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I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action

@srdfrench.bsky.social

4.7K followers 1.4K following 610 posts

Philosopher of science in a previous life, short story writer in this one and comics and music lover in both.

Steven Richard Douglas French is an emeritus professor of philosophy at University of Leeds.

Source: Wikipedia

Philosophy 36%

Physics 21%

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Reposted by David M. Schultz, Steven French, Akiko Suwa‐Eisenmann , and 1 more David M. Schultz, Steven French, Akiko Suwa‐Eisenmann, Stuart White

James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 11h

That England has had its three worst harvests on record inside the past five years really should be being treated as a much bigger cause for concern than is currently the case. www.businessgreen.com/news/4520171...

'This is what farming with climate change looks like': England endures second worst harvest on record

New analysis confirms three of the five worst harvests on record have occurred in the past five years on the back of extreme heat, drought, and rainfall

www.businessgreen.com

Reposted by Steven French, Pádua Fernandes

Hari Kunzru @harikunzru.bsky.social · 16h

Couldn’t be happier that the Nobel has gone to Laszlo Krasznahorkai. Back in 2012 I tried to astroturf a movement claiming him as the Next Big Thjng but it didn’t take off because he’s too difficult www.theguardian.com/books/2012/j...

Why is New York's literary crowd suddenly in thrall to Hungarian fiction? | Hari Kunzru

Hari Kunzru: The highly educated aspiring writers of New York are looking beyond the English-speaking world for their reading fixes. It must be a sign of the times

www.theguardian.com

I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 18h

#philsci

Barry C Smith @barrycsmith.bsky.social · 18h

Next Friday, talk, discussion and reception at the Francis Crick Institute with philosopher, Hasock Chang talking about the tricky role of measurement in science. Free and open to all

Part of School of Advanced Study and Crick Institute Being Human Lectures

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/measuremen...

Measurement and the search for meaningful scientific concepts

Professor Hasok Chang, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, delivers the eight Being Human talk.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

Reposted by Steven French

Barry C Smith @barrycsmith.bsky.social · 18h

Next Friday, talk, discussion and reception at the Francis Crick Institute with philosopher, Hasock Chang talking about the tricky role of measurement in science. Free and open to all

Part of School of Advanced Study and Crick Institute Being Human Lectures

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/measuremen...

Measurement and the search for meaningful scientific concepts

Professor Hasok Chang, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of Cambridge, delivers the eight Being Human talk.

www.eventbrite.co.uk

I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 18h

Also take a look at Bandcamp!

Reposted by Steven French

AAPTHQ @aapthq.bsky.social · 1d

Check out the Living Physics Portal! An online environment for physics educators to find, share, and discuss free teaching materials for introductory physics for life sciences (IPLS)! ow.ly/5eZa50NqeNa. #Physics #PhysicsTeachers #PhysicsEducation #ITeachPhysics

Reposted by Steven French

Sexy Andrew Hickey Costume @andrewhickey.500songs.com · 1d

Of course, there is absolutely no such thing as a best lyricist for myriad reasons, not least because what qualifies as a "good lyric" depends very much on the whole song.

Reposted by Steven French

Physics World @physicsworld.bsky.social · 1d

As the Earth moves through space, it wobbles, and researchers have now observed this wobble directly with the highest precision yet. This could enable us to test predictions of relativistic effects like the distortion of space-time due to Earth’s rotation.🧪⚛️🔭💡 physicsworld.com/a/optical-gy...

Optical gyroscope detects Earth's rotation with the highest precision yet – Physics World

With further improvements, the instrument could enable direct tests of relativistic effects

physicsworld.com

Reposted by Steven French

Institute of Art and Ideas @iai.tv · 1d

We are well aware by now of the observer problem in quantum mechanics. Human subjectivity appears to play a key role in the results of quantum experiments. | https://bit.ly/4gqMUrx

However, the observer problem reaches far beyond just quantum mechanics, argues Edward Frenkel.

#philsci ⚛️ 🧪

Maths, like quantum physics, has observer problems | Edward Frenkel

We are well aware by now of the observer problem in quantum mechanics. Human subjectivity appears to play a key role in the results of quantum experiments. However, the observer problem reaches far be...

