:30 – 2:00pm

Lunch

Bistro – 2nd Floor

2:00 – 3:00pm

The fate of the big bang
Abhay Ashtekar, Pennsylvania State University
Neil Turok, Perimeter Institute

Sky Room

3:00 – 4:00pm

Time as Organization –
Downward Caustation, Structure and Complexity I
Barbara Drossel, Darmstadt University of Technology
George Ellis, University of Cape Town

Sky Room

4:00 – 4:30pm

Coffee Break

Bistro – 1st Floor

4:30 – 6:00pm

Time as Organization –
Downward Causation, Structure and Complexity II
Stuart Kauffman, University of Calgary
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

 

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Time

Event

Location

 

Day 3:  The nature of time – Emergent vs Fundamental

 

10:00 – 12:30pm

Emergent Time Discussion
Carlo Rovelli, Universite de la Mediterranee
Jenann Ismael, University of Arizona
Andreas Albrecht, University of California, Davis
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

12:30 – 2:30pm

Lunch

Bistro – 2nd Floor

2:30 – 4:00pm

Fundamental Time
Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute
Joao Magueijo, Imperial College London
Laurent Freidel, Perimeter Institute
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

4:00 – 4:30pm

Coffee Break

Bistro – 1st Floor

4:30 – 6:00pm

Fundamental vs Emergent Time
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

6:00 – 6:30pm

Poème symphonique by Gyorgy Ligeti
Metronomes display

Atrium

6:30pm

Banquet

Bistro – 2nd Floor

 

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Time

Event

Location

 

Day 4:  Time in Physics

 

10:00 – 12:00pm

Causality and Becoming
Fay Dowker, Imperial College London
Avshalom Elitzur, Israeli Institute for Advanced Research
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

12:00 – 2:00pm

Lunch

Bistro – 2nd Floor

2:00 – 4:00pm

Preferred Global Slicing
Chopin Soo, National Cheng Kung University
Sean Gryb, Radboud University Nijmegen
Panel Discussion

Sky Room

4:00 – 4:30pm

Coffee Break

Bistro – 1st Floor

4:30 – 6:00pm

Summaries and closing remarks
Renate Loll, Radboud University Nijmegen
Jurek Kowalski-Glickman, University of Wroclaw
Adam Frank, University of Rochester

Sky Room

 

 

 

Monday Jun 27, 2016
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Monday Jun 27, 2016
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Monday Jun 27, 2016
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Monday Jun 27, 2016
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Pages

Scientific Organizers:

  • Marina Cortes, Institute for Astronomy
  • Lee Smolin, Perimeter Institute
  • Roberto Mangabeira Unger, Harvard Law School