I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 1d

I’ve just been asked to review a paper by a certain ‘Team Loopwell’ whose email address is [email protected].
Hmmmmm …

a man says something seems really sketchy about this while wearing a sweater

ALT: a man says something seems really sketchy about this while wearing a sweater

media.tenor.com

Reposted by Steven French

Simon Lohse @simonlohse.bsky.social · 1d

*EPSA27 Venue - Call for Bids*

philsci.eu/news/13550199

@epsaphilsci.bsky.social #philsci

European Philosophy of Science Association (EPSA) - News

Reposted by Steven French

Adrian Currie @adrian-currie.bsky.social · 1d

If you’re interested in practicing the philosophy of science in practice why not come along to an online workshop “the philosophy of science in practice - in practice”? #philsci

Reposted by Steven French

British Fantasy Society @britfantasysoc.bsky.social · 1d

It's October, which means - yes, you guessed it - we're going dark for this month's ask an expert column with @danielwillcocks.bsky.social !

Ever wondered why someone turns to the dark side of writing? How you can create tension? How you can unsettle, or even scare the pants off your reader? 🧵⬇️

Reposted by Steven French

Daniel Kostic @danielkostic.bsky.social · 1d

CFA: the 8th SURe workshop will take place May 27-29, 2026, at the IFiS PAN in Warsaw.

Submission deadline: 20 January 2026.

For more info visit: sure-workshop.weebly.com/current-work...

@philsci.bsky.social @epsaphilsci.bsky.social

Current Workshop

CFA: 8th Scientific Understanding and Representation (SURe) annual workshop Call for abstracts We invite authors to submit abstracts of up to 750-words for the upcoming...

sure-workshop.weebly.com

Reposted by Steven French

Republic @republiccampaign.bsky.social · 1d

It's time for some proper democracy. #NotMyKing #AbolishTheMonarchy #DownWithTheCrown

Reposted by Steven French, Marisa Linton

Greta Colombani (she/her) @gretacolombani.bsky.social · 1d

Had a blast last night chatting with @rjbarker.bsky.social, @davidmbarnett.bsky.social, and @mlinton.bsky.social about folklore, headless horses, children-kicking spirits, and humans being the scariest. Go read their brilliant novels and stay tuned for other fab @britfantasysoc.bsky.social events 💫

a group of people are standing in a line playing musical instruments .

ALT: a group of people are standing in a line playing musical instruments .

media.tenor.com

I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 1d

AI is so last year!

Reposted by Steven French

Dia VanGunten / Writer @pinkzombierose.bsky.social · 1d

The second just insane photo I’ve seen of last night’s moon. This was in the UK. Captured by Oliver Bennet Photography. I’ll try to find the other one and post it below. Meanwhile, my photos of the same moon would look like a toenail on a distant and dirty floor.

Reposted by Steven French

Alasdair Craig @alasdaircraig.bsky.social · 1d

Werner Heisenberg meets William Blake in Mark Vernon's new article for @iai.tv – Physicist & poet alike warn of the danger of viewing the world only through idealising models, losing the vitality of direct encounters with reality. bit.ly/47eI8u3 #philsky #physics #poetry #philsci

Heisenberg meets William Blake: The danger of science's "single vision" | Mark Vernon

Reposted by Steven French, Lesley A. Hall, Kelly Smith , and 1 more Steven French, Lesley A. Hall, Kelly Smith, Graham Dutfield

Naomi Alderman @naomialderman.bsky.social · 1d

I cannot understand what these people think the purpose of human life is?

It is *not* "pursue joy, deal justly, love well, try to understand as much and see as much of this beautiful world and of the deepness, richness and variety of human culture and experience as you can before you die"?

Tim Worthington @outonbluesix.bsky.social · 1d

How is this repeatedly made into a policy issue - by *all* parties - when the blunt fact of the matter is that grown adults who are obliged to pay for their own education, and relentlessly pursued to repay their loans, should be able to study whatever the fuck they want.

I Support People Protesting in Support of Palestinian Action @srdfrench.bsky.social · 1d

Two of the winners of this year’s Nobel Prize for physics, Michel Devoret & John Martinis, were awarded the Fritz London Memorial Prize in 2014. Which I mention apropos of nothing other than London being one of my personal Heroes of Quantum Mechanics!
physics.duke.edu/fritz-london...

#physics

Fritz London Memorial Prize

2025 London Prize winners are announced!The Fritz London Memorial Prize Selection Committee is proud to announce the winners of this year’s Fritz London Memorial Prize (in alphabetic order):

physics.duke.edu

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Steven French, American Library Association , and 7 more Anna O. Law, Steven French, American Library Association, Devon Greyson, Lisa Diedrich, Larry W. Hunter, Meredith Farkas, Daxton R. Stewart, Dunlap, Southern Africa

NightMar on Hicks Street, Part 4: The Rabbit’s Revenge @histoftech.bsky.social · 1d

doomscroll break

Reposted by Steven French

Tully 💀Undead💀 @tullyundead.bsky.social · 1d

Mick Fleetwood, best known for his role as Antedian Dignitary on the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Manhunt"

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Rebecca Solnit, Jonathan A. Eisen , and 27 more Anna O. Law, Rebecca Solnit, Jonathan A. Eisen, Erich Fromm, Brendan Nyhan, Paul R. Bierman, Patrick A. Jansen, Patrick Dunleavy, Steve Peers, Christopher Wright, Steven French, Lisa M. Thompson, Laura K. Taylor, Marina Jirotka, Kevin J. O’Brien, Juan Cole, Erwin Dekker, Brian Medeiros, Silvia Secchi, W. Andy Knight, Michael Zimmer, Christine Kooi, Erica Weintraub Austin, Mark Rice, Ann Bartow, Henry Jones, Blair Fix, Nathan P. Kalmoe, Francesco Nicoli, Colin Woodard

Melanie D’Arrigo @darrigomelanie.bsky.social · 2d

I feel like this photo of masked, armed men pepper spraying a pastor protecting his community is going to be a defining picture of this moment in America for a long, long time.

Reposted by Steven French

Jason Sanford @jasonsanford.bsky.social · 2d

Exciting news! My novel Plague Birds, which was a finalist for the Nebula & Philip K. Dick Awards, will be rereleased by Apex Books @apexmag.bsky.social in an new edition with extra content in June 2026. And a sequel will be published by Apex in Oct. 2026. 1/
www.apexbookcompany.com/products/pla...

Cover of Plague Birds by Jason Sanford, which was a finalist for the Nebula and Philip K. Dick Awards.

Reposted by Steven French

Infested Publishing @infestedpublishing.bsky.social · 2d

Image by @cutfingers.bsky.social #writingcommunity

$Poster features a fractured skull and a chain link border. Micro publisher of weird fiction aiming to amplify working class voices in the face of corruption. www.infestedpublishing.com$

Reposted by Steven French

Alejandro Fábregas-Tejeda @alejandrofabregastejeda.com · 2d

Still puzzled by the debate on organismal agency? Our edited collection brings historians, philosophers, and scientists into dialogue—offering a wide array of perspectives. An affordable paperback edition will be out at the end of the month! www.routledge.com/The-Riddle-o... #HPS #evobio #philsky

Reposted by Steven French

The New York Times @nytimes.com · 2d

Breaking News: The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to John Clarke, Michel Devoret and John Martinis for their work in quantum mechanics.

Nobel Prize in Physics Is Awarded for Work in Quantum Physics

The prize was awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis.

Reposted by Steven French

Benjamin Pope @benjaminpope.bsky.social · 2d

it's actually not two Nobels for Josephson junctions, just one that tunnelled over a gap of 52 years

Reposted by Steven French, Evelyne de Leeuw, Kris Inwood

Vanessa is the name of the Doctor! @hpsvanessa.bsky.social · 2d

#JobFairy - if you really are looking to get out, get away, the University of the South Pacific is looking for a historian. 5 years in the first instance, looks like mostly remote teaching though?
recruitment.usp.ac.fj/job/e57a20fd...

LLS006-Assistant Lecturer/Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in History - University of the South Pacific - The University of the South Pacific | Careers

recruitment.usp.ac.fj